S1NET Special Message – 31 Jan 23 - Expansion of the Military Parental Leave Program (MPLP)

1. ALARACT 007/2023, Expansion of the Military Parental Leave Program (MPLP) Implementation Guidance, DTG: R 311525Z JAN 23, has been released and is available on APD, https://armypubs.army.mil/ProductMaps/PubForm/ALARACT.aspx, and posted at the following link on S1NET.  Some key points in this ALARACT:  https://www.milsuite.mil/book/docs/DOC-1225640

     a. All active component Soldiers; reserve component Soldiers performing active guard and reserve duty or full-time national guard duty for more than 12 months consecutively; and reserve component Soldiers performing duty under a call or order to active service for more than 12 months consecutively, referred to collectively in this message as “Soldiers,” are covered by the parental leave policy.

     b. Effective date. The parental leave described in this message applies to a Soldier when any one of these events occurs on or after 27 December 2022: the birth of a Soldier’s child, adoption of a minor child by the Soldier, or placement of a minor child with the Soldier for adoption or long-term foster care.

     c. All birthparents (Soldiers who physically give birth) are deferred or excused for 365 days after the birth of their child from all continuous duty events that are in excess of 1 normal duty day/shift. These include, but are not limited to:  deployment, mobilization, field training, combat training center program rotations, collective training events away from home station (unit of assignment), pre-mobilization training, unit training assembly away from home station (unit of assignment), and temporary duty.

     d. For the birth parent, 12 weeks of parental leave will be authorized in addition to and following a period of maternity convalescent leave from childbirth.

     e. Non-birth parents and Soldiers who adopt a minor child or who have a minor child placed for adoption or long-term foster care are authorized 12 weeks of parental leave, either taken in whole or taken in increments during the 1-year period beginning on the date of birth of the child. Additionally, these Soldiers should expect to deploy with their units.  Unit commanders will consider the significance of the event and its impact on readiness (for example a critical deployment or critical training exercise) when considering a Soldier’s request for parental leave.

     f. Soldiers may take parental leave in one continuous period or in increments.  Parental leave may be taken together with ordinary leave. Soldiers choosing to take parental leave in more than one increment must request such proposed leave in blocks of at least 7 days each for a maximum of 12 increments and must submit such requests within the timelines established by normal procedures and/or the unit commander.

     g. Unit commanders are encouraged to approve requests for incremental periods of parental leave. If the unit commander does not approve taking incremental parental leave, they must allow the Soldier to take the full 12 weeks of parental leave in one continuous period.

     h. Parental leave also applies to Soldiers who have unused caregiver leave remaining on 27 December 2022. In such cases, a Soldier is authorized a total of 12 weeks of parental leave, but any unused caregiver leave when combined with parental leave must not exceed 12 weeks. 

     i. See the ALARACT for complete information.

2.  Expanded Military Parental Leave Program FAQs are also posted with the ALARACT, and at the following link. https://www.milsuite.mil/book/docs/DOC-1225651

3.  Screen shots are also provided at the following link, and posted with the ALARACT, which guide Soldiers on how to request parental leave absences in IPPS-A. https://www.milsuite.mil/book/docs/DOC-1225652

Categories: S1NET Message