The U.S. Navy has announced that effective immediately, women who serve in the Navy and Marine Corps will have 18 weeks of maternity leave available to use during the first year of her child's life. The new policy also apply retroactively to any woman who has been authorized convalescent leave following the birth of a child since Jan. 1, 2015. Under the new policy, commanding officers are required to grant to a woman up to a total of 18 weeks, using a combination of maternity leave and convalescent leave beyond 30 days. A mother does not need to take all of her leave at once; however, she is only entitled to the use of this type of leave within one year of her child's birth.
For more on military benefits, visit the Military.com Benefits Center. For more Navy and Marine Corps news, visit the Military.com News Center.
