New moms in the Navy and Marines will now get 18 weeks of paid maternity leave, triple what they could take previously.
The Secretary of the Navy says it’s a good way to recruit and retain talented female service members.
"When the women in our Navy and Marine Corps answer the call to serve, they are making the difficult choice to be away from their children — sometimes for prolonged periods of time — so that they can do the demanding jobs that we ask them to do,” Navy Secretary Ray Mabus said. "With increased maternity leave, we can demonstrate the commitment of the Navy and Marine Corps to the women who are committed to serve."
Jane Waldfogel, a professor at Columbia University School of Social Work, told NPR that the U.S. military already has been way ahead as an employer in quality child care, and extended maternity leave is an extension of family-friendly policies.
The move comes as many families struggle to balance work and family life.
“With the military doing this, this now sets a new standard which I think other companies, other employers and other employees will start paying attention to,” Waldfogel told NPR. Read the full NPR story here.
