Military’s Paid Maternity Leave Now 12 Weeks; Feds Still At Zero

Government Executive: When it comes to pay and benefits, there are many differences between military service members and the federal civilian workforce. Defense Secretary Ash Carter just reminded everyone of a big one: paid maternity leave.

Carter recently announced that the Defense Department would give female service members 12 weeks of paid maternity leave, one of several personnel initiatives aimed at improving the quality of life for military families. The move immediately doubles the amount of current paid maternity leave available to most service members (it’s a bit different for the Navy), and is four weeks longer than the average eight weeks provided by many employers in the United States.

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