Letter to Admiral Paul Zukunft - Pushes for Expanded Family Leave in Coast Guard

Letter

Dear Admiral Zukunft:

I respectfully request you to expand the Coast Guard paid family leave policy to incorporate benefits for same sex couples, dual military couples, adoptive parents, and increase paternity leave for the birth and adoption of a child. These policies are crucial for parents to care for their new child, and ensure the Coast Guard can retain their best and brightest. I have long fought to improve quality of life opportunities for men and women serving in the Coast Guard and their families, including securing passage of an amendment last year to double paid maternity leave for Coast Guard members.

I was pleased to see in the February 2, 2016, ALCOAST (036/16) Duty to People-Change to Maternity Leave Policy, that you committed to seeking the authorities needed to increase paid paternity and adoption leave benefits, including benefits for same sex couples and dual military couples. The National Defense Authorization Act for 2017, or "NDAA", (P.L. 114-328) and the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2015 (P.L. 114-120), grants the Coast Guard, and the Secretaries of the armed forces, the authority to strengthen family benefits for active duty members.

Specifically, the NDAA authorizes:

An increase of secondary caregiver (same sex spouses, fathers) family leave, for the birth of a child from 10 days to 21 days.
An increase of primary caregiver family leave for the adoption of a child from 21 days to 6 weeks.
Elimination of provisions allowing only one member of the armed forces family leave when two members of the armed forces are pursuing adoption of a child.
Authorization of 21 days of family leave for secondary caregivers for the adoption of a child.
A 2014 report conducted by the White House's Council of Economic Advisers, The Economics of Paid and Unpaid Leave, found that strong family leave policies improve the health of parents and children. Further, expanded family leave has proven to be an effective retention tool. More simply put, it is good business to increase family leave, which is why a growing number of private sector companies have elected to do so. For example, Microsoft, Google, Facebook and Bank of America all offer a minimum of 12 weeks of family leave to both parents for the birth or adoption of a child.

I also have two concerns that I would like to bring to your attention. I have heard from many Coast Guard families and commanding officers that allowing mothers to take leave in increments is important for families and the Coast Guard. Incremental leave allows for alternating care arrangements between parents, affords members the opportunity to participate in necessary Coast Guard trainings and certifications, facilitates a family's ability to attend important newborn doctor's appointments, and supports other important family and Coast Guard activities. While the NDAA authorizes you to restrict incremental leave, I request that you retain this benefit in the existing Coast Guard leave policy to provide families the flexibility they need to support their mission at home, and in the Coast Guard. I also ask you to decline the discretionary authority to require family leave to be charged against the balance of a member's leave, or require an additional service obligation based on the duration of family leave taken. This would unduly put pressure on members to take less family leave, diminishing members' comfort in taking leave to support their health and the health of their child without questions, pressure or stigma.

We must expand and modernize paid family leave coverage for active duty members of the Coast Guard, including fathers, same sex couples, dual military families and adoptive families. I urge you to work with the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of the Navy to enact enhanced leave policies to ensure all Coast Guard members have the opportunity to better support their families. Thank you for the improvements to family polices that you have already made in your time as Commandant, and thank you for continuing to work to improve the quality of life of all Coast Guard members. I look forward to working with you to support Coast Guard members and their families.

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