# Reserve Component Parental Leave Parity Act

Right now, members of the military's reserve components—the National Guard and Reserve forces who serve part-time alongside their civilian jobs—don't get the same parental leave benefits as active-duty military members. This bill fixes that unfair gap by giving reserve members paid parental leave when they adopt a child or take in a foster child, just like active-duty service members already receive for biological children and adoptions.

Specifically, the bill allows reserve members to take six days of paid leave for each year following an adoption or when a child is placed with them for long-term foster care. This leave counts toward their military service record and helps them earn retirement benefits, the same way maternity leave currently does. The key change is expanding who qualifies—instead of just covering birth and adoption, it now explicitly includes long-term foster care placements, and it applies equally to all reserve members regardless of gender. If a service member can't use all their parental leave within the first year because of military duties, training requirements, or other legitimate reasons, they can take it later, though they need to use it within a reasonable timeframe.

The practical impact is that reserve members who are adopting children or becoming foster parents will have paid time off to bond with their new family members and handle the paperwork and adjustments that come with these major life changes. This brings reserve members in line with active-duty personnel and recognizes that building a family through adoption or foster care is just as important as biological parenthood. The bill takes effect immediately upon passage and applies to any parental leave that starts after the law is signed.

Reserve Component Parental Leave Parity Act

Jackson, Jeff

Reserve Component Parental Leave Parity Act This bill provides parental leave to members of the National Guard or a reserve component who are on inactive-duty training. Under current law, only maternity leave is available to such inactive-duty members. The bill expands the parental leave benefit to all members for the birth or adoption of a child or the placement with the member of a minor child for adoption or long-term foster care.