Protecting Military Parental Leave Evaluations Act

This bill addresses concerns that the recently expanded 12-week parental leave for members of the Armed Forces may negatively affect their performance evaluations. Congress found that a lack of clear guidance on how to characterize parental leave for evaluation purposes, coupled with no specific exemption provisions, could deter eligible members from utilizing this important benefit. To rectify this, the legislation requires the Secretary of Defense to issue regulations within 180 days. These regulations must exempt members from performance evaluations when taking parental leave that exceeds 31 consecutive days, and allow members to take parental leave over a two-year period following a birth, adoption, or placement without needing a waiver. The Secretary must also submit a report to Congress detailing the implementation of these new provisions.