ALCOAST 124/19 - APR 2019 SURGE STAFFING AUGMENTATION TO SUPPORT PARENTAL LEAVE

united states coast guard

R 160803 APR 19
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC//CG-13//
TO ALCOAST
UNCLAS //N05400//
ALCOAST 124/19
COMDTNOTE 5400
SUBJ: SURGE STAFFING AUGMENTATION TO SUPPORT PARENTAL LEAVE
A. Obtaining Personnel Resources to Meet Surge Requirements, COMDTINST M5400.1 (series)
1. Purpose: In support of the Coast Guard Strategic Plan to invest in our people and improve support
programs for the mission ready total workforce, this ALCOAST announces the beta test of a program to
assist units experiencing temporary personnel gaps associated with members on prenatal, maternity
convalescent and primary caregiver leave for the birth or adoption of a child. The recently published
Women's Retention Study identified difficulties women face with parental leave. This program will
provide units relief and better support our members when weighing the decision to grow their family,
against professional and mission demands.
2. Background: To support workforce readiness, COMDT (CG-13), PSC, and the Personnel Readiness Task Force (PRTF) are implementing a beta test to expand the Request for Forces (RFF) capability to provide short-term augmentation to units, with members on non-chargeable leave associated with birth or adoption of a child exceeding 41 consecutive days. Headquarters will centrally fund this program utilizing short-term ADOS and manage it through PSC’s Surge Staffing Section- units requesting this support will not bear the cost. Requests for workforce coverage during times of prenatal, maternity convalescent and primary caregiver leave can be up to 120 days in duration.
3. Procedures:
    a. To allow adequate time to identify an optimal ADOS candidate:
        (1) RFFs should be received by Surge Staffing Section (CG-PSC-PSD-SSS) no later than 12 weeks prior to the birth or adoption event.
        (2) The request must include the phrase “Parental Leave Augmentation” in the RFF subject line.
        (3) RFFs can be up to 120 days of support.
        (4) By-name candidates are encouraged.
        (5) All RFF messages for “Parental Leave Augmentation” must info the following ADMINOIX mailbox, HQS-SMB-PSC-Maternity@uscg.mil.
    b. The surge staffing process in paragraph 11 of REF (A) remains in effect, with exception of accounting information. These specific requests are not mission critical, but will be handled and managed as a benefit to the member and unit, through voluntary reserve solicitation. Unit Commanders should recognize that a perfect backfill may not exist and are encouraged to be flexible and innovative in considering different ranks/rates and specialties to augment the gap if a one-for-one backfill cannot be sourced.
4. POCs:
    a. For questions or concerns regarding this process, contact PSC’s Surge Staffing Section at:
HQS-SMB-PSC-Maternity@uscg.mil.
    b. For questions or concerns regarding the parental leave policy, contact the Office of Military
Personnel, (CG-133) at: HQS-PolicyandStandards@uscg.mil.
5. RDML M.W. Sibley, Director of Reserve and Military Personnel, sends.
6. Internet release is authorized.