Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin today announced a new policy offering 12-week parental leave for new parents, both fathers and mothers.

The city’s more than 3,000 employees will be eligible effective immediately for 12 weeks of paid leave if they experience the birth of a child, accept a child to adopt or foster-parent, or experience a stillbirth more than 20 weeks into the pregnancy.

“As an administration, we realize this is a critical time in the life of your family to recover from childbirth or care for the birthing parent as well as care for and bond with the child,” Woodfin wrote in a letter to employees sent out today.

He also announced the new policy in his “State of the City” address today to the Kiwanis Club of Birmingham, which greeted the news with applause.

“Under this new policy, an employee will not have to take sick time during the 12 weeks following the birth or placement of a child,” Woodfin wrote. “The paid parental leave policy will be available for the sole purpose of recovering from childbirth, caring for or bonding with the child, or providing support to the birthing parent recovering from childbirth. This applies to adoption and foster placement.”

Employees must have worked for the city for at least 12 months and have worked 1,250 hours for the city in the year immediately preceding the paid parental leave date.

“It is my expectation that this new policy will enhance the physical and mental health of our young families,” Woodfin wrote in the letter to employees.