RALEIGH, (SGRToday.com) - His belief that moms and dads are entitled to advanced sick leave when a new child is born has led President Barack Obama to mandate that federal agencies provide the paid leave.

The president signed the Presidential Memorandum Thursday.

 "Offering family leave and other workplace flexibilities to parents can help achieve the goals of recruiting and retaining talent, lowering costly worker turnover, increasing employee engagement, boosting employee morale, and ensuring a diverse and inclusive workforce," the memorandum said.

Those who are in the process of adopting or fostering are also eligible for the leave, as are those caring for sick family members.