The Suffolk County Legislature voted on August 6th to grant paid sick leave to county employees who donate organs or bone marrow, under a bill introduced by Legislator Jon Cooper (D-Huntington).
Organ donors are always in short supply, and patients in need of transplants must often wait months or even years for an operation that could save their lives. In New York alone, close to 8,000 people have to delay necessary surgery. For many, it comes too late; patients who could have lived active, full lives if only there had there been enough organs available.
In surveys, one in four potential donors indicated that financial reasons kept them from donating. Federal law prohibits them from receiving money or gifts, and they must take time away from work in order to travel to the transplant center and recover after the operation. Under Cooper's resolution, bone marrow donors will be given up to seven days paid leave, while organ, organ part or tissue donors can have up to thirty days. This will keep donors from having to sacrifice their financial well-being in order to help those in need.
The growing demand for living donors makes this incentive all the more vital. In the last six years, living kidney transplants at the University Hospital of Stony Brook have soared from 7 to 29. In contrast, cadaveric donations fell from 28 in 1996 to 19 in 2001. Living donors are fast becoming the mainstay of the transplant program, but their numbers still fall short of the demand; the number of patients on the Stony Brook transplant list has increased from 110 in 1996 to 320 this year.
"There is nothing more important than saving lives, and it should never be impeded by financial concerns," said Legislator Cooper. "Our county owes these brave men and women a debt of gratitude. Giving them time to recover is the least we can do."
Because of collective bargaining constraints, Cooper's legislation applies only to non-union county employees. However, it is hoped that similar paid leave will be granted to union employees during the next round of contract negotiations.
