The Organ Donation and Transplantation Alliance is proud to join the AST Living Donor Circle of Excellence with a new employee policy, which became effective January 1, 2021. This program, created by AST in 2020, encourages organizations to extend salary support to employees who are living donors, thereby reducing a substantial barrier to living donation.
This program recognizes employers who implement policies that provide salary support for an employee who chooses to be a living organ donor, and/or an employee in need of an organ transplant whose living donor lacks salary support during the recovery period.
“We are proud to be a Supporting Partner of AST for such an important initiative,” stated Kevin Myer, chair of The Alliance Board of Directors. “This is an initiative that can be adopted by thousands of corporations and organizations across the country, which could open up a much greater opportunity for altruistic donors.”
AST shares that this program demonstrates the appreciation of the tremendous sacrifice and societal contribution of living kidney donors. For more information, AST has provided additional educational materials here.
“We commend the American Society of Transplantation leadership for launching this program so that organizations across the country – and the world – are encouraged to extend benefits to the heroes working in their own organization. This gives us an opportunity to practice what we preach with our own employees,” said Karri Hobson-Pape, Executive Director of the Alliance.
See The Alliance employee policy language below:
Statement of Policy:
The Organ Donation and Transplantation Alliance (The Alliance) grants living organ donor leave to full-time regular employees.
Procedure:
Up to 30 days paid leave annually for donating an organ or up to 7 days for bone marrow donation may be requested by full-time regular employees in good standing who have completed 24 months of continuous service.
Living organ donor leave does not necessarily have to be taken consecutively.
The job of the full-time employee will be protected while out on this leave
An employee on living organ donor leave will accrue paid leave for the period absent.
An employee on living organ donor leave is eligible to continue their health/dental and long-term disability insurance coverage.
The Alliance requests notice 8 weeks prior to living organ donor leave and requires notice 2 weeks prior to living organ donor leave.
Appropriate medical documentation is required and must be approved by the Executive Director before the leave is granted.
