Ont. Liberals want to give organ donors 26 weeks off

[okarol]

Ont. Liberals want to give organ donors 26 weeks off

Updated: Tue Mar. 03 2009 8:44:53 AM

The Canadian Press

TORONTO — Ontario's Liberal government has introduced legislation to guarantee workers up to 26 weeks off if they become an organ donor.

People will be entitled to 13 weeks unpaid leave if they donate a kidney or liver to someone on the transplant waiting list, and up to another 13 weeks off if doctors think it's necessary.

Labour Minister Peter Fonseca says everyone covered by Ontario's Employment Standards Act will have their jobs guaranteed if they become living donors.

He says the government is committed to boosting organ donations to help provide a longer life and an improved quality of life to those in need.

The organs used in more than 30 per cent of the 863 transplants completed in Ontario last year came from living donors.

But New Democrat Peter Kormos says no one's been fired for taking time off work to be a living donor, and claims the new protections will do nothing to shorten waiting lists for people needing transplants.

Kormos calls it feel-good legislation that he says was designed to detract from more serious issues like the recession.

http://toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20090303/organ_donors_090303/20090303?hub=Toronto

[jbeany]

26 weeks?  That does seem a bit excessive - although I don't think it's necessarily a bad idea.  Can't hurt, anyhow!

[Rerun]

Unpaid leave?  The U.S. Government gives a organ donor 30 days paid leave (4 weeks).  Now we're talking!