Ontario Proposes Support For Organ Donors
March 2, 2009 1:33 PM
McGuinty Government Introduces Job–Protected Leave For Living Organ Donors
The province is introducing legislation that would, if passed, amend the Employment Standards Act, 2000 to provide unpaid job-protected leave for employees who donate certain organs to another individual.
Today's announcement builds on the $4 million announced in 2007 to implement an Organ Donation Strategy. The strategy includes the establishment of the Program for Reimbursing Expenses of Living Organ Donors, a fund that will reimburse living organ donors for reasonable, out-of-pocket expenses and lost income associated with their organ donation.
Living donation has many advantages such as reducing wait times and patient suffering, increased transplant success, and reduced health costs.
QUICK FACTS
- The proposed job–protected leave would apply to persons who are donating all or part of the following organs: kidney, liver, lung, pancreas and small bowel.
- Donors would have to be employed by the same employer for at least 13 weeks in order to be entitled to the leave.
- There are approximately 1,700 men, women and children waiting for an organ transplant in Ontario.
- Living organ donors comprise approximately 30 percent of total transplants.
LEARN MORE
CONTACTS
- Susan McConnell
Minister’s Office
416-326-7710
ontario.ca/labour
"Job–protected leave for living organ donors would provide support for those compassionate Ontarians who are giving the gift of life to others."
– Peter Fonseca
Minister of Labour
"By providing critical support to donors, the province will be helping to increase the number of lives saved through organ donation."
– David Caplan
Minister of Health and Long-Term Care
Communities
