Work, Pay & Leave Rights · Surprise rank #281
NY State Employee Donating an Organ or Bone Marrow? Get Separate Paid Leave
New York Labor Law gives State employees separate paid leave for organ or bone-marrow donation: up to 30 days for organ donation and up to seven days for bone-marrow donation.
Who
Employees of the State of New York who undergo a qualifying procedure to donate an organ or bone marrow.
Where: New York State government employment.
What to do
Start here: Notify your agency HR office in writing as early as possible and cite New York Labor Law §202-b; ask what physician verification the agency requires.
Eligibility: You must be a New York State employee and provide the required notice/medical verification. The statute generally requires at least 14 days written notice unless a physician-attested medical emergency makes that impractical.
What you get
Section 202-b creates paid donor leave in addition to other sick or annual leave for employees of the State of New York.
Benefit: Up to 30 days of paid leave for organ donation or up to seven days of paid leave for bone-marrow donation, in addition to other sick or annual leave.
Possible value: The value is continued state salary for the approved leave period rather than an out-of-pocket grant.
Good to know
Important: This specific paid-leave entitlement is for employees of the State of New York. Other employers have separate bone-marrow-donation rules that are not the same 7/30-day paid benefit.
Availability: Current statutory right.
Why people miss it: Employees may use ordinary sick leave without realizing state law creates a separate donor-leave bank.
Sources reviewed: Aug 10, 2026