Bone Marrow and Organ Donor Leave

Florida does not have a specific state-mandated leave for organ or bone marrow donors. As a matter of Company policy, employees who serve as donors of an organ or of bone marrow may take time off as set out below. The federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) may also apply if the donation involves a serious health condition and the employee is otherwise eligible.

• The employee must have been employed for at least ninety days immediately preceding the start of the leave.
• The employee may take up to thirty business days of paid leave, and up to an additional thirty business days of unpaid leave, in any one-year period for the purpose of donating an organ to another person. The one-year period is measured from the date the employee's leave begins.
• The employee may take up to five business days of leave in any one-year period for the purpose of donating bone marrow to another person. The one-year period is measured from the date the employee's leave begins.
• During leave for organ or bone marrow donation, the Company will continue to provide and pay for any group health plan benefits in which the employee was enrolled prior to the start of the leave.
• Leave under this policy is not counted as family or medical leave under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act.

Employees who wish to take a leave of absence to donate bone marrow or an organ must furnish written verification of the need for leave, including confirmation that the employee is an organ or bone marrow donor and that the donation is medically necessary.

The Company requires that employees taking leave for organ donation use two weeks of accrued but unused sick leave, PTO, or vacation, and that employees taking leave for bone marrow donation use five days of accrued but unused sick leave, PTO, or vacation. Once the required paid leave is exhausted, the employee will be paid for any remaining portion of the leave of absence, if additional leave is needed, up to the maximum permitted by applicable law.