Government Employees Granted 42-Day Special Leave for Organ Donation

The central government has implemented a new policy granting government employees a special leave period of 42 days for organ donation. This move aims to provide employees with adequate recovery time after donating an organ.

The decision aligns with the transplantation of human organs and tissues act of 1994, which requires donors to be approved by a registered medical practitioner. The leave can be taken starting one week before the surgery, as advised by a doctor or registered medical practitioner.

The leave can also be divided into separate periods based on the surgery’s nature, as permitted by the doctor or registered practitioner. This policy intends to promote organ donation among government employees and recognizes it as a compassionate act of support.

The ministry of personnel, public grievances, and pensions department of personnel and training issued this policy on April 25, 2023. Previously, employees were granted 30 days of leave for organ donation, but it has now been extended to 42 days based on inquiries and references from the ministry of health and family welfare.

These orders apply to government employees in civil services and positions related to the affairs of the Union of India, as specified in the CCS (Leave) Rules, 1972. The rule is effective from the date of the notification.

The guidelines also specify that the organ removal surgery must be performed in a government or private hospital authorized under the central government health scheme. If the procedure takes place in a private hospital, a medical certificate signed by the relevant head of department (HOD) is required.