What's happening
This bill doubles the annual paid leave for public employees in New York to eight hours for cancer screening.
Why it matters
Expanded access to cancer screening may lead to earlier detection and better health outcomes for public employees, as more time is available to schedule and attend appointments without loss of pay.
By doubling paid leave for cancer screening, the bill reduces a potential financial or scheduling barrier, encouraging more employees to use preventive healthcare services.
The change applies broadly across many types of public sector employment in New York, including schools, local governments, public authorities, and retirement system participants, thus affecting a large workforce.
Employers may need to adjust staffing and scheduling practices to accommodate longer absences for screenings, potentially impacting workplace operations but also supporting employee wellness.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Expand Cancer Screening Leave
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Reported and committed to finance
- Referred to civil service and pensions
- Reported and committed to finance
- Referred to civil service and pensions
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Expand Paid Cancer Screening Leave
In Assembly Committee · Governmental Employees · Sponsor Thomas Abinanti
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3152
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
February 4, 2019
Introduced by Sen. ADDABBO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Civil Service and Pensions
AN ACT to amend the civil service law, in relation to leave for cancer screening
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 159-b of the civil service law, as amended by chapter 465 of the laws of 2017, is amended to read as follows:
1. Every public officer, employee of this state, employee of any county, employee of any community college, employee of any public authority, employee of any public benefit corporation, employee of any board of cooperative educational services (BOCES), employee of any vocational education and extension board, or a school district enumerated in section one of chapter five hundred sixty-six of the laws of nineteen hundred sixty-seven, employee of any municipality, employee of any school district or any employee of a participating employer in the New York state and local employees' retirement system or any employee of a participating employer in the New York state teachers' retirement system shall be entitled to absent himself or herself and shall be deemed to have a paid leave of absence from his or her duties or service as such public officer or employee of this state, employee of any county, employee of any community college, employee of any public authority, employee of any public benefit corporation, employee of any board of cooperative educational services (BOCES), employee of any vocational education and extension board, or a school district enumerated in section one of chapter five hundred sixty-six of the laws of nineteen hundred sixty-seven, employee of any municipality, employee of any school district, or any employee of a participating employer in the New York state and local employees' retirement system or any employee of a participating employer in the New York state teachers' retirement system
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05204-01-9
S. 3152 2
for a sufficient period of time, not to exceed [four] eight hours on an annual basis, to undertake a screening for cancer.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the civil service law, in relation to leave for cancer screening
Purpose of bill
This bill would provide New York state employees with a maximum of eight hours of excused leave annually to obtain a screening for cancer.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 of the bill amends the section heading and section 159-b (1) of the civil service law to delete the reference to breast for cancer screening and to provide excused leave up to a maximum of eight hours on an annual basis, to undertake a screening for cancer.
Section 2 repeals civil service laws section 159-c which provided for excused leave up to a maximum of four hours for prostate screening.
Section 3 is the effective date.
Justification
Early detection of cancer is critical to treatment, survival. and reduc- ing medical costs, but working men and women often lack the opportunity or incentive to undertake the necessary screening.
New York State would send a powerful message in the fight against cancer by encouraging its' employees to undertake cancer screening. Cancer screening benefits the public as well as the employee by helping to avoid future medical- costs.
Current law provides excused leave only for screening for breast cancer and prostate cancer. This is not a rational limitation since early detection and treatment can be beneficial for many types of cancer. Also, since prostate cancer occurs exclusively among men, the current statute creates a perception of unequal and discriminatory benefits.
Finally, some employees have found it difficult to travel to a doctor's office and complete the necessary cancer screening within the allowed four hours, therefore this bill increases the maximum allowed leave time to eight hours.
Legislative history
2017: S. 3684 - Referred to Civil Service and Pensions Committee. 2018: S. 3684 - Referred to Civil Service and Pensions Committee.
Fiscal implications
None. Costs of paid leave would be offset by reduced medical expenses.
Effective date
This bill shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.