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A479Assembly2025-2026 Session

Colonoscopy Leave for Older Workers

Official title

“Entitles employees 45 years of age or older to take one day every ten years to undergo a colonoscopy”

Sponsor Amy PaulinAD-88+6 co-sponsorsAffects Economy
Status
In Assembly Committee
Labor
Impact
5/10
Moderate
Passage
16%

Bill progress

Step 2 of 7

In committee · Labor

What's happening

This bill requires employers to provide employees aged 45 or older one day off every ten years for a colonoscopy.

Why it matters

  1. Targets both public and private sector employers. The bill’s definitions cover a broad range of employers, including nonprofits and government entities, meaning its requirements will have wide-reaching impact across New York’s workforce.

  2. Specifically supports employees aged 45 and older. By aligning with updated medical guidelines recommending earlier colon cancer screening, the bill addresses a critical age group at rising risk, potentially promoting early detection and saving lives.

  3. Protects employees from retaliation. The explicit ban on retaliation for requesting or taking this leave guards workers against negative employment consequences, encouraging more people to prioritize preventive healthcare.

  4. Does not diminish other employee benefits. The bill makes clear that this day off is in addition to, not a replacement for, existing benefits, ensuring workers do not have to sacrifice other forms of paid leave to undergo a colonoscopy.

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Who cares

  • Employees age 45 and older

    Those averaging at least 20 hours of work per week for a covered employer would be entitled to one day off every ten years for a colonoscopy, with protection against retaliation for requesting or taking the leave.

  • Businesses and nonprofit employers

    Those employing at least 20 employees at one site would have to provide the leave to eligible employees.

  • State and local governments, school districts and public authorities

    These public employers would also be covered if they meet the bill’s staffing threshold.

  • Independent contractors

    They are expressly excluded from the bill’s definition of employee and would not receive this leave entitlement.

Headline styles

Colonoscopy Leave for Older Workers

Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.

Sponsors

Primary sponsor
Amy Paulin

Assembly Member · Assembly District 88

Chair, Health

History

  1. Referred to labor
  2. Referred to labor

Full text

1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗

STATE OF NEW YORK

479

2025-2026 Regular Sessions

IN ASSEMBLY (Prefiled)

January 8, 2025

Introduced by M. of A. PAULIN, BRONSON, COLTON, CRUZ, SIMON, SAYEGH, STECK -- read once and referred to the Committee on Labor

AN ACT to amend the labor law, in relation to providing employees with one day off every ten years to undergo a colonoscopy

The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:

Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as "45 saves lives".

§ 2. The labor law is amended by adding a new section 202-m to read as follows:

§ 202-m. Leave of absence for colonoscopies. 1. For the purposes of this section, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

(a) "Employee" means a person who performs services for hire for an employer, for an average of twenty or more hours per week, and includes all individuals employed at any site owned or operated by an employer but shall not include an independent contractor.

(b) "Employer" means a person or entity that employs twenty or more employees at at least one site and includes an individual, corporation, partnership, association, nonprofit organization, group of persons, state, county, town, city, school district, public authority or other governmental subdivision of any kind.

2. An employer shall grant one day of leave of absence every ten years to all employees forty-five years of age or older in order for such employee to undergo a colonoscopy.

3. An employer shall not retaliate against an employee for requesting or obtaining a leave of absence authorized pursuant to this section.

4. This section shall not affect an employee's rights with respect to any other employee benefit otherwise provided by law.

§ 3. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall become a law.

EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets

[ ] is old law to be omitted.

LBD02094-01-5

Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.

Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.