New paid leave benefit announced as Donate Life Month begins

Editor’s Note: AU Medical Center and LifeLink Georgia will have a flag-raising ceremony at noon Wednesday, April 10, on the lawn on Harper Street just outside the hospital B entrance in recognition of National Donate Life Month.

Just in time for National Donate Life Month in April, the Human Resources and AU Medical Center leadership teams are unveiling a new benefit for employees who wish to donate organs or bone marrow to offer the gift of life to another. The Living Organ Donor Leave Program  helps provide eligible employees who serve as donors with additional paid leave options that will not affect the employee’s own paid time off hours.

“AU Medical Center is committed to recruiting, hiring and retaining the best possible staff, and we are supportive of our employees and our transplant programs,” said AUMC CEO Lee Ann Liska. “This new program aligns well with the Augusta University Strategic Plan and correlates directly with the shared principles that inform our decision-making as we grow and change as a health system within our dynamic educational and health care environments.”

Eligible employees who serve as organ donors for the purpose of transplantation shall receive paid leave of up to 30 consecutive working days in a calendar year. Employees who serve as bone marrow donors for the purpose of transplantation shall receive paid leave of up to seven consecutive working days in a calendar year. Paid Leave is not and does not affect employee PTO hours. Rather, these are additional hours the organization will provide to employee donors as continuing income for the employee based on the event and the new policy guidelines.

“Our greatest asset is our people, and we want AU Medical Center employees to be able to donate without the worries of getting time off or how they will make up missed income during the time they are out of work for recovery,” Liska said.

“Our focus is also on delivering benefit programs such as this to promote engagement, improve retention, collaboration, and provide resources that benefit the employee, Augusta University and the Health System,” said Lisa Mitchum, AVP of AU Health System Human Resources Services. “As always, our HR team is here to advise and assist our employees in making these kinds of arrangements for time off and benefits.”

Mitchum said that employees will find links to the new policy, program eligibility requirements, the application process and form, FAQ and other informatoin on the new Living Organ Donor Leave Program web page on PAWS in Human Resources services.

While National Donate Life Month is officially recognized each year in April, AU Health focuses every day on the care of transplant patients and their families. This is one more way to demonstrate a commitment to safe, quality transplant care.

Augusta University employees have similar benefit options for organ donation. More information is available on the University System of Georgia website under “Miscellaneous Leave” and also under the marrow donation section.