March 07, 2018

Paid Leave available to public officers and employees undertaking screening for cancer

Paid Leave available to public officers and employees undertaking screening for cancer 
Statutory authority: New York State Civil Service Law §159-b

Effective March 18, 2018, §159-b of the New York State Civil Service Law, which provides public officers and employees of the State and its political subdivisions with excused leave to undertake a screening for cancer,* has been amended to read as follows:

§159-b of the New York State Civil Service Law, which provides public officers and employees of the State and its political subdivisions with excused leave to undertake a screening for cancer,* has been 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 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 for a sufficient period of time, not to exceed four hours on an annual basis, to undertake a screening for cancer.

"2. The entire period of the leave of absence granted pursuant to this section shall be excused leave and shall not be charged against any other leave such 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 is otherwise entitled to."

* N.B. §159-c, Excused leave to undertake a screening for prostate cancer, is repealed effective March 18, 2018

** Although not every public employee is a public officer, every public officer is a public employee.