NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A479
SPONSOR: Paulin TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the labor law, in relation to providing employees with
one day off every ten years to undergo a colonoscopy
PURPOSE:
To allow more people to undergo a colonoscopy and promote early
detection by requiring employers to grant employees aged forty-five or
older one day off from work every ten years to undergo a colonoscopy.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section one amends the labor law by adding a:new section 202-n to
require employers to grant one day of leave of absence every ten years
to all employees forty-five years of age or older to allow the employee
to undergo a colonoscopy. This section also makes clear that an employer
shall not retaliate against an employee for requesting a day off or
Obtaining a leave of absence. to undergo a colonoscopy. The act shall
be known as "45 Saves Lives."
Sec on two provides the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in both men
and women in the United States.{1) It is the second most common cause of
cancer related deaths in men and women combined.{21 Deaths from this
type of cancer have been dropping in recent decades;(3) however there
remains a need to promote early detection and screening, especially in
vulnerable and high risk populations.
This legislation amends the labor law to require employers to grant all
employees who are forty-five years of age or older a one day leave of
absence every ten years in order to undergo a colonoscopy This change to
the law will especially help individuals who may not otherwise choose to
undergo a colonoscopy for fear or reluctance to request time off from
work. Also, it makes clear that an employer, may not retaliate in any
way against an employee who takes advantage of the provisions set forth
in the bill. Enacting this legislation will help to save lives by
promoting the importance of early detection and allowing for higher
rates of screening.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
A2438, 2023 and 2024, referred to labor
A.5147, 2021 and 2022, referred to labor.
A5958, 2019 and 2020, referred to labor.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall become a
law.
(1) See https://www.cancer.otg
canceticolontettalcancer/about/keystatistics html (2) Id. (3) Id.
