Effective March 18, 2018, section 159-b of the Civil Service Law entitles all State officers and employees to take up to four hours of paid leave annually (without charge to leave accruals) for screening of all cancers. Leave for cancer screening is not cumulative and expires at the close of business on the last day of each calendar year.
Employees are entitled to leave of absence for cancer screening scheduled during the employees’ regular work hours. Employees who undergo screenings outside their regular work schedules do so on their own time (i.e., employees are not granted compensatory time off for cancer screenings scheduled during periods of non-obligation, pass days, Holidays, etc.)
When completing time records, employees shall report time for this allowance as “nonchargeable” and indicate “cancer screening” for the non-chargeable reason. Medical documentation submission for the cancer screening is not necessary. By submitting the time record, the employee is attesting to using the time for cancer screening.
Cancer screening includes physical exams, blood work or other laboratory tests for the detection of cancer. Travel time is included in this four (4)-hour cap. Absence beyond the four (4)-hour cap must be charged to other leave types.