Congress clarifies organ donors get job protection during recovery
H.R. 4582 — To amend the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 and title 5, United States Code, to clarify that organ donation surgery qualifies as a serious health condition. · Filed by Don Bacon (R-NE) · 154 cosponsors · Introduced Jul 22, 2025 · Referred to committee
Your members of Congress
Enter a ZIP to see where your representative and both senators stood on this bill.
Looked up on this device — your ZIP is never stored on our servers.
What it does
This bill clarifies that employees who undergo surgery to donate an organ—and their recovery period—qualify as a 'serious health condition' under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), entitling them to up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave. For federal employees, it also allows them to use other available paid leave (like sick leave) to cover organ-donation recovery time before drawing on FMLA leave.
Why we flagged it
The bill is a straightforward amendment to labor law that clarifies and expands protections for a specific category of workers—those donating organs. It is not a tax measure, appropriation, or regulatory carve-out; it is a rights-clarification statute.
What the text implies
- Removes ambiguity that may have previously discouraged organ donation by workers fearful of job loss, potentially increasing organ-donor supply and transplant availability.
- Federal employees gain a concrete advantage over private-sector workers: the ability to substitute paid leave for FMLA leave during organ-donation recovery, reducing financial hardship.
The full analysis lists 3 implications of this text.
Who it affects
Ordinary workers gain explicit legal protection for a medically necessary procedure (organ donation) that previously existed in a gray zone. Employees can now donate organs without fear of losing their jobs or being forced to choose between recovery and employment.