California

CALIFORNIA (en español)

Last updated on March 12, 2018 by Matthew G. Kamine. (Please consider sending us a contribution at our office address specifically to help cover the administrative costs of updating this database – click here)

Please note that the information given here is intended as a general guideline. Please look into the specifics in your state to determine definitely if you qualify for one of the benefits listed here.  Your living organ donor coordinator may be a good resource for such information.

Most benefits are available in the state where you live, but also check for potential benefits in the state where you are donating if you are donating outside the state where you live.

Please discuss with your organ recipient options that may be available through his or her insurance.  Some private insurance companies offer transplant recipients travel and lodging benefits but do not care if recipients use that benefit themselves, or for a companion caregiver, or a donor.

There is one Federal program that provides money for travel and subsistence living for donors whose recipients can demonstrate need, please go to http://www.livingdonorassistance.org for more details.

All Federal Employees are eligible to take up to 30 days a year of paid leave for donating organs or seven days of paid leave for donating bone marrow. 5 U.S.C. § 6327.

California state employees, including education employees are allowed 5 days extra leave for bone marrow and 30 extra days of leave for solid organ donation once they have exhausted their regular sick leave. Leave granted for donation purposes does not count as a break in an employee’s continuous service for the purpose of for the purpose of his or her right to salary adjustments, sick leave, vacation, annual leave, or seniority. Cal. Gov’t Code § 19991.11, Cal. Educ. Code § 89519.5, Cal. Educ. Code § 9211.5. If you work for a local government, please ask your human resources official if a similar provision has been adopted at your level of government.

Private employers with at least 15 employees must provide a paid leave of absence up to 5 business days in any one-year period to an employee who is a bone marrow donor and 30 business days for a solid organ donor. The one year period within which the leave is guaranteed is a rolling 12- month period that runs from the date the employee’s leave begins. Employers may require employees to first use up to 5 days of unused sick leave, vacation, or paid time off, before providing leave for bone marrow donation and up to two weeks before providing solid organ donor leave, but leave granted under this section cannot run concurrently with leave granted under the FMLA or California state medical leave statutes. Cal. Lab. Code § 1510. Upon expiration of an authorized bone marrow or organ donation leave, the employer generally must restore the returning employee to the same position he or she held when the leave began, with equivalent seniority, pay and benefits. Cal. Lab. Code § 1511.

California has no tax deductions or tax credits for donation related expenses.

For updates on statutes and legislation under consideration, please see http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/.  For executive orders, see http://gov.ca.gov/s_executiveorders.php.

Check with the living organ donor coordinator and/or transplant social worker at the transplant center where you plan to donate for more information about local organizations that support living donors.

California resources

government resource: http://livingdonationcalifornia.org/

 

Private non-government groups

(Many of these groups are set up to help transplant recipients but will also help organ donors) 

A Gift of Heart’s mission is to help patients ease through organ donation and any difficulties of transplant surgery. The environment of a well-knit community brings comfort and inspiration to make a difference in the lives of transplant patients.

The BAAKP group provides the help, education, professional advice and support transplant patients need with the process of organ donation.

The FAIR Foundation’s Liver Disease and Transplant support group provides patients with both educational and emotional support, as well as help in the organ transplant process. Additionally, they advocate for the USA organ donor policy to include financial incentives and to change government spending to having a more equitable distribution of research funds for all diseases.

The Alliance for Donation and Transplantation Awareness and Support carries the vision of supporting and representing individuals who have had their transplant or are still on the waiting list in the utmost way possible. Their ultimate goal is to fully eliminate the need for a transplant waiting list.

The Sacramento Area Liver Transplant Support Group provides peer support and education on related subjects to help both post and pre-transplant patients through the organ donation process.

The Transplant Recipients International Organization (TRIO) SF Bay Area Chapter support group features support on various concerns such as medication, nutrition, and finances. In addition to patient support, they focus on raising public awareness on organ donation.

The UC San Diego transplant support group works to support both patients and their family through the process of organ donation with their experienced staff of surgeons, social workers, transplant coordinators, and more.

Living Donation California is an organization that works to promote and assist living kidney donations for donor recipients through its information and referral services.

 

The “Other Living Donor Support Organizations” button on the right hand side of our home page lists some national organizations that may be of financial assistance.

 

Potential Sources for Local Non-Financial Assistance

These are organizations that have volunteer programs that help the elderly or disabled, but would probably also help recovering living organ donors if the situation is explained to them. It will take some discussion for them to even understand what living organ donation is and why donors need post-donation help, but once a relationship is established, you will have opened the door for other donors also to get help. The services offered vary, anything from running errands, rides to doctor’s appointments, and light yard work or housekeeping. Check with each organization individually to see if their volunteer services might be of assistance to you during your recovery after donation surgery