Organ donor leave

Organ donor leave is unpaid, job-protected time off for an employee who donates an organ, covering surgery and recovery. Lengths vary by province.

Also called: organ donation leave, organ or tissue donation leave, living donor leave

What organ donor leave means

Organ donor leave is time off for an employee who is a living donor, for example donating a kidney or part of a liver to a family member or a stranger. It covers the surgery and the recovery afterwards. The job is protected while the employee is away.

Not every jurisdiction has a separate organ donor leave. Some have one with its own length and rules; others fold donation into a broader medical or sickness leave. Quebec's leave also covers tissue donation.

The leave is usually planned weeks or months ahead, because donor surgery is scheduled. That gives you time to arrange cover, which makes it one of the easier long leaves to manage.

How it works

The employee tells you the planned surgery date and how long they expect to be away. Notice rules differ: Ontario asks for at least two weeks' written notice where possible, and Saskatchewan asks for four weeks' written notice. You may be able to ask for a medical certificate confirming the surgery and the recovery time.

Check which donations count. Ontario's leave applies to surgery to donate a kidney, liver, lung, pancreas or small bowel. Saskatchewan's covers surgery to donate all or part of an organ. Quebec's covers organ or tissue donation for transplant.

Recovery can take longer than expected. In Ontario and Manitoba, the employee can extend the leave beyond the first 13 weeks with a further medical certificate, up to 13 more weeks. Ask the employee to keep you informed so you can adjust the cover plan.

Treat the leave like other statutory leaves: keep the job open, do not count the time against the employee, and record the dates. Ontario gives employees on organ donor leave the same protections as employees on pregnancy or parental leave, including protection against dismissal or penalty for taking it.

Federally regulated employers handle donation through medical leave, which covers organ or tissue donation along with illness, injury and medical appointments.

Organ donor leave by province

Some provinces have a dedicated organ donor leave and some cover donation under a broader leave. These are the rules we confirmed.

Where the work is done	The rule
Federal	Covered by medical leave: up to 10 days of paid leave a year, earned at 1 day per month of employment, which can be used for organ or tissue donation.
Saskatchewan	Up to 26 weeks of unpaid leave for surgery to donate all or part of an organ, after more than 13 weeks with the employer. Four weeks' written notice is required.
Manitoba	Up to 13 weeks of unpaid leave after 30 days of employment, extendable by up to 13 more weeks with a further medical certificate.
Ontario	Up to 13 weeks of unpaid leave after 13 weeks of service, extendable to a total of 26 weeks with medical certificates. Covers kidney, liver, lung, pancreas and small bowel donation.
Quebec	Up to 26 weeks without pay over 12 months for organ or tissue donation for transplant. After 3 months of service, 2 days a year may be paid, shared with sickness and similar absences.

We could not confirm whether British Columbia, Alberta, the Atlantic provinces or the territories have a separate organ donor leave. Longer sick or medical leaves may apply there. Check with that office.

Example: A kidney for a brother at a Hamilton machine shop

Greg runs a 13-person machine shop in Hamilton, Ontario. His CNC operator Paolo, who has worked there for three years, tells Greg in January that he will donate a kidney to his brother. Surgery is booked for 15 March, and the surgeon expects 8 weeks of recovery.

Ontario's organ donor leave gives up to 13 weeks, with extensions possible. Paolo gives written notice in January, well over two weeks ahead. Greg confirms the leave in writing, trains another operator on Paolo's machines in February, and asks Paolo to let him know in early May if recovery is taking longer.

Hollis tracks the dates

Hollis, part of the Staffkin HR Suite, tracks leave return dates, so you can see when a donor employee is expected back and plan cover.

Try Hollis live

Free tools and guides for this

Questions about organ donor leave

Is organ donor leave paid?

Not as a separate leave in the provinces we checked. Federally regulated employees can use their paid medical leave days, and Quebec may pay 2 days a year.

How long is organ donor leave in Ontario?

Up to 13 weeks, which can be extended to a total of 26 weeks with medical certificates, for employees with at least 13 weeks of service.

Does organ donor leave cover blood or bone marrow donation?

It depends on the province. Quebec's leave covers tissue donation; Ontario's lists specific organs. Check your province's rule.

Official sources

General information for Canadian employers, not legal advice. Rules differ by province and territory and change over time, so check with your provincial employment standards office (or the federal Labour Program if you are federally regulated) before you rely on it. See employment standards by province.

Checked against official sources on 4 November 2026.