OPM Director Kay Coles James Urges
Federal Employees to Become Organ and Tissue Donors

Washington, D.C. -- Kay Coles James, Director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, today asked agency secretaries and directors to encourage their employees to register as organ and tissue donors, giving hope and the gift of life to 79,000 children and adults on transplantation waiting lists across the United States.

"I have seen what can be accomplished when the Federal community becomes aware of a need," said James in the memorandum commemorating National Organ and Tissue Donor Awareness Week, 2002, which runs from April 21 – 27."Time and again, Federal Employees have proven their compassion and generosity through record-breaking charitable contributions, volunteer activities and sometimes through great personal sacrifice."

Since 1999, the Organ Donor Leave Act has allowed federal employees to use 30 days of paid leave to become a donor.

"The length of absence for organ donation procedures will vary depending upon the medical circumstances of each case," James goes on to say in the memo. "For medical procedures and recuperation requiring absences longer than 30 days, we encourage agencies to continue to accommodate employees by granting additional time off in the form of sick and/or annual leave…." or by giving employees access to other leave programs.

In 1983, Congress designated the third full week in April as National Organ and Tissue Donor Awareness Week. According to statistics provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, nearly 23,000 organ transplants were performed in the year 2000. Still, 16 people die each day in the United States waiting for transplants, while 114 are added daily to the national waiting list.

"Especially since September 11, we have seen how Americans rise to a challenge. Federal Employees, in particular, have demonstrated their commitment to our nation and our communities. This is another opportunity for our public servants to lead the way. I realize, for some, that this might be a difficult decision," James said. "But the lives of so many individuals and families have been enriched by this most personal and compassionate gift. It is one sure way to provide some good to others in an otherwise sorrowful event."

OPM oversees the federal work force and provides the American public with up-to-date employment information. OPM also supports U.S. agencies with personnel services and policy leadership including staffing tools, guidance on labor-management relations and programs to improve work force performance.