Supporting Living Organ Donors Program

Living organ donation is major surgery and carries risk for the donor. Prospective donors undergo extensive work-up testing to ensure they are physically and mentally able to donate, and these medical appointments may require donors to take time off work. If donation surgery proceeds, donors may require a significant amount of time off work to recover. The extensive work-up testing and donation surgery may require donors to travel long distances for medical appointments.

The program aims to ensure that taking time off work and out-of-pocket travel and accommodation expenses are not a barrier for individuals considering donation. The program provides reimbursement of paid leave and out-of-pocket expenses associated with donation.    

The program is not an incentive to donate. It is designed to help support those individuals who wish to donate but cannot afford to due to loss of income and the financial stress it would cause for them and their family.

The purpose of the program is to reduce the financial stress associated with being a living organ donor, raise the profile of living organ donors and encourage employers to support employees who have chosen to donate an organ.

o be eligible you must be:

• An individual / person

To be eligible for leave reimbursement, you must have donated a kidney or partial liver, or done work-up testing and be:

• donating in Australia; and
• an Australian resident (as defined by the Health Insurance Act 1973); and
• have a valid Medicare card; and
• 18 years of age or older; and
• employed by a registered Australian business with an active ABN. The employer must be willing to participate in the program; or
• self-employed with an active ABN.

To be eligible for out-of-pocket expenses reimbursement, you must have donated a kidney or partial liver, or done work-up testing and be:

• donating in Australia; and
• an Australian resident (as defined by the Health Insurance Act 1973), with a valid Medicare card OR donating to an Australian resident (as defined by the Health Insurance Act 1973), with a valid Medicare card; and
• 18 years of age or older