The following article was originally published on Politico
By Addy Baird
Public employees in New York can now take paid leave time for prostate screenings after a Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a bill into law Thursday providing for the excused time.
The bill expands current law, which allows this leave time for all public employees other than those who live in New York City, and mirrors a component of Cuomo’s Breast Cancer Insurance Program bill, which allows all public employees the same paid leave time for breast cancer screenings.
The bill, which provides up to four hours of paid leave each year to undergo prostate cancer screenings, was sponsored in the Senate by Health Committee Chair Kemp Hannon, a Republican from Nassau, and in the Assembly by Jeffrey Dinowitz, a Democrat from the Bronx.
“Prostate cancer affects thousands of New Yorkers each year, and early detection is key to mitigating its often devastating effects,” Cuomo said. “I am proud to sign this legislation to help ensure all public employees can access life-saving screenings.”