Senate Bill No. 409, known as the "Louisiana Living Donor Paid Leave Protection Act," aims to provide protections for employees who become living organ donors. The bill establishes a framework for paid leave for living organ donors, ensuring that employees can take time off to undergo organ donation procedures without fear of job insecurity or surgery delays. It outlines the legislative intent to encourage organ donation, highlighting the benefits of living organ donations over deceased donations, and aims to keep Louisianians healthy and employed, ultimately saving the state money on long-term care.

Under the proposed law, employers are required to grant paid leave of absence to employees seeking to donate a human organ, with a maximum of thirty working days unless otherwise agreed upon. The bill also mandates that private employers provide unpaid leave for employees serving as organ or bone marrow donors, with the option to extend this leave beyond thirty days. Importantly, the legislation prohibits any form of discrimination against employees for taking leave to donate organs and clarifies that the paid leave cannot be used for retirement purposes or have cash value upon termination. The law is set to take effect on August 1, 2026.