Oregon Expands Reasons Employees Can Use Paid Sick Leave to Include Blood Donation

On May 28, 2025, Oregon’s governor signed SB 1108, which, effective January 1, 2026, expands the reasons employees can use legally required paid sick leave to include blood donation connected with a voluntary program approved or accredited by the American Association of Blood Banks or American Red Cross. As a result, Oregon will join San Francisco on the list of mandatory paid sick leave laws that allow employees to use leave for donation purposes (in San Francisco, paid sick leave is usable for bone marrow or organ donation). 

The amendments are Oregon’s second donation-related covered use for paid sick leave. Currently under Oregon law, donating paid sick leave to another employee so they can use leave is a permitted reason. Though many paid sick leave laws discuss employees’ voluntarily donating sick leave, Oregon’s is the only one that expressly counts donated leave against the annual amount of leave a donating employee can “use” under the law. Oregon’s amendments, along with other recent covered use amendments in neighboring Washington State (immigration proceedings and “safe” time for hate crimes), are another reminder that navigating mandatory paid leave laws is anything but a simple task. Even though the summer has just begun, employers may want to start their year-end policy update checklist! 

*This article was also published in SHRM and Wolters Kluwer.