UTICA - Governor David Paterson has a bill in front of him that would allow all employees who participate in the State Pension Retirement System to get screened for cancer and not have it count as time off from work. If signed, the bill would expand a current law that already allows some state workers to get the benefit. 

One of the agencies covered under this current plan are the 1,600 or so Oneida County employees. They can receive a prostate exam or a breast exam, and not have it count against their time off from work. However both the State Assembly and the State Senate are looking to change that. They want to extend this offer to everyone who receives a state pension.

The proposal on the Governor's desk would allow up to four hours of paid leave for a prostate or breast cancer screening. However, Oneida County employees receive eight. he original bill was passed in 2006 that said all state, county, municipal, and school district employees, male or female, would receive four hours of paid leave for a breast exam. A year later, the bill was amended to offer four hours of paid leave for men to get a prostate exam.

Since men were already covered under the breast exam bill, they received eight. So Oneida County now gives eight paid hours, per year, to both men and women, for respective exams. The County Executive says it is a plan that works.

"They notify their supervisor ahead of time that they are going for a particular screening and have that doctor statement as proof, and they are granted the four or eight hours time depending what has to be done," says Oneida COunty Executive Anthony Picente.

The proposal to amend the current bill, and allow "all" other State employees to benefit was passed by both the senate and the assembly, passing the final approval over to the Governor. The Governor has until Wednesday to get the bill signed and now he is looking for the public's help. He wants to know your thoughts on whether or not all state employees should have four hours of free time to get screened for cancer.

If you are interested you can e-mail the governor, and put in the subject line "Cancer Screening."