At their annual meeting Jan. 19, 2017, the YMCA of the Greater Tri-Valley was acknowledged for their adoption of a cancer screening policy. The Oneida County Health Department’s Cancer Services Program of Oneida, Herkimer and Madison counties presented the award to Executive Director Hank Leo.
The award is in appreciation of the organization’s commitment to employee health and wellness by implementing a policy allowing employees eight hours of paid leave annually to get screened for cancer.
When approached by Wendy Hunt, Program Manager of the Cancer Services Program of Oneida, Herkimer and Madison Counties early in 2016 about entertaining the idea of such a policy, YMCA Executive Director Hank Leo immediately saw the value in such a policy.
“It was a no-brainer for us,” Leo said. “Our employees are our greatest asset. Keeping them healthy is our priority. Cancer affects all of us in one way or another. My dad passed away in 2013 from cancer, and I know how devastating it was for me and my family. To have the privilege of helping our staff take free time off for preventative health diagnosis is truly a blessing. I would encourage all employers in the County to take a look at doing the same.”
Leo worked with the board of directors to adopt the policy and did so quickly. The policy was passed and implemented in July of 2016.
The YMCA is the second employer in the area to either implement a policy or expand existing policy. Madison County expanded on an existing policy in 2015. In 2007, when New York State mandated four hours of breast cancer screening and four hours of prostate cancer for municipal employees, Oneida County expanded the policy to offer eight hours of screening time for all types of cancer.
“We hope that this trend continues and we see other employers offering such a benefit to their employees,” Hunt said. “In the end, it is a small amount of time that can prevent employees from having to take extended time off due to illness,” says Hunt. “Cancer screening is our best tool in the fight against cancer.”
For more information on the benefit and implementation of a cancer screening policy, call the Cancer Services Program at (315) 798-5248.