Organ donors will now be able to access paid leave from work, with a two year Federal Government funded pilot program beginning today.

The program will see organ donors eligible for up to six weeks’ paid leave at the minimum wage rate, close to $3600 for their troubles.

The $1.3 million program seeks to reduce waiting lists for life-saving transplants, and encourage more people to be willing to donate live organs. There were 1080 people on the kidney transplant waiting list in Australia in 2012, but only 237 live kidney donors, recent figures from the Australian New Zealand Organ Donation Registry show.

Previously most donors had to organise unpaid time off work for work-up tests and post-surgery recovery, now employers will be able to claim a benefit in order to support eligible employees to become living organ donors.

A spokesperson from Kidney Health Australia has said it is an historic day for the donor community, one which will likely lead to many more lives saved.