A number of states have addressed the issue of genetic discrimination in employment through state legislation. There are several ways to gather genetic information. Under the ADA, individuals with symptomatic genetic disabilities have the same protections against discrimination as individuals with other disabilities. Informed consent and assurance of confidentiality should be required. Individuals who do not currently have a symptomatic genetic disorder and, therefore, may not be protected against discrimination as a currently disabled person include unaffected carriers of a disease who may never get the disease themselves, individuals with late-onset genetic disorders who may be identified through genetic testing as being at high risk of developing the disease, and others who are identified through family history as being at high risk of developing the disease. Frightened by their sister's experience, none of her siblings are willing to undergo genetic testing for fear of losing health insurance or jobs. Alternatively, an individual should be able to elect to bring a private lawsuit in federal or state court to obtain the same type of relief plus reasonable costs and attorney's fees. During his third interview, the company representative told him that they would like to hire him, but were unable to do so because of his genetic condition. 2198, Rep. Stearns). Eighty-five percent felt that employers should be prohibited from obtaining information about an individual's genetic conditions, risks, and predispositions. Existing state laws, however, differ in coverage, protections afforded, and enforcement schemes. Later laws cover broader categories of genetic traits and disorders. Nancy Cox, president of the American Society of Human Genetics, countered, “It’s hard to imagine a good reason for wanting this information.”, In a letter to Congress, her organization (and dozens of others) said the bill would impose “draconian penalties on employees.”. Most large companies offers wellness programs, which are supposed to encourage healthy living, prevent disease, and lower health costs. Color is a health technology service partnering with employers to offer employees confidential access to genetic data that sheds light on their risk for hereditary diseases. The designated agency should be authorized to bring lawsuits in the federal courts to resolve those issues that would not settle amicably. Once identified, people who carry this mutation can use regular colon examinations to detect cancer growth early when it is most easily treated. Fear of genetic discrimination and the consequences of this fear have been reported in both the scientific literature and the popular press. Thank you! But critics of this new bill say there’s no telling how companies could use that information in the future. For this reason, use of genetic monitoring results to make employment decisions is rarely justifiable. The only federal law that directly addresses the issue of genetic discrimination is the 1996 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). “There are possibilities for misusing genetic information that make it very important for this information to be private,” Cox said. Some of the first state laws enacted to address this issue prohibited discrimination against individuals with specific genetic traits or disorders, such as the sickle-cell trait (Florida and Louisiana) or the hemoglobin trait (North Carolina). But because of my genetic test results, they proceeded with the screening and caught my cancer at an earlier stage. Thus, most expert groups recommend prohibiting or severely restricting the use of genetic testing and access to genetic information in the workplace. So there is concern over a bill that would let companies request genetic testing, and effectively charge employees more for health insurance if they refuse. The cases involved discrimination by insurance companies, employers, and other organizations that use genetic information. For example, Oregon state law prohibits employers from using genetic information to distinguish between or discriminate against applicants and employees and prohibits employers from subjecting applicants and employees to genetic testing. There is no scientific evidence to substantiate a relationship between unexpressed genetic factors and an individual's ability to perform his or her job. Another 1989 survey of 400 firms, conducted by Northwestern National Life Insurance, found that 15 percent of the companies planned, by the year 2000, to check the genetic status of prospective employees and their dependents before making employment offers. To them, it’s a choice between losing privacy or losing what could be thousands of dollars in savings. Your genetic profile can reveal whether you have a disease or a predisposition to problems like cancer. The Administration proposes that Congress pass a law to ensure that discoveries made possible by the Human Genome Project are used to improve health and not to discriminate against workers or their families. Exceptions are made for possible situations in the future that may arise if testing is shown to be scientifically valid to predict occupational risk and situations where an individual is unable to meet the performance requirements of a job. In theory, genetic screening for occupationally relevant traits has the potential to be used to assign employees who are genetically susceptible to certain occupational diseases away from harmful exposure. Your genetic profile can reveal whether you have a disease or a predisposition to problems like cancer. Employees can discuss their risk results with their healthcare provider to develop a health screening or management plan, which could lead to an earlier diagnosis or disease prevention. Federal law bans companies from using genetic information to hire, fire or discriminate. In addition, some employers may seek to use genetic tests to discriminate against workers - even those who have not yet or who may never show signs of disease-because the employers fear the cost consequences. So, two years later when I was 38 weeks pregnant with my second daughter and I felt a lump, I insisted on an ultrasound and biopsy. Those carrying the gene mutation were denied jobs-even though many of them were healthy and would never develop the disease. My genetic test results qualified me for screenings like mammograms and MRIs at a much earlier age than I otherwise would have. Employers would be able to offer discounts of up to 30 percent to those who participate. Evidence of genetic changes in a population of workers could be used to target work areas for increased safety and health precautions and to indicate a need to lower exposure levels for a group exposed to a previously unknown hazard. Oops! Employers should not require or request that employees or potential employees take a genetic test or provide genetic information as a condition of employment or benefits. 2275, Rep. Lowey; H.R. In the future, however, the AMA Council acknowledges there may be an appropriate but limited role for genetic testing in certain situations to protect workers who have a genetic susceptibility to occupational illness when health risks can be accurately predicted by the test. This report demonstrates why American workers deserve federal legislation to protect them from genetic discrimination in the workplace. For the average family of four, that could be a difference of more than $1,500 a year. Two types of genetic testing can occur in the workplace: genetic screening and genetic monitoring. The genetic alteration, which can be identified with a $200 blood test, is most prevalent among Jews of Eastern European descent. Our employees love it, and we've seen exceptionally strong utilization. Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), and similar disability-based anti-discrimination laws, such as the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, do not explicitly address genetic information, but they provide some protections against disability-related genetic discrimination in the workplace. He agreed to this arrangement. It is policy guidance that does not have the same legally binding effect on a court as a statute or regulation and has not been tested in court. Offering genetic testing services to your employees can put your company on the path to better health outcomes and lower treatment costs.â, "I did a lot of due diligence talking to insurers, talking to health insurers and life insurers to find out what a test like this means. Two additional bills have been introduced that include worker protections against discrimination based on genetic information, as part of broader proposals addressing the use of genetic information (S. 422, Sen. Domenici; H.R. Workers should not be forced to avoid tests that can help prevent disease because of fear of discrimination. What's more, many don't meet criteria to receive genetic testing through the traditional health insurance system. “With the exception of the people who participate in the program,” said Dokoupil. It is difficult to ensure that medical information is not used to discriminate. ", - Jason Russell, SAP's North America Total Rewards Directorâ. Thus, there is evidence that genetic information continues to be used to discriminate against qualified workers.
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