Genetic Discrimination

A new bill proposed in Congress has many concerned that they may face stiff penalties at work if they decline to submit to genetic testing. Currently, the federal law protects employees’ genetic privacy. The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) bans using genetic results as a basis for hiring/firing workers and prohibits employers from asking about…

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (the EEOC) has just filed its first class action Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) lawsuit against a New York nursing home. GINA is a recently enacted federal law that prohibits an employer from requesting, requiring or purchasing an individual’s genetic information or that of the individual’s family members. GINA was…