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Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act  by on in
Discrimination and Harassment,Employee Benefits
Program,Firing,FMLA Guidelines,Hiring,Human Resources  Passage
of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA), which
took effect in 2009, grew out of concern that employers could
use genetic information to discriminate against employees.  For
years, business groups argued the ADA’s “regarded as”
protections were sufficient to prevent genetic discrimination.
But the ADA primarily applied to employers and not insurers.
Further, many disability advocates believed the ADA’s provisions
did not go far enough. And the medical community weighed in,
with doctors claiming people were avoiding genetic tests out of
fear the results could be used against them.  The EEOC defines
genetic information as “information about an individual’s
genetic tests and genetic tests of an individual’s family
members, as well as information about any disease, disorder or c