Workers Declining Genetic Testing Would Be Punished Under Bill

Under a bill passed last week by the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, employers could impose hefty fines on workers who declined to participate in genetic testing as part of workplace wellness programs. Current federal laws prevent such fines, to protect genetic privacy and nondiscrimination. But the rising popularity of wellness programs, and the availability of discount health premiums under the Affordable Care Act for workers who opt in to such programs, has created incentives for companies to encourage participation. Critics of the bill, including AARP, March of Dimes and National Women’s Law Center, said the bill would undermine basic privacy provisions of the Americans With Disabilities Act and the 2008 Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act.