Should you be required to give sensitive health information to your employer?

[Kitiger, RN]

Quote

The AARP Foundation has filed a charge with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleging an employer’s wellness program discriminates against workers in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act.

Read in its entirety: 

$1.2K wellness program opt-out surcharge violates ADA, AARP Foundation claims

[Emergent, RN]

Another reason why I refuse to join AARP. I wonder how they feel about mandatory vaccinations in order to stay employed, or nicotine testing? But, a financial incentive to improve ones health is a violation of privacy???

 

[chare]

5 hours ago, Emergent said:

Another reason why I refuse to join AARP. I wonder how they feel about mandatory vaccinations in order to stay employed, or nicotine testing? But, a financial incentive to improve ones health is a violation of privacy???

I might be misreading the article, but I don't think AARP is advocating against financial incentives.  I think they are advocating against a surcharge levied against the individual if they opt out of the wellness program in lieu of providing sensitive information.

[Kitiger, RN]

On 8/16/2022 at 2:25 PM, chare said:

I might be misreading the article, but I don't think AARP is advocating against financial incentives.  I think they are advocating against a surcharge levied against the individual if they opt out of the wellness program in lieu of providing sensitive information.

This is how I see it. 

If your depression or OCD or any other mental health issue is well-controlled and not causing problems at work, why would you want your employer to know all about it?

[HiddenAngels]

Yea that’s how I read it too and I applaud AARP.  Can’t say I didn’t see this coming with these freaking jobs infringing upon our rights. 

[kbrn2002, ADN, RN]

I have in the past taken a financial hit paying higher insurance premiums because I refused to participate in the "wellness" program. First of all I am a smoker, so that automatically placed me in a higher payment tier anyway. I wasn't willing to accept needing to meet certain lab values and/or show improving results every mandatory review plus meet or show improvement to their  BMI requirements just to save a couple of bucks.  I wasn't the only employee that opted out of their overly intrusive requirements, the program proved so unpopular that it was stopped after only 2 years due to lack of enrollment

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

I agree with AARP on this one.  Wellness programs should be voluntary without a fee to pay for not participating..

We have a wellness program where I work and we get incentives and lower premiums if we participate.  We don't have to pay a fee to opt out.  

[mtmkjr, BSN]

The issue I think is with terminology.

I would be opposed to a "penalty"  for non-participation. 

I would not be opposed to an offer of a "discount"  if you participate in the wellness program. 

On other words, incentivizing rather than penalizing.

 

[Kitiger, RN]

It's one thing for your employer to offer insurance through a regular insurance company. But if they only offer "in-house" insurance, I say no. I don't want my doctor beholden to my employer.

 

[kbrn2002, ADN, RN]

18 hours ago, Kitiger said:

It's one thing for your employer to offer insurance through a regular insurance company. But if they only offer "in-house" insurance, I say no. I don't want my doctor beholden to my employer.

 

My former employer changed to "in-house" insurance the year I left. Frankly it terrified me. While nobody likes big insurance, at least with one of the big companies the employees didn't need to worry about one or two really big claims bankrupting the entire system.