GINA’s effect on wellness programs

Coronavirus and the Workplace Your guide to the coronavirus and HR.
Wellness programs: Clash between health care reform and GINA Approximately 70% of employers sponsor wellness programs designed to drive down health care costs, reduce absenteeism and promote better employee health. Wellness programs that offer premium discounts have long been…
Does your wellness program clash with new genetic bias law? Approximately 70% of employers sponsor wellness programs designed to drive down health care costs, reduce absenteeism and promote better employee health. But now, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act has muddied…

The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA) prohibits use of genetic information to make decisions about health insurance and employment, and restricts the acquisition and disclosure of genetic information by employers.

Broadly speaking, the law concerns information about an employee’s family medical history. That’s most likely to be divulged when employers or their health insurance providers offer incentives, such as premium discounts, for employees to complete health risk assessments (HRAs) as part of a wellness program. For example, some HRAs ask employees if they have a family history of heart disease or diabetes.

To help you better understand your obligations under GINA, we’ve assembled these resources:

Final GINA regulations

EEOC issues final GINA regulations

5 steps for complying with new GINA law

Do your health assessment questions violate new GINA law?

Does your wellness program clash with new genetic bias law?

GINA’s effect on wellness programs

Related Articles

Tools

Advice by State

Advice by Topic