Session Summary

Session Number:185
Session ID:S66
Session Title:Genetic Testing, Privacy, and Employment Discrimination
Short Title:Genetic Testing and Privacy
Session Type:Showcase Symposium
Hotel:Hyatt West
Floor:LL1
Room:Goldcoast
Time:Monday, August 09, 1999 2:30 PM - 3:50 PM

Sponsors

GDO  (Audrey Murrell)amurrell@katz.business.pitt.edu (412) 648-1651 
SIM  (Dawn Elm)drelm@stthomas.edu (612) 962-4265 
HR  (Lynn Shore)mgtlms@langate.gsu.edu (404) 651-3038 

General People

Chair Cheng, Cliff  U. of Southern California cliffc@mizar.usc.edu (213)-935-1396 
Discussant Etzioni, Amitai  George Washington U. comnet@gwis2.circ.gwu.edu  

Submissions

Genetic Testing, Employment Discrimination, and Managerial Decision Making 
 Draper, Elaine  U. of California, Berkeley   310-392-2116 
Genetic Testing and Occupational Disease.. No Causal Link: A Technology for Asymptomatic ADA Discrimination? 
 Cheng, Cliff  U. of Southern California cliffc@mizar.usc.edu (213)-935-1396 
Genetic Screening and Privacy 
 Stone-Romero, Eugene F. U. of Central Florida dianna.stone@bus.ucf.edu 407-823-3664 
 Stone, Dianna  U. of Central Florida dianna.stone@bus.ucf.edu (407)-823-3664 
 Hyatt, David E. DeCotiis Erhard Strategic Consultants dhyatt@descg.com 719-598-5705 

Abstract

The genetic testing of job applicants and employees, and the use of the information gained through such testing in the making of employment decisions raises many human resource, Equal Employment Opportunity, social and public policy issues. Genetic testing is used by employers who hope to predict diseases that job applicants and job incumbents may contract, particularly those associated with occupational hazards. However, these tests have the capacity to identify the sex, race, and ethnic-religious origins of individuals who are tested. As a result, there have been cases where all fertile women were excluded from hazardous (high-paying) production jobs, and African-Americans were denied employment for fear they may contract sickle cell disease. Employers claim that such testing is vital to avoiding liability and controlling skyrocketing health care costs. However, labor claims that (a) the tests discriminate against asymptomatic individuals who may never get a particular disease, and (b) the tests are not predictive of job performance. Moreover, research suggests that genetic testing is highly invasive of privacy. The symposium will consider these and other important issues associated with the genetic testing of job applicants and job incumbents.