A House committee thinks your boss should be able to see your genetic information
What’s protecting us from a future where we have to share our genetic information with our job? Not much, at least legally. A House committee has approved HR 1313, a bill that would let companies make employees get genetic testing and share that information with their employer — or pay thousands of dollars as a penalty.
Right now, this isn’t allowed because of the Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act (GINA). The new bill — sponsored by Virginia Foxx, a Republican congresswoman from North Carolina — claims that GINA shouldn’t apply when genetic tests are part of “workplace wellness” programs.
It’s meant to make wellness programs stronger. Employees who participate usually go through some medical screenings, take a bunch of health...