Health screenings often reveal sensitive, personal information about your employees, so it is important that you keep your employees’ information confidential. When employees reveal personal information for health screenings, they trust you to not use this information to increase their copays, make them vulnerable to additional expenses, or cause them any embarrassment or attention from other employees. In addition, health assessments must remain in compliance with federal laws such as HIPAA, GINA and the ADA.
To protect your employees’ rights while executing your workplace wellness program, consider the following recommendations:
- Do not share employees’ personal or health-related information with anyone. This may inadvertently cause them to receive impartial treatment in the workplace. Plus, you are legally obligated to protect sensitive employee information.
- Keep health screening information separate from your employees’ employment records, as this information must not affect hiring, firing and promotion decisions.
- When reporting on wellness data, provide an aggregate summary of the health conditions affecting your entire employee body; do not single anyone out.
- Make participation in wellness programs a voluntary activity. Though you can offer incentives to encourage employees to participate, it is illegal to require employees to engage in wellness activities or to provide health-related information.
- Provide a confidentiality agreement to employees with the health promotion materials.
- Protecting your employees’ personal information is the law. Take these steps to ensure that your employees’ personal information is kept confidential.
For more information, please contact Elizabeth Long, Senior Benefits Consultant, Champion Risk & Insurance Services, L.P., 858-369-7923 Direct / 619-733-4176 Cell or via email: elong@championrisk.net
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