NONDISCRIMINATION BASED ON GENETIC 
INFORMATION OF THE EMPLOYEE

The Board of Education prohibits discrimination on the basis of genetic information in all aspects of employment, including hiring, firing, compensation, job assignments, promotions, layoffs, training, fringe benefits, or any other terms, conditions, or privileges of employment.  The Board also does not limit, segregate, or classify employees in any way that would deprive or tend to deprive them of employment opportunities or otherwise adversely affect the status of an employee as an employee, based on genetic information.  Harassment of a person because of his/her genetic information is also prohibited.  Likewise, retaliation against an applicant or employee for engaging in protected activity is prohibited.

In accordance with the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA), the Board shall not request, require or purchase genetic information of employees, their family members or applicants for employment.  Further, in compliance with this Act, employees are directed not to provide any genetic information, including the individual’s family medical history, in response to necessary requests for medical information, with the exception that family medical history may be acquired as part of the certification process for FMLA leave, when an employee is asking for leave to care for an immediate family member with a serious health condition.  Applicants for employment are directed not to provide any genetic information, including the individual’s family medical history, in response to requests for medical information as part of the District’s application process.

The District recognizes that genetic information may be acquired through commercially and publicly available documents like newspapers, books, magazines, periodicals, television shows or the Internet. The District prohibits, however, its employees from searching such sources with the intent of finding or obtaining genetic information, or accessing sources from which they are likely to acquire genetic information. 

"Genetic information," as defined by GINA, means information about:  (a)  an individual’s genetic tests; (b) the genetic tests of that individual’s family members; (c) the manifestation of disease or disorder in family members of the individual (i.e., family medical history); (d) an individual’s request for, or receipt of, genetic services, or the participation in clinical research that includes genetic services by the individual or a family member of the individual; or (e) the  genetic information of a fetus carried by an individual or a pregnant woman who is a  family member of the individual and the genetic information of an embryo legally held by an individual or family member using assistive reproductive technology.

If the District either legally and/or inadvertently receives genetic information about an employee or applicant for employment from the employee, applicant for 

employment or a medical provider it shall be treated as a confidential medical record in accordance with law.

The Superintendent shall appoint a compliance officer who shall be responsible for overseeing the District’s compliance with Federal regulations and promptly dealing with any inquiries or complaints.  S/He shall also verify that proper notice of nondiscrimination for Title II of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 is provided to staff members, and that all District requests for health-related information (e.g., to support an employee’s request for reasonable accommodation under the ADA or a request for sick leave) is accompanied by a written warning that directs the employee or health care provider not to collect or provide genetic information.  The warning shall read as follows:

	The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA) prohibits employers and other entities covered by GINA Title II, including the Board of Education, from requesting or requiring genetic information of an individual or family member of the individual, except as specifically allowed by law.  To comply with this law, do not provide any genetic information when responding to this request for medical information (unless the request pertains to a request for FMLA leave for purposes of caring for an immediate family member with a serious health condition).  "Genetic information," as defined by GINA, includes an individual’s family medical history, the results of an individual’s or family member’s genetic test, the fact that an individual or an individual’s family member sought or received genetic services or participated in clinical research that includes genetic services, and genetic information of a fetus carried by an individual or an individual’s family member or an embryo lawfully held by an individual or family member receiving assistive reproductive services.		

42 U.S.C. 2000ff et seq., The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act
29 C.F.R. Part 1635

© Neola 2011

Adopted (DATE)