Catherwood LibraryILR School

A recent court ruling concerning employee wellness programs highlights the tension between employers' desire to cut health care costs and employees' privacy concerns. The complaint involved an employee at Flambeau whose health insurance coverage was pulled after he declined to take part in the company's health screening. The case was filed by the EEOC, which charged that the company-sponsored screening violated the Americans with Disabilities Act by violating his right to privacy. A federal judge ruled, however, that employees' privacy isn't violated by wellness program screenings if the data compiled is used only for health coverage, and that thus denying coverage under such circumstances was legal. Workplaces increasingly implement wellness programs to help cut health insurance costs thru requiring surcharges for risk behavior such as smoking, or by offering cash incentives for healthier practices. The EEOC is reviewing the decision and has two more lawsuits related to wellness programs pending.