Employee's rights?

[llafave]

What is the name of your state? Missouri

Does an employer have the right to know your what medication you are taking, what procedures you have had done or what doctor you are seeing? Currently, my insurance claims are handled by an employee of my company. Do I have the right to keep my medical information from my employer? Can the other employee tell our employer about my medical history?

 

[ProResearch]

Just *having* the information and *using* the information are two different things. Then of course there is *misuse* or *abuse* of the information too. If your employer is administering a health plan and processing medical claims, no doubt the employee handling the claims, and by extension the employer, has access to your medical history by virtue of the claims you submit.

I believe it would be illegal, however, to use that medical information to making hiring and firing decisions, or if they give that information to others not otherwise entitled.

Employers should (from www.nolo.com):

* Keep medical records separate from nonmedical records (personnel files, for example), in a separate, locked cabinet. Designate only one person to have access to those files. Don't disclose any medical information about your employees except to:

* inform supervisors about necessary restrictions on an employee's duties and about necessary accommodations

* inform first aid and safety workers about an employee's disability that may require emergency treatment and about specific procedures that are needed if the workplace must be evacuated, and

* provide medical information required by government officials and by insurance companies that require a medical exam for health or life insurance.

For more information or where you can go to get more information, see this web site for Missouri Department of Laborand Industrial Relations contacts or check out the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

http://www.dolir.state.mo.us/contact.htm