Request of an Employee to Undergo a DNA Test - Case Study Example

The relevant laws in this situation are privacy and employment laws. The law on the privacy of medical information requires extreme confidentiality of individual medical information. Individual sensitive medical information should remain with the involved party and confidential. The employment act requires employers to bargain in good faith over any terms that address a mandatory subject such as working conditions.

An employer requiring an employee to undergo a DNA test is likely to use the test results as a basis for employment discrimination. As much as the employer is concerned about the wellness of the employee, it is not ethical for him or her to insist on a DNA test for an unwilling employee since it is an infringement of his or her privacy. Unless such a requirement was included in the collective bargaining and agreed upon by all parties, it is not ethical.

An employer may request an employee to undergo a DNA test if the employee is operating dangerous machinery or piloting a plane due to his concern to identify any genetic illness that may pose the employee and other people in danger. Such a request should be made on reasonable grounds since it's an invasion of individual privacy. The employee’s actions may be unethical to the extent that he does not respect the employee’s privacy and employment law that is against discrimination on a genetic basis. Unless there is collective bargaining among all involved parties and consent is given, it is unfair to the employee, but also a good ground to show the employer’s concern for the employee’s safety in the workplace but not the most ethical. Read More