President Bush Signs Into Law the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act
May 28, 2008
Michael J. "Mike" Ranallo- Chicago
On May 21, 2008, President Bush signed into law H.R. 493, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA). GINA prohibits employers from using an employee’s genetic information in its hiring, firing, job placement, or promotion decisions. GINA also prohibits insurance companies from denying coverage to an individual or charging higher premiums based upon a genetic predisposition to a disease.
President Bush stated just before signing the act that it "protects our citizens from having genetic information misused, and this bill does so without undermining the basic premise of the insurance industry."
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/05/20080521-7.html
For more information, email Michael J. Ranallo at michael.ranallo@hklaw.com or call toll free, 1.888.688.8500, or refer to our May 2, 2008, GINA alert: http://www.hklaw.com/id24660/PublicationId2388/ReturnId31/contentid51155/