Genetic information and the workplace: legislative approaches and policy changes.

“In the employment setting, discrimina­ tion among individuals has long been legal­ ly, ethically, and socially acceptable” (1). Employers may select prospective employees on the basis of their past experience or their education but are prohibited from selecting employees on the basis of specific categories such as age, color, and ethnic origin (1). Now there are numerous reasons for employ­ ers to expand the selection process to in­ clude genetic information. Employers are increasingly concerned about the spiraling cost of health insurance as well as the pos­ sibility of genetic susceptibility to illness caused by exposure to workplace toxins (2). The use of genetic information in the workplace poses societal risks that have an impact on employment possibilities, health insurance, and privacy. Individuals who might otherwise believe that they can ben­ efit from genetic testing may decline it be-