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Health Care Workers and the Law August 1, 2002

Health Care Workers and the Law August 1, 2002. Clara Sue Ross, MD, JD eohcons@aol.com. Federal and State Laws. 1. Statutes and Regulations 2. Common Law. Pertinent Laws Include:. ADA FMLA OSHA Workers’ Compensation Medical Records/ Confidentiality Drug Testing laws/cases

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Health Care Workers and the Law August 1, 2002

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  1. Health Care Workers and the LawAugust 1, 2002 Clara Sue Ross, MD, JD eohcons@aol.com

  2. Federal and State Laws 1. Statutes and Regulations 2. Common Law

  3. Pertinent Laws Include: • ADA • FMLA • OSHA • Workers’ Compensation • Medical Records/ Confidentiality • Drug Testing laws/cases • State laws/regulations

  4. ADA Prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals with disability

  5. ADA Case by case decision making Individualized assessment

  6. ADA Protects qualified individuals

  7. ADA Disability definition under ADA: 1. Physical/mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity 2. Record of… 3. Regarded as having...

  8. ADA Employers win most litigated cases, often on issue of whether disability present because no substantial limitation of a major life activity

  9. ADA Cooperative Interactive Process

  10. Frequent ADA Issues Regarding Health Care Workers 1. Reasonable accommodation/Undue hardship 2. Direct threat

  11. Frequent ADA Issues Regarding Health Care Workers 1. Reasonable accommodation/Undue hardship lifting shift changes attendance leave

  12. Frequent ADA Issues Regarding Health Care Workers 2. Direct threat to the health and safety of others infectious diseases substance abuse

  13. Frequent ADA Issues Regarding Health Care Workers 2. Direct threat to the health and safety of others: nature of risk duration of risk severity of risk likelihood of harm

  14. Unique Workers’ Compensation Issues in Health Care Workers Examples: Bloodborne pathogen exposures Latex

  15. FMLA More limited occupational health professional role than ADA Confidentiality of records Conceptually simple, implementation not so simple

  16. FMLA • Eligible employee • Covered employers • 12 weeks of protected leave during 12 month period • ‘Serious health condition’

  17. Remember Laws Interrelate: • ADA, FMLA and Workers’ Compensation • Potential Issues include: • Which employees and employers covered? • How coverage defined? • What is purpose? • What medical inquiries are permitted? • How is ‘light duty” involved?

  18. Remember Laws Interrelate: • ADA, FMLA and Workers’ Compensation • What medical inquiries are permitted? • FMLA-Certification Form • ADA-Preplacement vs. ongoing • ‘job-related and consistent with business necessity’

  19. Drug Testing Programs • Program/policy issues • who to test • when to test • what to test for? • How to interpret? • MRO Function • EAP Function

  20. Drug Testing • Recent $1.8 billion class action against health care facility that did not do preplacement drug testing • Radiology technician using patient meds/possible bloodborne pathogen exposures to patients

  21. Legal Resources • ADA: • www.eeoc.gov • www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada • www.adata.org • www.janweb.jcdi.wvu.edu • www.abanet.org/disability/lawpract

  22. Legal Resources • FMLA • www.dol.gov/dol/esa/fmla • Other • www.findlaw.com

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