Comments on: Want a job? Submit your DNA

By: online doctor

online doctor — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 22:57:49 +0000

A world where we did not have genetic privacy laws would be a scary place to live…thank you for the article!

By: blog.vortexdna.com » Blog Archive » Genetically engineered ethics questions

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 01:10:46 +0000

[...] been a lot of news recently about personal genetic testing, along the lines of 23andMe. A post from Dr. Hsien-Hsien Lei, though, raises some of the ethical questions that could arise from DNA testing, particularly in [...]

By: US Armed Forces Discriminates Against Service Members With Genetic Diseases

US Armed Forces Discriminates Against Service Members With Genetic Diseases — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 09:08:47 +0000

[...] For more on genetic discrimination against job applicants, see my previous post - Want a job? Submit your DNA. [...]

By: Hsien

Hsien — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 14:54:05 +0000

You know, I never thought about it that deeply before but I can see that it’s not absolutely necessary for all of us to submit to a drug test when applying for a job or even after we’ve been employed unless we’re showing evidence of not being able to do the job. I’ve only been asked to submit to a urine test one time to get a job and it was a bizarre experience. I think it’s related to the question of how much our private lives impinge upon our professional lives and DNA definitely crosses into both territories.

By: Sheri

Sheri — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 04:39:25 +0000

Hsien,
I don’t like the idea of giving a DNA sample. But if the DNA is required to prove that I did not contaminate evidence during collection then yes I would give it. If I was working for a hospital, a government agency or a private business that just wanted it, then no I would not give them a DNA sample. There needs to be a very good, defendable reason such as to prove I did not contaminate evidence for me to give a DNA sample.
I would have walked away from the forensic nursing job I took when they wanted to test me for drugs except that I had already committed to job after they had gone out of their way to recruit me and arrange the entire training schedule around my schedule. The boss was a close friend.
I have walked away from jobs when I was told that they required pre-employment drug testing. I don’t take drugs and I dislike the assumption of guilt until proven innocent. Given that, it is a hard call for anyone who has to work for a living. When you have children to feed and clothe you may deside that their well-being is worth being publically humiliated/called a criminal and being forced to prove your innocence.
Quite frankly, I believe that drug testing or the giving of a DNA sample prior to or after employment should be illegal unless the employer can prove to a jury that there is a safety issue which only a drug test or a DNA sample can guarantee public safety. Given the political climate this will never become law.
Each day we give just a little of our freedom away to those who say we must and we will ignore those who tell us not to until we have given all of our freedom away. Then we will cry and ask why no one told us this would happen. We will demand that someone else fight die for us to give us back the freedom who so willingly gave away.

By: Hsien

Hsien — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 17:34:53 +0000

Hi Sheri, You make a very good point. So are you saying that you’d be ok giving a DNA sample after you’ve been hired but not if it’s a pre-req for getting hired? And same goes for drug testing? Is this more because you hate the idea of discriminating based on screening rather than opposing a potential violation of privacy?

By: Sheri

Sheri — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 17:13:41 +0000

Have you thought about the collection of DNA to rule out contamination at a crime seen or by the people collecting forensic evidence. I’m a forensic nurse and at some point I know I’ll be asked for a DNA sample to rule out contamination when they find a DNA sample they can’t identify. BUT to demand a DNA sample for employment purposes NO chance. I had to undergo a drug screening test (which was sprung on me) when I got the forensic nurse job. The employer didn’t want to hire someone who used and/or abused drugs. If I had known about the drug test before I took the job, I would not have taken it even though I was actively recruited and I love my work.

By: Hsien

Hsien — Mon, 21 May 2007 22:15:20 +0000

Mary Emma, I often think that technological advances have not only made our everyday lives easier, it makes it easier to control our everyday lives as well. :/

By: Hsien

Hsien — Mon, 21 May 2007 22:14:15 +0000

Lisa, Good point. I wonder who’s trained to provide appropriate counseling and information to the job applicants or are they simply handed the swab and told to do it?

By: Hsien

Hsien — Mon, 21 May 2007 22:13:21 +0000

Peggy, I don’t think they’re proposing to use the DNA as a way to assess psychological traits but I can imagine that happening in the future. Recently there was talk of DNA testing astronauts as well. So DNA screening job applicants really isn’t as GATTACA as it seems….