Inne pytania i odpowiedzi dotyczące przepisów związanych z HIV. Zobacz także nasze strony na temat Dyskryminacja w zakresie HIV/AIDS I Testowanie i prywatność.

Co oznacza, że pracodawca może być zobowiązany do zapewnienia „rozsądnych udogodnień” pracownikowi niepełnosprawnemu?

People with disabilities, such as HIV/AIDS, may experience health-related problems that make it difficult to meet some job requirements or duties.  For example, a person may be exhausted or fatigued and find it difficult to work a full-time schedule.

In certain circumstances, the employer has an obligation to modify or adjust job requirements or workplace policies in order to enable a person with a disability, such as HIV or AIDS, to perform the job duties.  This is known as a “reasonable accommodation.”

Przykłady uzasadnionych udogodnień obejmują:

  • Modyfikowanie lub zmiana zadań i obowiązków służbowych;
  • Ustalenie harmonogramu pracy w niepełnym wymiarze godzin lub zmodyfikowanego harmonogramu pracy;
  • Udzielanie urlopu w trakcie regularnych godzin pracy na wizyty lekarskie;
  • Przeniesienie pracownika na wolne stanowisko; lub
  • Dokonywanie zmian w fizycznym układzie miejsca pracy lub nabywanie urządzeń, takich jak wzmacniacz telefoniczny, aby umożliwić wykonywanie pracy na przykład osobie z wadą słuchu.

How can a person obtain a reasonable accommodation?

It is, with rare exception, the employee’s responsibility to initiate the request for an accommodation.  In addition, an employer may request that an employee provide some information about the nature of the disability.  Employees with concerns about disclosing HIV/AIDS status to a supervisor should contact GLAD Answers at www.GLADAnswers.org in order to strategize about ways to respond to such requests.

There is no fixed set of accommodations that an employee may request.  The nature of a requested accommodation will depend on the particular needs of an individual employee’s circumstances.

Czy pracodawca musi przychylić się do prośby o uzasadnione udogodnienia?

An employer is not obligated to grant each and every request for an accommodation.  An employer does not have to grant a reasonable accommodation that will create an “undue burden” (i.e. significant difficulty or expense for the employer’s operation).  In addition, the employer does not have to provide a reasonable accommodation if the employee cannot perform the job function even with the reasonable accommodation.

Kiedy „uzasadnione udogodnienia” dla pracownika stanowią „nieuzasadnione obciążenie” dla pracodawcy?

In determining whether a requested accommodation creates an undue burden or hardship for an employer, courts examine a number of factors, including:

  • Wielkość, budżet i ograniczenia finansowe pracodawcy;
  • Koszty wdrożenia żądanego udogodnienia; i
  • W jaki sposób dostosowanie wpływa na działalność pracodawcy lub ją zakłóca.

Również w tym przypadku każda sytuacja jest rozpatrywana indywidualnie.

Am I able to purchase syringes at a pharmacy without a prescription?

Yes.  In 2006, Massachusetts passed a law allowing for pharmacies to sell syringes over the counter to anyone who is 18 years of age or older and decriminalizing possession of needles (M. G. L. c. 94c §§27-27A).

Does Massachusetts have needle exchange programs?

Yes.  Massachusetts law permits the Department of Public Health to establish needle exchange programs, but unfortunately requires “local approval” for the siting of a program (M. G. L. c.111 §215). To date, only Boston, Cambridge, Northampton, and Provincetown have needle exchange programs.

Does Massachusetts have a law that requires health insurance plans to cover lipodystrophy surgery?

Yes, on August 10, 2016, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker signed into law An Act Relative to HIV-Associated Lipodystrophy Syndrome Treatment. This first-of-its-kind legislation requires public and private insurers to cover treatment of a debilitating side effect of early HIV medications. This historic victory means that some of the longest-term survivors of the HIV epidemic will finally have access to the critical health care they need and deserve.

For more information, see: Governor Baker Signs Historic Law Requiring Treatment for HIV-Associated Lipodystrophy – GLAD.

Are insurance companies required to provide long-term care or life insurance to people who are taking PrEP?

As a general matter, no. However, in a GLAD case, Doe v Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company, Mutual of Omaha agreed to revise its underwriting guidelines to no longer decline long-term care insurance applicants solely on the basis that an applicant takes PrEP for HIV prevention.

For more information, see: Doe v. Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company – GLAD.

Disability Insurance

If you are unable to work and are on SSDI or private disability insurance, it is important to work closely with your medical providers to make sure that the medical documentation supports your continuing need for disability insurance.