Health Insurance Costs Versus Privacy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Health Insurance Costs Versus Privacy - Essay Example If such adjustments cannot be accommodated, CBD may revoke the job offer. This, however, should always be an absolute last resort. Federal regulations illegalize CBD from discriminating against job applicants or workers based on their genetic information. CBD may test workers to ascertain if they have illegal drugs or alcohol or in their systems. The law prohibits them from testing employees' genetic predisposition to alcoholism or drug abuse (Mathiason, 2007). Wellness programs such as the one proposed by owners of CBD in option two of their two- step program cannot be considered illegal by the law. A wellness program that renders an incentive conditioned on participation in a health program is not discriminatory under Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). However, the Act prohibits CBD health plans from discriminating based on a health factors such as; health status, medical condition, claim experience, receipt of health care, and medical history. Examples in clude nicotine addiction and body mass index (Mathiason, 2007). Collective bargaining is where employers and employees negotiate agreements that regulate terms of employment. Employees belong to a union that voices their interests. Collective bargaining in the automobile industry in United States has developed since 1930’s. ... According to Block (2006), Ford and GM companies UAW negotiated wage increases by an average of 7.2% annually from 1961-1980 and increased by 3.6% from 1985-2004. The union also negotiated for employment security, and this amounted to 5.9% to the hourly income paid by the companies. Following this, the union traded half of its wage increase for job security guarantees. However, in 2005 and 2006, the union negotiations focused on health care and employment levels. This resulted to companies faced with the dilemma of paying for health care benefits of retirees. Health insurance was, therefore, not provided by non-U.S.-based firms opened in the mid-1980. In 2006- 2007, GM and Ford reflected this concern by providing health care benefits to active employees for the remainder of their employment contracts. Eventually, the two organizations drew a plan whereby they paid for health insurance of active employees and retirees. This has resulted in severe financial losses for automobile indust ries such as Ford and GM. Considering the Occupational Safety and Health Act, the general duties of first-line managers include providing safe areas of access and exit to place of work, providing healthy and safe place of work, maintaining safe facilities, equipment and working areas and ensuring safe work systems. The first line managers ensure management and other staff members comply with their duties regarding safety and health regulations in the work place (Pomfret, 2006). On the other hand, finance managers ensure the company adopts and integrates an effective Occupational Safety and Health regulation Act. This leads to a sound investment and produces excellent financial rewards for the company. They plan, organize, lead and control all