Washington University values the importance of privacy in matters relating to your personal health. Human Resources partners with external vendors to offer you tools and resources that could help you improve your health and well-being. The purpose of this notice is to tell you how the information you provide through those tools and resources will be stored, managed and used.
Employee well-being programs are voluntary and available to benefits-eligible individuals. Programs are administered according to federal rules permitting employer-sponsored wellness programs that seek to improve employee health or prevent disease, including the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008, and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, as applicable, among others. If you choose to participate in certain well-being programs, you will be asked to complete a voluntary health risk assessment that asks a series of questions about your health-related activities and behaviors and whether you have or had certain medical conditions (e.g., cancer, diabetes, or heart disease). You will also be asked to complete a health screening, which will include a blood test for measuring total cholesterol, HDL, Total Cholesterol/HDL ratio and blood glucose. You are not required to complete the health assessment or to participate in the blood test or other medical examinations. However, employees who choose to engage in certain well-being programs will be eligible for a gift card incentive. If you are unable to participate in any of the health-related activities required to earn an incentive, you may be entitled to a reasonable accommodation or an alternative standard. You may request a reasonable accommodation or an alternative standard by contacting Human Resources at employeewellbeing@wustl.edu or by calling 314-935-2332. The information from your health assessment and the results from your health screening will be used to provide you with information to help you understand your current health and potential risks, and may be used to offer you other services through other well-being programs. You also are encouraged to share your results or concerns with your own doctor.
Protections from Disclosure of Medical Information
We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your personally identifiable health information. Although Human Resources may use aggregate information it collects to design a program based on identified health risks in the workplace, your personal information will never be disclosed either publicly or to the employer, except as necessary to respond to a request from you for a reasonable accommodation needed to participate in the well-being program, or as expressly permitted by law. Medical information that personally identifies you that is provided in connection with the well-being program will not be provided to your supervisor and may never be used to make decisions regarding your employment. Your health information will not be sold, exchanged, transferred, or otherwise disclosed except to the extent permitted by law to carry out specific activities related to the well-being program, and you will not be asked or required to waive the confidentiality of your health information as a condition of participating in the program or receiving an incentive. Anyone who receives your information for purposes of providing you services as part of the well-being program will abide by the same confidentiality requirements. In addition, all medical information obtained through the well-being program will be maintained separate from your personnel records, information stored electronically will be encrypted, and no information you provide as part of the well-being program will be used in making any employment decision. Human Resources will not have access to any individual personal health information you provide as part of your participation in the well-being program. Aggregate reports from our external partners only allow analysis by School – not the department level. Human Resources will use the information it receives to better understand the health and wellness needs of employees and to design targeted programs to meet those needs. Human Resources will not be able to associate your name or employee ID with your personal health information. Appropriate precautions will be taken to avoid any data breach, and in the event a data breach occurs involving information you provide in connection with the well-being program, we will notify you immediately. You may not be discriminated against in employment because of the medical information you provide as part of participating in the well-being program, nor may you be subjected to retaliation if you choose not to participate. Participation in employee well-being programs is completely voluntary and you will always have a choice about which program or tools you decide to engage. If you have questions or concerns about your participation, please contact Human Resources at 314-935-2332 or email employeewellbeing@wustl.edu.