HIV Employment Discrimination Still an Issue in US, UK

Employment law and licensing practices in the United States and the United Kingdom are making it increasingly difficult for people living with HIV to enter the workforce, further increasing stigma and discrimination, according to two studies presented Tuesday, July 34, at the XIX International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2012) in Washington, DC.
The first study, presented by Alison Yager, JD, of the HIV Law Project in New York, focused on professional licensing practices within the United States and how broad language can often lead to unlawful denial of licenses.

Under the American with Disabilities Act, an individual with disabilities can be denied a license if he or she poses a direct threat to the health of others and this threat can’t be reasonably eliminated. After several instances in which people living with HIV were denied by licensing bodies, the U.S. Department of Justice sent a letter to the Attorneys General of all 50 states asking them to review licensing criteria and revisit language to avoid violating the ADA and the rights of HIV-positive people.

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