Genetic Testing: U.C. Lawrence Livermore Lab Settles Lawsuit

In the March 1998 issue of California Employer Advisor, we reviewed a decision by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal focusing on alleged secret genetic testing of employees at the University of California’s Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The court held that the workers could sue the lab for violating their privacy rights. Now the lab has settled the suit by agreeing to implement detailed procedures for obtaining employees’ consent before testing. The university will also pay about $4,000 to each of the current and former employees involved in the class action suit.