The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in response to employee complaints filed a lawsuit against
Honeywell for their tactics and the company says the testing and screenings are voluntary but the penalties that could hit is what the problem is and penalties can go up as high s $4000.00.
This will be interesting to see how this one plays out. The EEOC has requested a temporary injunction to stop the employee testing. Honeywell employees around 50,000 people in the US. This is the third suit in three months that the EEOC has filed accusing companies of setting up “involuntary” employee medical or wellness programs.
I think this could also sound like an implementation issue and that has a lot to do with things as well as the penalties. BD
Reuters) - The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has sued Honeywell International Inc to stop the company from imposing penalties on employees who refuse to undergo testing under its corporate wellness program.
The lawsuit is the third case since August filed by the federal agency challenging a corporate wellness program, with Honeywell the biggest company to be targeted. Wellness programs that encourage healthier habits have become increasingly popular in Corporate America, as they promise to improve productivity, cut absenteeism and reduce medical costs.
Such programs are also encouraged under President Barack Obama's healthcare law, the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
Honeywell employees could be penalized up to $4,000 each, through surcharges and lost contributions to health plans, if they or their spouses do not comply with the biometric testing, according to the lawsuit, filed on Monday in U.S. District Court in Minnesota.
According to the lawsuit, employees and spouses are screened for blood pressure, cholesterol, blood-sugar levels, waist circumference and nicotine. Honeywell had informed employees that testing was to occur from Oct 22-31, the lawsuit said.(
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