Medical Confidentiality

The ADA requires employers to keep all medical information about employees confidential and maintain it in separate medical files, apart from regular personnel files.

What must be kept confidential: - Information obtained from medical examinations - Documentation supporting accommodation requests - Disability-related information shared by employees - Information from health insurance claims

Who can access medical information: - Supervisors may be told about necessary work restrictions or accommodations - First aid/safety personnel may be informed if the condition might require emergency treatment - Government officials investigating ADA compliance - Insurance companies as needed for coverage

What this means for you: - Your medical condition should not be shared with coworkers unnecessarily - Supervisors should only know what accommodations you need, not your diagnosis - Medical files must be stored separately from personnel files - Breaches of confidentiality may be ADA violations

You can choose to share your condition with coworkers, but your employer cannot require or pressure you to do so.