Minnesota Life Offers Help With GINA - Genetic Information Nondisclosure Act

ST. PAUL, Minn., Jan. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- While much of the Genetic Information Nondisclosure Act (GINA) remains to be interpreted in terms of rules and regulations, the employment section of GINA that incorporates procedures and remedies found in the federal civil rights law took effect January 1, 2010.

That means employers and their human resources departments have another set of rules to learn and follow. Minnesota Life Insurance Company's Group Insurance unit put together a description of GINA in an article - "Who is GINA and what does she expect?" - on the company's LifeBenefits web site.

"It's important for employers to understand GINA in case they receive genetic testing information either as allowed by law or inadvertently," said Sue Ebertz, vice president, group insurance services, Minnesota Life. "GINA holds employers responsible for keeping secure and confidential any genetic information about employees."

The Minnesota Life article explains which employers are subject to GINA, fines for discriminating against employees and applicants on the basis of genetic make-up, exceptions to the law, and when it is appropriate for insurers to base claims payments on genetic information.

"There are hundreds of pages of information about GINA on the web," said Ebertz. "The Minnesota Life summary on LifeBenefits.com is a 30-thousand foot view that will help some employers acquire a general understanding of how GINA may affect them."

For more information about choosing and administering a variety of employee benefits, subscribe to AWARE, Minnesota Life's monthly newsletter for employers, HR practitioners, and benefits brokers.

With $485 billion of life insurance in force as of November 30, 2009, Minnesota Life Insurance Co. is one of the nation's top ten group life insurers. Respondents to customer surveys are 99 per cent satisfied with the service they receive from Minnesota Life group insurance. For more information about web-based services offered by Minnesota Life's group insurance unit, a subsidiary of Securian Financial Group,