Why Help Workers With High Polygenic Risk Scores

Employers are refusing workers’ request to switch to different jobs based on polygenic risk scores. These scores represent the probability from a person’s DNA to get a disease. Government laws have a loophole as they only protect workers from getting fired because of their genetics. None of the laws mention or protect workers in switching to a different job due to polygenic risk scores. The government should modify the law, so that workers can move to a position where they are less prone to develop a certain disease, such as heart disease, indicated by their polygenic risk score.

The advancements in medicine can benefit workers in the U.S. as polygenic risk scores can help prevent diseases. However, even with this knowledge, workers are unable to switch to a position that may help prevent them from obtaining a disease that they are at high risk of. For example, if a worker is likely to have a heart attack, they should be able to switch to a less stressful position By law, employers are not forced to do anything, except for not being able to fire the workers only off their genetics. In order to have polygenic risk scores benefit workers and prevent disease, employers must allow workers to switch positions in order to accommodate the workers based off their scores.

In 2008, the federal government passed the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, GINA, which protects Americans from discrimination by employers due to genetics when hiring or firing. Before that, in 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act passed, which prohibits discrimination against disabled people. Emily Baumgaertner Nunn stated in her article, “What Happens When Your Employer Knows the Diseases You Might Get?,” that “neither law compels an employer to provide accommodations to help mitigate a person’s future health risk.” The ADA act only relates to Americans with a current or previous disease, and the GINA only applies for hiring and firing. Neither of these laws relate to workers who have high risk of getting a disease in the future.

Passing a new law would benefit workers. Workers’ health and well-being should be a high priority. Also, society should try to help workers and accommodate them. Lastly, there are always people who want a job and can switch with a worker with high risk whose job might make them contract a disease more easily. If a similar law passed, workers would be more healthy, and besides, shouldn’t society care for the workers who help the economy?

Many people feel that the category of high risk is not a clear line. Therefore, some people who might be very close to having high risk are technically don’t have a high risk, but might actually be the one who gets the disease. Also, factors other than genetics, like eating habits and daily exercise play part in the likelihood of contracting a disease. However, the benefit of passing a new law to help workers with a high polygenic risk scores clearly outweighs the disadvantages. If used correctly and in moderation, a new law could help workers with high risk scores.

Ultimately, workers’ health should be a priority, and a new law to benefit workers with a high polygenic risk score and allow them to switch to jobs that can help prevent a disease should be passed. Even with the mild disadvantages, we should help workers in order to prevent a possible disease by permitting them to participate in a job that can lower the chance for a disease.

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/28/health/polygenic-risk-scores-workplace.html

https://academic.oup.com/jlb/article/13/1/lsaf016/8678057?login=false