FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 8, 2000 CONTACT: Michael Orenstein 202-606-2402 or mworenst@opm.gov Statement of Director Janice R. Lachance on Prohibiting Discrimination in Federal Employment Based on Genetic Information "President Clinton today issued an important Executive Order that ensures the rights of federal employees and federal job seekers against employment discrimination as a result of analyses of their 'protected genetic information'. In issuing this landmark order, the President has protected the medical privacy rights of 1.8 million men and women and reinforced the principle that a person's employment with the federal government will be based solely on merit. "With the President's action, federal employees and job applicants can benefit from the scientific community's expanding knowledge base in genetic testing, but without concern that information derived from genetic testing will adversely affect their employment status. "And just as employment decisions will not be influenced by genetics testing, so too will there be no influence by genetics on the enrollment opportunities or care and treatment options for the nine million men, women and children covered by the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program." ### Janice R. Lachance is the Director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM). As Director of the federal government's lead human resources agency, Lachance serves as the chief advisor to the White House on federal HR issues, including personnel practices under the system of merit principles, recruiting and retaining a qualified and diverse federal work force, health and retirement benefits, training, labor and management relations, and the Senior Executive Service. -end-

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