Yale Case May Shed Light on When a Wellness Plan Is Voluntary

How far can employers go to get workers to enroll in employee wellness programs that ask for personal, private medical and genetic data?

That’s what a federal court is being asked to decide in a closely watched case challenging Yale University’s wellness plan. Yale fines employees $25 from every paycheck if they decline to participate, a total of $1,300 a year, the plaintiffs say.

Legal observers say the case presents an opportunity for a court to resolve confusion, created by conflicting laws, over when employee wellness plans are considered voluntary or when they cross the line and become coercive. ...