Ch. 10 Key Terms

affirmative action

Programs that use goals and quotas to provide preferential treatment for minority persons determined to have been underutilized in the past.

background check

The process of reviewing criminal and/or financial history to confirm information about an applicant for employment.

Chemical Hygiene Plan

The Standard for Occupational Exposures to Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories that clarifies the handling of hazardous chemicals in medical laboratories.

Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act (CLIA)

Also called Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments. Federal statute passed in 1988 that established minimum quality standards for all laboratory testing.

discrimination

Prejudiced or prejudicial outlook, action, or treatment.

employment-at-will

A concept of employment whereby either the employer or the employee can end the employment at any time, for any reason.

General Duty Clause

A section of the Hazard Communication Standard stating that any equipment that may pose a health risk must be specified as a hazard.

Hazard Communication Standard (HCS)

An OSHA standard intended to increase health care practitioners’ awareness of risks, improve work practices, and use of personal protective equipment,

just cause

An employer’s legal reason for firing an employee.

Medical Waste Tracking Act

The federal law that authorizes OSHA to inspect hazardous medical wastes and to cite offices for unsafe or unhealthy practices regarding these wastes.

Occupational Exposure to Bloodborne Pathogens Standard

An OSHA regulation designed to protect health care workers from the risk of exposure to bloodborne pathogens.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

Established by the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, the organization that is charged with writing and enforcing compulsory standards for health and safety in the workplace.

public policy

The common law concept of wrongful discharge when an employee has acted for the “common good”.

right-to-know laws

State laws that allow employees access to information about toxic or hazardous substances, employer duties, employee rights, and other workplace health and safety issues.

United Nations Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS)

Led to a 2012 revision of the Hazard Communication Standard in order to transform “right to know” to “right to understand” in line with GHS.

worker’s compensation

A form of insurance established by federal and state statutes that provides reimbursement for workers who are injured on the job.

wrongful discharge

A concept established by precedent that says an employer risks litigation if he or she does not have just cause for firing an employee.