Seven good reasons for providing employment

1. Working capacity

A positive HIV test result discloses nothing about a person’s working capacity. Thanks to new HIV drugs and therapies, the quality of life of people living with HIV/AIDS has greatly improved and as a rule, their performance at work is not adversely affected by the infection.

2. Ban on discrimination

A wide range of legal measures prohibit discriminatory acts in the workplace. A non-discriminatory working environment is of great value to all staff members, it has a positive effect on motivation, on satisfaction levels, on loyalty and productivity.

3. Medical progress

Since the introduction of antiretroviral therapy in the mid-1990's the situation of people living with HIV/AIDS has changed drastically. People living with HIV/AIDS in Switzerland nowadays have almost the same life expectancy as HIV negative people.

4. Fifth revision of the Swiss Disability Insurance Act

The  fifth revision of the Swiss Disability Insurance Act, which among other measures provides for the maintenance and improvement of a sufferer’s ability to work, has been increasingly attended by a discussion of discrimination on the grounds of chronic illness. The declared objective of the measures known collectively as FEFI (Früherfassung, Frühintervention or “early recognition, early intervention”) is to retain sufferers in their existing workplace or, failing that, to integrate them into another.

5. Legal protection

Swiss law obliges employers to provide protection against discrimination and disclosure of personal data. Protective provisions are contained in various acts, including Art 27ff Civil Code (infringement of personality rights), Art 328 CO (protection of employee's personality), Art 336 CO (protection against unlawful dismissal), the Federal Act of 19 June 1992 concerning Data Protection and the Federal Act on equal opportunity for the disabled (only applicable in the public sector).

6. Statistics

HIV/AIDS mainly affects adults of employment age. About 70% of people living with HIV/AIDS in Switzerland are gainfully employed, with 70% of them working full-time.

7. Risk of infection

The HI virus (= HIV) belongs to the group of pathogens considered not easily transmissible. In the course of normal working activities, no danger of infection exists. Therefore, there are in principle no professions from which people living with HIV/AIDS are barred.