Submission to the Occupational Safety and Health Act, 2017

Tajna Lee Shields speaking to this submission in Parliament. The clip below begins at the start of her remarks.

Prepared for the Jamaican Network of Seropositives (JN+), this submission makes the case for passing the Occupational Safety and Health Act as a safeguard for people living with HIV (PLHIV) against workplace discrimination.

It calls for the legislation to be fast-tracked and to prohibit HIV-related discrimination in hiring and firing, along with any requirement of HIV testing as a condition of employment. The emphasis is on a safe, healthy work environment and continuity of employment for positive workers — the civil-rights concerns JN+ also pursues through its Jamaica Anti-Discrimination System for HIV (JADS).

Full submission text available on request.