AIDS/HIV infection and employment

It is now emerging that most large employment sectors have HIV carriers on their staff. Usually occupation has not contributed to the aetiology of the employee acquiring HIV infection. Pre-employment HIV screening has been rejected, although there have been exceptions to this generally accepted position. Having known or suspected HIV carriers in an organisation poses major challenges for occupational health departments, which can have a major influence on management attitudes. Health promotion, training and education have an important role to play in ensuring an informed and non-emotive response occurs at all levels in the work setting.