New Jersey Home Healthcare Provider Settles HIV Discrimination Case with U.S. Authorities

Comfort Hands Home Healthcare in Marlton to Implement Non-Discrimination Policies After Being Accused of Denying Services Based on HIV Status.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights (HHS OCR) have reached a settlement with Comfort Hands Home Healthcare LLC (Comfort Hands) of Marlton, New Jersey, resolving allegations that the company discriminated against a potential client due to her HIV status.

Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How:

Who: Comfort Hands Home Healthcare LLC, a home healthcare provider based in Marlton, New Jersey.

What: The company has agreed to a settlement with U.S. authorities over allegations that it unlawfully denied home healthcare services to a person based on her HIV status.

When: The settlement follows a government investigation into the healthcare provider’s practices.

Where: The allegations and the ensuing settlement pertain to the company's operations in Marlton, New Jersey.

Why: The settlement aims to ensure that Comfort Hands, and other such healthcare providers, comply with federal laws prohibiting discrimination based on disability, including HIV status.

How: Under the settlement, Comfort Hands will implement a non-discrimination policy, provide mandatory training to its employees, and pay damages to the affected individual.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Rehabilitation Act, and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act prohibit discrimination based on disability, including HIV status. This settlement ensures that Comfort Hands will adhere to these legal standards moving forward.

U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger stated, "People with HIV should not face discrimination, especially from healthcare providers. Today’s agreement will ensure that this home healthcare provider lives up to that obligation going forward."

OCR Director Melanie Fontes Rainer added, "Today’s important settlement tangibly contributes to our efforts to ensure nondiscrimination in HHS-funded services."

Comfort Hands will implement a non-discrimination policy and provide mandatory non-discrimination training to its employees. Additionally, the healthcare provider will pay damages to the individual who experienced this act of discrimination.

For more information on discrimination laws and how to file a complaint, visit the ADA website, the HHS website, or the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Susan Millenky and Emily B. Goldberg, along with various representatives from the HHS OCR, spearheaded the settlement.

This settlement serves as a vital reminder for healthcare providers about the necessity to adhere to federal laws that prohibit discrimination based on disability. It also highlights the ongoing efforts by U.S. authorities to enforce these laws and protect the rights of all individuals.