Joe Smydo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that one of two federal lawsuits recently settled by the Pittsburgh City Council involved a breach of confidential medical information both in a public meeting and online. Although this is a settlement and not a court or jury decision, what’s interesting is that the basis for claim was violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and not some other statute(s):
…. Council also voted to pay $45,000 to settle a federal lawsuit filed by a longtime employee who accused the city of posting his confidential medical information online.
The employee, identified in the bill and lawsuit only as John Doe, said he told officials in December 2007 that he was experiencing depression and fatigue.
The employee’s name, medical issues and evaluation were discussed at public meetings of the city’s Civil Service Commission in January and February 2008, and the minutes of those meetings were posted on the Internet, the lawsuit said. Even after the employee complained, the lawsuit said, the minutes remained on the Internet in violation of confidentiality provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act.