A policy is on stream to ensure that employees in the tourism sector are not discriminated against based on real or perceived HIV/AIDS status.
The Ministry of Tourism and the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association have collaborated to produce a National Tourism Specific HIV/AIDS Workplace Policy.
Speaking at a consultation to finalise the draft of the policy at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Center today, Minister of Tourism Richard Sealey welcomed the initiative, which recognised the need for greater private sector involvement in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
The minister indicated that the policy will balance business needs with compassion to enable employees living with HIV/AIDS to work productively while their health allows, guarantee confidentiality when employees living with HIV/AIDS seek counseling and will ensure that appropriate precautions are taken to guarantee the confidentiality of information contained in the health records of employees living with HIV/AIDS, among other benefits.
