Tuesday, February 28, 2006

DNA tests to track down the toolbox piddler

Privacy is not always about identity theft and widespread eavesdropping. Sometimes it's a bit weird.

According to the Associated Press, a hospital in Baton Rouge, LA is about to spend $25,000 to test the DNA of a bunch of employees to figure out who peed in another employee's toolbox. Since nobody has stepped forward, there's no smoking gun and the trail has gone cold, the hospital administration is forcing 25 employees to provide a DNA sample or be terminated. Not surprisingly, some think it's an invasion of privacy.

DNA Tests Ordered for Urine Toolbox Prank - Yahoo! News:

'We checked with our legal counsel first and this is the next step in using technology to help solve a workplace incident,' hospital supervisor Stan Shelton said Monday.

The DNA testing, to be conducted by ReliaGene Technologies of New Orleans, will cost the hospital $25,000, he said.

Attorney Jill Craft worked with litigation involving swabs taken during the investigation into the South Louisiana serial killer cases. Craft fought for the rights of those swabbed during the probe that eventually resulted in the arrest of Derrick Todd Lee.

Craft said she believed the employees' rights are being violated. 'It's the intrusion by finding out what your DNA looks like, your unique pattern, which in my opinion, violates someone's right to privacy,' she said.

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