Jeff Kapche, a 15-year law enforcement veteran who is currently a detective with the Fort Bend County, Texas Sheriff’s Department has just won a case for all diabetics. The United States District Court for the District of Columbia found that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) discriminated against Mr. Kapche when it refused to hire him as a special agent because of how he manages his type I diabetes. People with type I diabetes require frequent administrations of insulin, which Mr. Kapche injects. However, the FBI’s policy requires special agents to manage their diabetes with insulin pumps, rather than injections, due to the unpredictable nature of the job. However, given Mr. Kapche’s impeccable record of diabetes management throughout his long tenure of public service the court has found the FBI’s policy to be discriminatory. ”I am thrilled the jury understood that the FBI’s decision was discriminatory and that I could be a good Special Agent,” said Kapche. “I don’t want anyone else to go through what I have experienced and I hope this jury verdict sends the message that employers should look at each person as an individual, not simply someone with a disease.” Read more.
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Dr. Steven Chang, the author of DailyDose, is a staff physician with Kosmix RightHealth. Dr. Chang practices Family Medicine at the University of California Davis Medical Center, where his medical interests include both pediatric and geriatric care, public health, gay and lesbian health, and sleep medicine. Dr. Chang trained at the Stanford University affiliated O'Connor Hospital, and was a research fellow at the National Institute of Health. He holds an M.D. from McGill University and a BA in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University.