MI Dept. of Corrections Ends HIV Ban on FS Workers

The Michigan Dept. of Corrections will no longer bar inmates who are HIV-positive from taking positions in its foodservice operations, reports the Michigan Messenger. The policy was found to violate state and federal civil rights laws, which override the health and safety concerns that had prompted the original policy. The new policy would only bar HIV-positive inmates from foodservice positions—considered highly desirable in the context of prison work—if they also have other conditions that would pose a health risk, such as cuts or sores, a cough or runny nose.