Employment Question

[SteveC]

That is the Privacy Act and only applies to releasing information to agencies or individuals outside of the FAA. That is not the same as doctor / patient confidentiality.

Here is the pertinent info from your same source:
[ QUOTE ]
1. LEGAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF DESIGNATED AVIATION MEDICAL EXAMINERS

<snip>....If the examination is cursory and the Examiner fails to find a disqualifying defect that should have been discovered in the course of a thorough and careful examination, a safety hazard may be created and the Examiner may bear the responsibility for the results of such action.

Of equal concern is the situation in which an Examiner deliberately fails to report a disqualifying condition either observed in the course of the examination or otherwise known to exist. In this situation, both the applicant and the Examiner in completing the application and medical report form, may be found to have committed a violation of Federal criminal law which...<snip>

In view of the pressures sometimes placed on Examiners by their regular patients to ignore a disqualifying physical defect that the physician knows to exist, it is important that all Examiners be aware of possible consequences of such conduct.

[/ QUOTE ]

Bottom line is that the AME is required to disclose to the FAA any disqualifying condition "...either observered in the course of the examination or otherwise known to exist."

 

[flyn_ace_99]

sorry... read that backwards.. my eyes are getting tired...

Sounds good... thanks for the clarification.

 

[SteveC]

You made a valid point, and I learned something new by having to do a little digging, too.

 

[flyover]

[ QUOTE ]
Back in those days, some airlines wouldn't take you if you had a waiver and some wouldn't take you unless you had perfect uncorrected vision. I pressed on because, to be perfectly honest, I never figured I was good enough to fly big jets. Just couldn't imagine such a thing. I loved flying enough that I would have been happy shooting for corporate in a Lear, or something.

Delta had the highest standard for the longest time.
Over the years, the airlines have relaxed their vision standards a lot. Delta even hired people with glasses. The FAA reduced their vision standards, too.

So, I wouldn't sit here and tell you no airline will ever hire you.

[/ QUOTE ]

I've watched as the vision requirements have changed over the years. It's a good point, and I think there may be other areas where standards may change. Learning disabilities is not likely to be one of them. The only way that can happen, imo, is if the psychologists are successful in getting virtually every child tested and labeled in some way so that it becomes the norm. Then employers won't have any choice. But so far that's not the case, not for lack of trying on the part of the psycho-pharmaceutical industry and educators.

If our poster had been put on drugs I think he might really be sunk. But since he wasn't this could be handled and put behind him. I hope so, I'm on his side.