Eddy Curry is no longer a member of the Chicago Bulls and his refusal to submit to DNA testing played more than a small role in his departure.

Curry missed the final 13 games of last season because of an irregular heartbeat and the team wanted to determine whether he was genetically predisposed to cardiomyopathy, the same condition that killed former Boston Celtic Reggie Lewis and Loyola Marymount standout Hank Gathers.

Curry refused on privacy grounds and understandably so.

Imagine walking into a job interview only to be stabbed in a vein to have your DNA collected. The employer then takes that information to determine whether you are qualified for the job.

It seems far-fetched, perhaps the plot of a bad science-fiction film. But this could be reality as the issue of employer DNA testing is thrust into the limelight by this high-profile case.

Curry likely will not be tested by the New York Knicks.

But think about that, failing a DNA test. Your results are reported and you are given a “go” or a “no go” based on what the future could potentially hold.

Even the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory thinks it is a bad idea.

On the ORNL’s Web site there is a call for federal legislation outlawing genetic discrimination.

Why is federal legislation necessary?

The ORNL said, “Based on genetic information, employers may try to avoid hiring workers they believe are likely to take sick leave, resign, or retire early for health reasons (creating extra costs in recruiting and training new staff), file for workers’ compensation or use health care benefits excessively.”Sounds a bit like something the Chicago Bulls might have feared had Curry remained a member of the team.

The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2005 passed the U.S. Senate vote unanimously in February. Since then, the bill has been officially “held at the desk.” Similar legislation in the U.S. House has been stuck in a subcommittee since mid-April. The law would prohibit discrimination based on DNA testing in health insurance programs.

With Curry’s situation making news it is only a matter of time before other employers begin trying similar tactics in determining employee qualifications.

The giant U.S. government bureaucracy has caused these bills to sit around in computers with no action taken on them in nearly six months.

The U.S. government has the chance to act now. They should take it before someone who is not under a multi-million dollar athletic contract becomes the victim of genetic discrimination.

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