Can I get unemployment if I am fired for a HIPAA violation

by Anonymous

I am in the home health care business and work for a company. I had a prior client for 3 years full time. His family loved me and I got raises each year and good evaluations from my company. He passed on and I have been collecting Unemployment for a few months. I was given another client for only two 6 hour days a week and collecting partial UC. I mentioned to my new client how much my old client loved to go to the park and feed the geese and perhaps the new client would like to go sometimes. I may have even mentioned his name.

MY employer said I violated the HIPAA laws by doing what I did. I had permission from the family of my prior client to talk of him if I wanted to. I only spoke highly of him.

They have not fired me yet, but I feel it is coming I think they want to get rid of me so they don't have to pay UC anymore for me. I have to drive an hour one way to get to work and I am actually losing money now only working 2 days a week but was told I couldn't turn it down.



Hi Anonymous,

I'm having a hard time understanding how talking to a current client about taking a former client to feed geese and if they'd like to do the same is a HIPAA violation.

I thought HIPAA dealt with medical privacy. If they fire you for this, I think your focus needs to be on proving your action wasn't a HIPPA violation. AMA HIPAA

Exactly how did this become an issue? It seems like a fairly innocuous statement and I guess I'm wondering how anyone even found out about it.