Certified Aviation Manager (CAM) Practice Test

When an aviation department pilot volunteers their HIV-positive status, what is the manager's responsibility?

1. Discuss the information with other personnel

2. Maintain confidentiality of the information

3. Contact HR to report the information

4. Request testing for all employees

The correct answer is: Maintain confidentiality of the information

When an aviation department pilot voluntarily discloses their HIV-positive status, the manager's primary responsibility is to maintain confidentiality of that information. This is crucial because the personal health information of an employee is protected under laws such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in the United States, which ensures that medical information is kept private and only shared with authorized individuals, if necessary. Maintaining confidentiality helps to create a safe and trusting environment within the workplace, allowing employees to feel secure in sharing sensitive information without fear of discrimination or stigmatization. Furthermore, the manager must be aware that sharing this confidential information with other personnel could result in legal repercussions for the organization and damage relationships within the team. In contrast, discussing the information with other personnel or contacting HR without proper authorization would violate the principles of confidentiality. Requesting testing for all employees would also be inappropriate and unnecessary, as it would not be a fair or justified response to one individual's disclosure of their health status. Therefore, the correct course of action centers on ensuring that the pilot's privacy is protected.