The UAP's harassment is protected under which statute?

• A. Civil Rights Legislation
• B. State Nurse Practice Act
• C. Joint Commission Standards
• D. Health Information Privacy Protection Act

Answer: (A)

Harassment protection in the workplace comes from civil rights legislation, which bans discrimination and harassment based on protected characteristics such as race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, and disability. In healthcare, this means an unlicensed assistive personnel who faces harassment can seek protection and recourse under these laws, with enforcement through agencies like the EEOC and state fair employment practices offices. The other options don’t provide statutory protection against harassment: a State Nurse Practice Act governs licensure and scope of practice; Joint Commission Standards are accreditation guidelines; and a Health Information Privacy Protection Act (HIPAA) deals with privacy of health information, not workplace harassment.