On Monday, a court in Anqing city in Anhui province accepted what state media are calling China's first HIV employment discrimination suit.
The plaintiff, a recent college graduate who was not identified by name, said he had already passed written tests and interviews for a teaching position in Anqing. After a subsequent medical evaluation revealed he is HIV-positive, the city education department allegedly denied him the teaching job, China Daily reported.
The plaintiff is suing only for the job: He is not asking for monetary compensation, the newspaper said.
China has progressively taken a more proactive stand in preventing HIV. Nonetheless, discrimination against people with HIV/AIDS is widespread in China, forcing some people to hide their serostatus. Some independent advocates and organizations also continue to be harassed by officials.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
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