Published August, 2014

Know Your Rights, Rhode Island – HIV, Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD), 2014

Know Your Rights, Rhode Island – HIV is a fact sheet created by Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders that summarizes the rights of people living with HIV in Rhode Island. It provides a description of how, both under Rhode Island and federal law, discrimination on the basis of HIV status is prohibited.  

In Rhode Island, an employer may not refuse to hire, fire, or discriminate against a person regarding the terms or conditions of employment based on that person’s HIV status. A person may not be denied access to housing, evicted, or refused financing because of their HIV status. Also, discrimination based on HIV status against students in a public school or most private schools is prohibited.

Rhode Island requires only oral informed consent for HIV testing. In some cases, however, a person may be tested against their wishes. Rhode Island requires mandatory HIV testing for people convicted of certain crimes, for all adult prisoners, and for those donating sperm. Furthermore, if you are pregnant, you will be asked to provide oral consent to be tested. If you refuse, however, your newborn may be tested without your consent.