Final answer:
The confidentiality of a psychiatric evaluation conducted for an employer is limited to details relevant to the employee's job performance, maintaining the employee's privacy rights, unless consent is given or other specific legal circumstances apply.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the scenario where you are hired by an employer to do a psychiatric evaluation on one of their employees, the limits of confidentiality can be complex but generally adhere to specific principles. The correct answer that represents the limits of confidentiality would likely be E. The employer has a right to know only those elements of the patient's condition that affect job performance.
Confidentiality in an employment context has legal and ethical boundaries. An employer may request a psychiatric assessment to determine an employee's fitness for work or to address specific job-related concerns. However, the extent of information shared should only cover what is necessary for the employer to make informed decisions about the employee's role and accommodations if needed. Detailed medical history and personal information that is irrelevant to job performance should remain confidential, maintaining the employee's privacy rights.
Moreover, these evaluations are often governed by additional laws and regulations, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which protect the privacy of medical information. Employers generally cannot access an employee's entire medical history without consent, and the evaluation results are shared with the minimum necessary information to address the issue at hand.