PRIVACY POLICIES

KAMINSKI

I am the HR person for a property management company. I am updating our employee handbook.
One part I would like to seek your input on is the Privacy Policy. This is obviously as it relates to personal information about tenants, employees etc. but does not include Internet privacy as we address that separately.

Does anyone have a general privacy policy they would share?

Thanks and I totally enjoy this site.

Kaminski

rad

Our employee privacy policy is kind of complex but here is some info on tenant privacy in Mass, I bet there is more somewhere out there. You should probably keep the two issues in different sections since one is state law and one is company policy.

[url]http://www.tenant.net/Other_Areas/Massachusetts/whatarem.txt[/url]

KAMINSKI

We do keep them in different sections.

The whole issue of tenant privacy is not where my question is going. That is another subject for another day and you are right there is tons of information about that everywhere.

My question is not about tenant rights, rather it is about employees keeping their mouths closed about information they may hear, or because of their job they become familiar with.

Example from our current policy:
Confidential Information consists of propriety information and information that is not generally available to the public and gives one who uses it an advantage over competition. Confidential Information may include methods, products, trade secrets, formulae, resources, databases, internal office structure, personnel, financial data, price lists, technical data and information, marketing, marketing research and practices, business plans, prospects, client/customer lists of "EMPLOYER/COMPANY", and personal or financial information concerning customers. Confidential information can be in any form and on any medium, whether written or otherwise tangible. Proprietary information can be information that Employee, acting alone or together with any other persons, may discover, create, develop, or improve while employed by "EMPLOYER/COMPANY".
1) Employee shall not, during the term of his or her employment or thereafter, disclose to others or use any confidential information belonging to either "EMPLOYER/COMPANY", or a customer or client of "EMPLOYER/COMPANY" except as authorized in writing.

2) Employee acknowledges that a violation of this confidentiality agreement could result in action taken by "EMPLOYER/COMPANY", against the employee in order to compensate for damages in accordance with state law. This will include recovery of reasonable attorney's fees and costs.

3) This agreement will be binding on the employee individually and in his/her capacity as a partner, joint venture, employee, agent, consultant, officer, director, shareholder or other equity owner, or debtor or creditor of a corporation, associations, or other entity.

4) If a court determines that any provision or portion of a provision, of this Agreement is not enforceable for any reason, then the courts may strike from this Agreement the unenforceable phrase or language. All remaining portions of the Agreement will continue in full force and effect, and the Agreement will be interpreted as enforceable to the broadest extent possible, in order to adequately maintain confidentiality of "EMPLOYER/COMPANY".

This agreement in no way alters the "at-will" employment status of the employee to the employer.


I just wondered if there were any similar such policies out there or if language should be more inclusive, less inclusive, different etc.

rad

Ours is very similar, we do have verbiage saying that the customer controls their private information except when it is requested by the law with the proper authority. And even then, we've been known to fight to protect their privacy.