Confidentiality


1-50
HUMAN RESOURCES MANUAL
POLICY
CONFIDENTIALITY

The AIDS Committee of Toronto (ACT) respects the right to privacy and honours the confidentiality of current, former and prospective: service users, volunteers, Board members, members, donors, sponsors and employees.

CONFIDENTIALITY STATEMENT

All employees, volunteers, students, Board members, and other individuals with access to confidential and privileged information are required to sign a confidentiality statement before commencing duties at ACT.

The obligation to maintain confidentiality applies to the duration of the contact with ACT and continues indefinitely after the relationship with ACT has ceased.

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION

Confidential information includes but is not limited to the following:

1. Personal service user information disclosed to ACT including:

- identity;

- the fact that an individual is a current, former or prospective service user of ACT;

- diagnosis or medical condition;

- family relations;

- sexual orientation; and

- phone number or address.

The above includes service users who may also be employees or volunteers.

Service user includes any individual who provides personal information to ACT or consents to a third party providing such information to ACT in connection with services received or anticipated to be received. Service user includes prospective, current and former service users.

Service user information may not be disclosed to a partner, family member or friend without the express permission of the service user. (See Disclosure/Release of Information to Others, PS # 3-50.) If requesting information about a person known to ACT, these individuals are to be directed back to the person about whom they were enquiring.

2. Employee personnel matters.

3. ACT business issues (e.g., media launches, financial information).

4. Information regarding volunteers except as otherwise outlined in Confidentiality of Volunteer Information, HR # 9-110.

5. Information regarding donors.

6. Mailing lists and telephone numbers compiled of prospective, current or former: service users, employees, contributors, volunteers, sponsors and donors are confidential and are not to be shared without the express written permission of the persons involved or of the Executive Director or his/her designate. Should any infomation be released without express permission of the persons involved, the Executive Director or his/her designate must notify the Board of such occurrence at the subsequent meeting of the Board of Directors.

ACCEPTABLE INFORMATION SHARING

(See Disclosure/Release of Information to Others, PS # 3-50.)

BREACH OF CONFIDENTIALITY

It is a breach of confidentiality to:

1. Discuss any confidential information within or outside ACT where it may be heard by individuals who are not authorized to have access to that information.

2. Provide confidential information or records to unauthorized individuals.

3. Leave confidential information in written form or displayed on a computer terminal in a location where it may be viewed by unauthorized individuals.

If a breach of confidentiality is identified, this is to be reported to a supervisor and if appropriate, Progressive Discipline, HR #'s 8-20 and 8-21 is followed.

CONFIDENTIALITY BY SUPPORT GROUP MEMBERS

(See Support Groups: Confidentiality by Members, PS # 4-20-40.)

Revised 1999