Your employment requires you to disclose sensitive personal information. This data may include your address, phone number, social security information and employment status among other things.
Use of sensitive information provides a way for your employer to pay you for your work, guarantee your benefits and ensure that the Internal Revenue Service has the information required for your tax filings.
Protecting your identity
When you disclose private information at the time of hire, you do so under full confidence that your employer will handle the information cautiously. Human resource employees are only permitted to utilize the information for your benefit. It is illegal for them to share your information or use your information for personal gain.
According to the Society of Human Resource Management, laws such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) function to protect you from the consequences of information misuse by your employer. Federal law requires that your employer implements adequate protocols for the responsible and careful dissemination of sensitive employee information. In addition to protecting your personal information, if you bring a complaint to your HR department, disclosure of the nature of your complaint or the process whereby you shared your concerns is not permitted.
Suspecting misuse of data
If you suspect misuse of the information you provided under the agreement of confidentiality, you have the right to pursue legal action against your employer. Abuse of confidential information to defame or slander your reputation may cost you your job and career if not mitigated in a timely manner. If you would like more information about reading and understanding employment contracts, please visit our webpage.
