New laws governing the
confidentiality of social security numbers affect Connecticut
employers
According to "An Act
Concerning the Confidentiality of Social Security Numbers" (Public
Act No. 08-167), effective October 1, 2008, employers in Connecticut
must safeguard their employees' personal information from misuse by
a third party and "destroy, erase, or make unreadable" personal
information on computer files and documents prior to the disposal of
such files.
Personal information is
defined in the statute as "information capable of being associated
with a particular individual through one or more identifiers,
including, but not limited to, a social security number, a driver's
license number, a state identification card number, an account
number, a credit or debit card number, a passport number, an alien
registration number, or a health insurance identification number."
Most employers collect social
security numbers in the course of their business and, in response to
this act, must create and publicly display a privacy protection
policy. Posting the policy on the company's website meets this
publication requirement. The privacy protection policy must:
-
Protect the
confidentiality of social security numbers;
-
Prohibit unlawful
disclosure of social security numbers; and
-
Limit access to social
security numbers.
The obligations of employers
under this new legislation is not limited to just employees.
It applies to the personal information that the company has in its
possession of any person.
Employers who violate the
provisions of the statute may be subject to a $500 civil penalty for
each violation, up to a maximum of $500,000 for each event, though
"event" is not defined. Penalties only apply to intentional
violations of the statute.
Contact Instant HR
Solutions today and we'll help you implement the policies and
procedures you need to ensure compliance with this new legislation.
