Case Study #2

Case Study #2

Many employees deal with information that requires a respect for someone’s privacy. Examples include employees who process data related to patients’ or employees’ health, clients’ financial matters, and corporate secrets, such as a new product under development. Employees also need to identify appropriate boundaries with one another: for instance, when if ever, is it OK for one employee to read another’s email messages without permission? The answers to such questions must meet ethical (and sometimes legal) requirements. For example, some companies have fired employees for sending email that is inappropriate but haven’t clarified for their employees how to measure appropriateness - or even that the company monitors email.

To help employees identify situations requiring protection of others’ privacy and to teach them how to handle those situations appropriately, some companies provide training in privacy matters. For instance, hospitals may train employees to notice, report, and prevent situations where carelessness with computers or paper makes it possible that the privacy of patients’ data was compromised. Employees responsible for a company’s information system need polices and guidance for identify and communicating. The boundaries between employees’ privacy rights and the organization’s right to know what its employees are doing and communicating.

At Claremont Savings Bank, training in privacy begins at employee orientation. That training program includes case studies of actual situations involving customers’ privacy. To reinforce those lessons, the human resource department for the New Hampshire Bank uses real-world privacy examples in ongoing communications with the bank’s employees. In addition, every year, Claremont’s board of directors reviews and approves the bank’s privacy policy, and then the HR department communicates with employees to describe any changes or areas needing improvement.

Questions:

1. In general, what skills...