Personal Information Protection
Private Sector Privacy Legislation
Personal Information Protection Policy
The British Columbia Excluded Employees’ Association
Personal Information Protection Policy
At the British Columbia Excluded Employees’ Association (BCEEA) we are committed to providing our members with exceptional service. As providing this service involves the collection, use and disclosure of some personal information about our members, protecting their personal information is one of our highest priorities.
While we have always respected our members’ privacy and safeguarded their personal information, we have strengthened our commitment to protecting personal information as a result of British Columbia’s Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA). PIPA, which came into effect on January 1, 2004, sets out the ground rules for how B.C. businesses and not-for-profit organizations may collect, use and disclose personal information.
We will inform our members of why and how we collect, use and disclose their personal information, obtain their consent where required, and only handle their personal information in a manner that a reasonable person would consider appropriate in the circumstances.
This Personal Information Protection Policy, in compliance with PIPA, outlines the principles and practices we will follow in protecting members’ personal information. Our privacy commitment includes ensuring the accuracy, confidentiality, and security of our members’ personal information and allowing our members to request access to, and correction of, their personal information.
Scope of this Policy
This Personal Information Protection Policy applies to the BCEEA and to any service providers collecting, using or disclosing personal information on behalf of BCEEA.
Definitions
Personal Information –means information about an identifiable individual. Personal information does not include contact information (described below).
Contact information – means information that would enable an individual to be contacted at a place of business and includes name, position name or title, business telephone number, business address, business email or business fax number. Contact information is not covered by this policy or PIPA.
Privacy Officer – means the individual designated responsibility for ensuring that BCEEA complies with this policy and PIPA.
Policy 1 – Collecting Personal Information
1.1 Unless the purposes for collecting personal information are obvious and the member voluntarily provides his or her personal information for those purposes, we will communicate the purposes for which personal information is being collected, either orally or in writing, before or at the time of collection.
1.2 We will only collect member information that is necessary to fulfill the following purposes:
• To verify identity;
• To make arrangements for dues to be deducted through payroll deductions
• To deliver requested products and services
• To provide workplace support services, including workplace investigations;
• To enrol the member in a program;
• To send out association membership information;
• To ensure a high standard of service to our members
• To meet regulatory requirements;
Policy 2 – Consent
2.1 We will obtain member consent to collect, use or disclose personal information (except where, as noted below, we are authorized to do so without consent).
2.2 Consent can be provided electronically or it can be implied where the purpose for collecting using or disclosing the personal information would be considered obvious and the member voluntarily provides personal information for that purpose.
2.3 Consent may also be implied where a member is given notice and a reasonable opportunity to opt-out of his or her personal information being used for mail-outs, the marketing of new services or products, fundraising and the client, customer, member does not opt-out.
Policy 3 – Using and Disclosing Personal Information
3.1 We will only use or disclose members’ personal information where necessary to fulfill the purposes identified at the time of collection or for a purpose reasonably related to those purposes such as:
• To conduct member surveys in order to enhance the provision of our services or to collect information related to their employment in the BC Provincial government;
• To contact our members directly about products and services that may be of interest;
3.2 We will not use or disclose member’s personal information for any additional purpose unless we obtain consent to do so.
3.3 We will not sell or share member lists or personal information to other parties
Policy 4 – Retaining Personal Information
4.2 We will retain members’ personal information only as long as necessary to fulfill the identified purposes.
Policy 6 – Securing Personal Information
6.1 We are committed to ensuring the security of members’ personal information in order to protect it from unauthorized access, collection, use, disclosure, copying, modification or disposal or similar risks.
6.2 The following security measures will be followed to ensure that members’ personal information is appropriately protected:
• All paper records containing personal information are stored in a secure locked filing cabinet; miaccess to those records is limited.
• Personal information is shared with BCEEA’s service team members only in those circumstances where it is directly related to the supports and services being provided to the BCEEA member.
• All data is hosted in Canada on an encrypted server behind a firewall.
• All passwords must meet a strong security rating and will be reset at regular intervals.
6.3 We will use appropriate security measures when destroying member’s personal information such as shredding documents and deleting electronically stored information.
6.4 We will continually review and update our security policies and controls as technology changes to ensure ongoing personal information security.
Policy 7 – Providing Members Access to Personal Information
7.1 Members have a right to access their personal information.
7.2 A request to access personal information must be made in writing and provide sufficient detail to identify the personal information being sought.
7.4 We will make the requested information available within 30 business days, or provide written notice of an extension where additional time is required to fulfill the request.
Policy 8 – Questions and Complaints: The Role of the Privacy Officer or designated individual
8.1 The Executive Director is responsible for ensuring the BCEEA’s compliance with this policy and the Personal Information Protection Act.
8.2 Members should direct any complaints, concerns or questions regarding the BCEEA’s compliance in writing to the Executive Director. If the Executive Director is unable to resolve the concern, the member may also write to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of British Columbia.
Contact information for BCEEA’s Privacy Officer/Executive Director:
BCEEA@bceea.instawp.xyz