New Virginia Law Protects Employees' Personal Identifying Information

Author: Beth P. Zoller, XpertHR Legal Editor

Effective July 1, 2013, Virginia employers will be prohibited from releasing or communicating any personal identifying information of any current or former employee to a third party unless required by a court order, by a warrant or by subpoena in a civil or criminal case. +2012 Bill Text VA H.B. 1931. Employers should safeguard and secure a current or former employee's home telephone number, mobile telephone number, email address, shift times or work schedules, whether in print or electronic form.

In addition, employers may wish to implement an employee privacy policy or similar policy that addresses the proper handling of and response to requests for personally identifiable information. Further, all supervisors and managers should be trained on employee privacy rights and on how to avoid disclosing or communicating personal identifying information to third parties.

Additional Resources

Employee Privacy > Future Developments: Virginia

How to Protect and Manage Employee Privacy in the Workplace