Today, most firms and organizations have security programs to guard personal and corporate information. One would not just give out their Social Security Number or checking account number. With issues of privacy created by new Federal Laws, firms must now protect in locked cabinets data such as employee records and payroll records. No one would share their computer password.

But the greatest risk of a failure in a firm's security is when this information is no longer in possession control. When firms discard files this data becomes ripe for identity theft, use in lawsuits or by media or competitors. The US Supreme Court has ruled that once records are placed in a dumpster you no longer have ownership of the records. Confidential records just thrown in a dumpster or given to a recycler are open to the media looking for a cheap headline, to a corporate spy seeking to steal technology, or client information from your firm.

To be direct the confidential destruction of obsolete records is an essential step in developing a Court Defensible Risk Mitigation policy for your firm. Colorado Document Security is cheaper than a defense attorney.

The case for On-Site shredding is clear, since you are liable for the records until they are shredded. Imagine if the truck rolled on the way to the shredding site!

 

HEALTH INSURANCE PORTABILITY and ACCOUNTABILITY ACT (HIPAA) was enacted in 1996. HIPAA includes provisions intended to safeguard the privacy of patient health records. Today, it is imperative that medical organizations protect themselves, their patients‘, and their employee‘s private and confidential information.

GRAMM-LEACH-BLILEY ACT places significant restrictions on the use of customer information by those in the financial industry. These restrictions recognize that non-public personal, financial, and health information must be safeguarded and include proper disposal procedures.

FACTA 2003 - this new Federal Act will place new regulations on the management of credit information. In developing the regulations for this act the Federal Trade Commission has defined that the “proper disposal” of credit information now will be shredding.

Check 21 - On October 28, 2004 banks will now be able to start truncating checks via an imaging program. After awaiting the 45 Day Recredit policy, banks will now have more confidential records of third parties to destroy. Do you want a bank to send off your check to be recycled or shredded by a third party, sometime somewhere?

Environmental Stewardship - for every ton a paper recycled you save:

If your firm needs to develop a Court Defensible Policy for record management, call us for assistance. We are happy to assist in developing policy and procedures that meet the special compliance issues of your industry - be it financial, legal, or medical.

Resources

Below you'll find some useful resources to help you make your decision regarding document shredding: