150.0 EMPLOYEE INFORMATION AND PRIVACY

INTRODUCTION

In collecting, maintaining, and disclosing employee information, AUS strives to protect employees' privacy rights and interests and prevent inappropriate or unnecessary disclosures of information from any worker's file or record.
While complying with its governmental reporting and record keeping requirements, AUS strives to ensure that it handles all personal and job related information about employees in a secure, confidential, and appropriate fashion in accordance with the principles and procedures outlined below.

PURPOSE

Emphasize to all AUS administrators the importance of confidentiality in handling employee information and guidelines for handling such information.

SCOPE

All AUS administrative employees that handle employee information.

PROCEDURES

Treatment of Confidential Information
All administrative employees are expected to treat personal information about employees as confidential and respect the need for protecting each employee's privacy by enforcing secure information handling procedures on the part of all employees whose job duties involve gathering, retaining, using, or releasing personal information about the organization's employees. AUS Human Resources collects and retains only such personal information, as it needs to effectively conduct business and administer its employment and benefit programs. HRSD takes reasonable steps to make sure that all personal and job-related information about employees is accurate, complete, and relevant for its intended purpose. Wherever possible, HRSD notifies affected employees if it needs additional personal information and gives these employees an opportunity to supply the requested data.

Security and storage of Employee records and medical information
All paper based documents relating to AUS’ employee record system is kept in securely locked files within HRSD.
These files are accessible only to authorized HRSD staff and executives, managers, and supervisors who have a valid, demonstrable need to obtain specific information from an employee's employee file. Employees also are granted access to their employee files and records in accordance with the access procedures outlined below. All employee files and records must remain in the HRSD at all times.

If an individual with an authorized need to know requires copies of the information in an employee's employee file, HRSD will make copies available on written request.

All medical information relating to an employee is kept in the separate Medical Records System files maintained by the University Health Center. Access to these medical files is tightly controlled. Ordinarily, medical information about an employee is supplied only to the worker's designated physician in accordance with the worker's written specific request.
Questions or issues about the application or enforcement of these security measures should be addressed to the Director of HRSD.

Internal disclosures and uses of Employee file information
All managers, supervisors, and other authorized employees of AUS must sign the official employee file log maintained by HRSD, for recording all access to and receipt of employee file information. When a request for information from an employee's file is received by HRSD and viewed as possibly intruding on the employee's privacy, access maybe denied and the HRO will notify the employee. Routine or ordinary employment procedures, including, but not limited to, performance evaluations, merit increase reviews, promotion and transfer considerations, and disciplinary investigations, normally are not subject to this notification procedure.

Disclosure or release of employee information to government agencies
On occasion, AUS must provide information and data from its employee records and files to local government and US agencies in accordance with record keeping and reporting requirements imposed by such agencies.
In instances where a government agency requests information beyond that which it normally requires, AUS ordinarily advises the affected employees of the agency's information request.

If, however, an agency's information request occurs in the course of an agency investigation or if an agency asks AUS to keep such a request confidential, AUS, in its discretion, can comply with the agency's request. AUS ordinarily honors subpoenas demanding production of information with respect to any employee, but usually advises an employee of the subpoena and nature of the information requested, unless otherwise prohibited by law.

Disclosure or release of employee information to nongovernmental entities
In response to an information request from an outside organization, individual, or other nongovernmental entity, AUS normally verifies only the employment status and dates of employment for former or present employees. Salary may additionally be provided on letters for financial institutions. AUS does not provide any other information unless and until it has received from the employee or former employee a written request that it disclose or confirm additional specific information or it is required to do so by legal process.

Employees' access rights to Employee file information
All employees can review the information contained in their own file, although AUS reserves the right to remove certain sensitive documents, including letters of reference and management planning documents such as succession or promotion plans. To prevent abuses of this access privilege, AUS also reserves the right to limit the number of times an employee can access his/her file during a twelve month period. Employees who are interested in reviewing the contents of their employee file should contact the HRSD and provide at least two days' notice of their desire to schedule a mutually convenient time for an appointment. Files cannot leave HRS and must by reviewed in the presence of an HRO.

Accuracy of basic employee information
To ensure that AUS' Employee files are updated with accurate and complete information, employees are asked to notify their supervisor or HRSD of any changes that need to be made in the following data:

• Name change due to marriage etc
• contact information
• physical residence
• telephone numbers
• changes of marital status
• number of qualified dependents residing or out of UAE
• beneficiary designations
• scholastic achievements
• training and development
• individual to notify in case of an emergency.

Correction or deletion of file information
Employees can request correction or deletion of information in their Employee records as appropriate by submitting a written request to the Director of HRSD. The Director of HRSD ordinarily checks with the head of the department where the record originated.

Within fourteen calendar days of receipt of a written request to amend a record, the Director of HRSD notifies the employee in writing that the amendment will be made as requested, or that the amendment request has been denied. In cases where a requested amendment is denied, the Director of HRSD must explain the reasons for refusing to make the change. A copy of the response must be placed in the individual's record if the request is denied.
If the Director of HRS refuses to amend or delete the record, the individual has the right to enter into the record a statement setting forth the reasons for the individual's disagreement.