TARRY HOUSE, INC.

 

Subject:  Proprietary Information          

Procedure Number:  B.P. 11

Site:   All Sites

 

Issued By: Executive Director

Effective:  1/02/02

Approved By: The Board of Trustees

Revised: 12/13/05; 1/28/08

Reference Policy: M.L.10; M.L. 02

Reviewed: 12/19/02; 12/19/04; 12/13/05; 1/28/08

 

Standards Reference:

CARF: Section 1 C

ODMH: 5122-30-22

 

I.                   POLICY

 

All employees, Board members and volunteers are expected to be aware of the importance of the Agency’s security policies and programs, particularly those aimed at safeguarding proprietary and confidential information, policies, programs, written procedures, forms and proposals created by Tarry House Board members, employees, or volunteers. Each individual’s actions determine whether Tarry House is able to uphold its integrity, protects its proprietary and confidential information, and meet the highest possible security standards.

 

Employees are expected to follow all security policies and programs aimed at safeguarding proprietary information.  Employees are prohibited from using or disclosing proprietary/confidential information for the purposes other than conducting authorized Tarry House business during or after the employee’s employment at Tarry House.  All employees are expected to follow this policy and to report any infractions to their supervisors or to the Executive Director.  Proprietary information includes Agency activities, marketing information, financial information, expansion plans, program information, the records of those served, census and accounting data, among others.

 

Confidential information includes personal information about Agency employees that could lead to expensive invasion of privacy lawsuits if released.  Trade secrets include programs, methods, techniques, processes, policies, procedures and forms that provide us with         an advantage over our competitors.  The unauthorized copying or dissemination of confidential information is grounds for dismissal.

 

 

 

II.                Procedure

 

      The following guidelines are offered to help guard proprietary/confidential information:

·        Confidential information must be labeled in a consistent manner.

·        Access to confidential information is restricted to those with a “need to know.”

·        All information released to the public must be cleared by the Executive Director.

 

The following list summarizes information that is considered proprietary:

·        Research and development information, especially plans for new programs

·        Market analysis data

·        Cost, accounting and financial information

·        Agency operating policies and procedures

·        Flowcharts

·        Forms

·        Fundraising plans

·        Plans regarding mergers and acquisitions, expansions or diversification

·        Budget forecasts

·        Bid information

·        Methods for keeping costs down

·        Memoranda concerning impending layoffs, legal actions, and disciplinary procedures

·        Employee benefit information

 

To ensure security, employees must examine carefully all the ways that sensitive information is stored or discarded.  They must pay particular attention to marketing, payroll and accounting information. 

 

Utilizing the best practices for business records retention schedule, files no longer needed for auditing or legal purposes containing financial reports, lists of persons served and their families, outdated checks, purchase orders, and personnel information should be shredded.  Early drafts or reports or other agency documents should also be shredded.

 

Only designated employees are allowed to make copies of Agency records.  These individuals are also responsible for ensuring that all not needed copies containing preparatory or confidential information are properly destroyed.

 

Visitors are required to sign in and out of Agency premises.  The employees on duty, while honoring privacy for visitors and the person they are visiting, need to be aware of where the visitors are at all times.  Employees are not allowed to have visitors, except on emergency basis.  All employees are asked to report unauthorized visitors to their immediate supervisor.  Visitors are not allowed to carry cameras without special permission.  Employees cannot provide information to any unidentified individual about those served.  Information can only be shared about those served to persons who are authorized to receive such information via the proper release form.

 

All confidential information must be labeled “Confidential” and documents so labeled must be consecutively numbered.  When in use, documents must not be removed from the Agency’s premises.  When not in use, such documents must be kept in a secure, file, paper, disc, or hard drive.

 

Only approved personnel have access to confidential areas of the Agency.  Such areas must be kept locked, and access is limited to those employees who are authorized personnel.  Unauthorized personnel found in confidential areas are subject to disciplinary action.  Access to secure areas and document rooms is restricted to authorized individuals.

 

The Executive Director or his/her designee has the right to inspect the personal effects, including briefcases, of any employee leaving agency premises.

 

 

 

 

            ________________________________________                                        _____________________

            Executive Director                                                                                            Date