Confidentiality Policy

PURPOSE: Volunteers and staff are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of all proprietary or privileged information to which they are exposed while serving as a volunteer or staff, with the Alliston Food Bank, whether this information involves a volunteer, staff, client, other persons, or involves overall other agency business.

Policy: Volunteers and staff are required to sign and adhere to a confidentiality agreement respecting privacy legislation. Confidentially is a volunteer/staff and post-volunteer and post- staff expectation.

Procedure: All volunteers and employees will be educated regarding confidentiality and will be required to sign confidentiality forms. Breach of Confidentiality may be cause for dismissal.

Client Confidentiality:

All volunteers and staff who have access to personal information, including income and health information have a responsibility by which they are bound to the client, Alliston Food Bank and all its community partnering agencies, the community and themselves. A breach of confidentiality will be a cause for dismissal. Alliston Food Bank clients act in good faith, expecting that their circumstances and personal matters will remain confidential. Thus, we are obliged to honour this trust. Alliston Food Bank volunteers and staff are required to comply with the Personal Information and Electronic Document Act (PIEDA) and the Personal Health Privacy Information Act.

Though not all inclusive, the following is presented to provide some guidelines concerning the matter of confidentiality:

1. Only with explicit written consent by the client can identifying information about Alliston Food Bank's clients (names, addresses, income, health, mental health, disabilities etc.) be revealed to anyone outside of the Alliston Food Bank and then only to whom the information is necessary for the care of the client.
2. Discussing personal circumstances concerning a client, even though names, addresses are not revealed, is also considered a breach of confidentiality. That is, a volunteer/ staff might possibly describe in detail personal circumstances and information concerning a client for whom they have provided services, and even though the name and address is not revealed, this descriptive material may jeopardize the client's right to privacy. Thus, the discussion or description of a client's personal information or circumstances is considered detrimental to the client's right to confidentiality. This goes beyond the time of the volunteer or staff commitment.
3. The fact that a case has been made public through the news media does not alter the fact that the individual still has confidentiality privileges within the Alliston Food Bank. Thus, in this these situations, confidentiality should still be maintained.
4. All personal information should be stored in a locked area. Information must be shredded when no longer required.

Volunteer /Staff/Donor Confidentiality:

All personal information (name, address, phone number) pertaining to volunteer, staff and donors is considered confidential unless the person has authorized use. Volunteers and staff are expected to comply with the Personal Information and Electronic Document Act (PIEDA).

Though not all inclusive, the following is presented to provide some guidelines concerning the matter of confidentiality:

1. Donor lists should not be left unattended on desks in public areas.
2. Volunteers' and staff home or cell phone numbers and/or other personal history should not be discussed or given out unless pre-authorized by the person.

Information Technology Confidentiality:

Volunteers/staff are provided with security privileges in accordance with individual job responsibilities, whereby such authorizations may enable access to confidential personnel, personal or donor information. Any unwarranted review and/or disclosure of confidential information will be considered a breach of this Confidentiality Agreement and subject to consequences including immediate termination as a Volunteer/staff of the Alliston Food Bank.

Though not all inclusive, the following is presented to provide some guidelines concerning the matter of confidentiality:

1. When leaving your desk, the user should be logged off, or the computer turned off.
2. Confidentiality guidelines need to be adhered to regarding any sharing of information electronically.
3. Do not share passwords for Alliston Food Bank information anywhere or any other secure sites.