New Personal Privacy Laws

[tmjoyboy]

Just looking for feedback relating to Personal Privacy Laws and repair orders. How are you dealing with keeping documents under lock and key and the shop work flow?

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[texaslp]

I don't think there is anything on a repair order that would be covered by privacy laws except maybe a non-published phone number. Even with that, if your employees need to access documents as part of their job, you just need a company-wide policy that instructs them to not reveal or share or misuse any information that they have access to.

[Richard]

there is no such thing as Privacy anymore. If you don't believe me; try this

go to 123people DOT com

or

spokeo DOT com

and enter your name.... you'll be scared at what you find available.

[tmjoyboy]

Our repair orders have cellphone number and email addresses on them, therefore they are considered under privacy laws. I encourage everyone to research this because there will be $25,000 fines levied if caught non-compliant. We have already been notified by NADA.

[texaslp]

Okay, but still if your employees need to access the documents in order to do their job then that is allowed. Anyone other than employees should not be in any area where repair orders are accessible. If you still have concerns it might be easier to redesign your repair order to NOT print those items. Your advisors can easily enough get that information from the computer to contact the customer.

[This message has been edited by texaslp (edited 01-05-2011).]

[tmjoyboy]

Okay well repair orders are accessible in the service drive, shop, cashier, parts counter. According to the law even if its off limits, the documents have to be secured (under lock and key). For example the back parts counter is off limits to customers, but you can walk in there its not locked. So therefore no repair orders can be out in the open. Or in vehicles or on technicians tool box. It seems omitting information from printing on repair orders is counter productive. I guess the requirements of the law haven't filtered to everyone yet.

[texaslp]

It's my understanding that you have to take reasonable precautions. It's impossible to keep every document under lock and key at all times, obviously people need to work with the documents. Part of that reasonable precaution is not having documents laying in plain view where someone can easily see the information, or leaving documents unattended where they could be taken. So for example if outsiders are prohibited in the shop area I don't see a problem with an ro on a mechanics tool box, especially if it's face down.

[cantfind122]

I must agree with Texaslp. The key term in this issue is "due dilegence." My wife works in the medical industry where personal protection rights are EXTREME and due dilegence is the operative term there.