Invasion of Privacy

Situations may arise when someone’s personal information is communicated to people who don’t have a right to know about it—without the person’s permission.

While the definition of invasion of privacy varies by state, it frequently includes unreasonable intrusion upon the personal life of someone, unreasonable publicity given to someone’s private life, or placing someone in a false light. For example, an administrator may express to coworkers the reason for a colleague’s extended leave is because of an illness, or present a prayer request regarding an employee’s personal struggle.

It’s helpful to draft a clear policy addressing workplace privacy issues, including the how the ministry protects the confidentiality of sensitive information.

Read more about how to protect privacy regarding employee health in these two articles from Brotherhood Mutual:

• Prayer Lists: How to Protect Privacy
• Some—Not All—Ministries Are Subject to HIPAA Requirements.