Service NL
February 20, 2015
Upholding the Protection of Personal Information
Service NL Addressing Privacy Breach
Service NL is currently investigating inappropriate access of personal information by a departmental employee.
In January, Motor Registration Division was alerted that an individual’s personal information may have been inappropriately accessed by an employee. Upon investigation, Service NL determined that an employee of the department had accessed the individual’s information for non-work related purposes. A further investigation determined that an additional 16 individuals had their personal information accessed inappropriately. Service NL is also reviewing another 11 files to determine whether information was accessed inappropriately.
“This matter is a very serious concern to us as we hold drivers’ and vehicle owners’ personal information in the strictest of confidence. Once we learned of this incident we began an immediate investigation.”
- The Honourable Tony Cornect, Minister of Service NL
Service NL has identified all 17 individuals who had their personal information accessed and is currently in the process of contacting them. Each will be offered new driver’s licence identification. If any of the other 11 individuals are deemed to have had their personal information accessed inappropriately, the department will also contact those individuals. The department has also notified the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of the breach.
“We sincerely apologize to all those individuals affected. This access was inappropriate and should not have happened. All of our staff have completed training with respect to protecting personal information and we are now reinforcing this training and reviewing our policies and procedures with staff.”
- Minister Cornect
Service NL is continuing to investigate the matter which includes a further review of the employee’s system access history.
QUICK FACTS
- In January, Service NL became aware an employee may have inappropriately accessed the personal information of an individual.
- The investigation to date has determined that 16 additional individuals had their driver’s licence information accessed for non-work related purposes. Another 11 files are also being reviewed to determine if personal information was accessed inappropriately.
- Service NL is currently contacting all 17 individuals who had their personal information accessed, by phone, if possible, and by letter. If any of the other 11 individuals are deemed to have had their personal information accessed inappropriately, the department will also contact those individuals.
- Service NL sincerely apologizes for this incident and will review policies and procedures with staff to remind them what is appropriate and what is inappropriate access to personal information in the conduct of their day to day activities.
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Media contact:
| Vanessa Colman-Sadd
Director of Communications Service NL 709-729-4860, 682-6593 vanessacolmansadd@gov.nl.ca |
2015 02 20 11:00 a.m.