Reviewed August 2013 - Revised Oct. 4, 2010 - Printable version
At ABX Air, we value Our People and their Trust. We are dedicated to ensuring that our practices and procedures secure the confidentiality and privacy of the personal, medical, and financial data obtained from employees and applicants and used in the course of ABX Air's business; the trade secrets or proprietary information of ABX Air; and the trade secrets or proprietary information of others disclosed to us on a confidential basis.
Core Requirements
 | Because of the nature of ABX Air’s business, employees may be asked to sign a statement of confidentiality when hired or during the course of employment. |
| Any release or improper use of confidential information is a breach of confidentiality and may result in discipline or corrective counseling up to and including termination of employment. In addition, those who fail to safeguard confidential information may be subject to prosecution by the company for civil liability. |
| This obligation of confidentiality shall continue after termination of employment with ABX Air (whether voluntary or involuntary). |
| Social Security numbers will be shared on an "as required" basis only, following the guidelines listed in the Personal Data Privacy section of this policy. |
Trade Secret/Proprietary Information
| During the normal course of employment, you may be exposed to trade secrets or proprietary information. A trade secret or proprietary information is confidential information known only to the company and to those employees entrusted to use it (e.g., complex technology, business methods, customer lists, and business knowledge). |
| Trade secrets give the company the opportunity to obtain an advantage over its competitors who do not have the information or do not know how to use it. Trade secrets are protected legally as long as they are kept secret. If the company did not take steps to protect its trade secrets, it would lose valuable legal rights. Other companies also may disclose trade secrets to the company from time to time under an obligation of confidentiality. |
| Those with access to confidential employee or customer information may release that information only to persons with a business need to know, to outside sources such as law enforcement or government agencies/officials, or when otherwise legally required to do so. Please confirm with ABX Air's legal staff if you have any questions before releasing the requested data. Insider Trading laws may apply. |
| Trade secrets held by or disclosed to the company and personal information contained in the personnel files of employees are to be held in strict confidence and are not to be shared with outsiders or other employees except to the extent authorized by management. |
HIPAA Medical Records Confidentiality
The regulations that govern confidentiality of medical records are a result of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). In general, the regulations prohibit personal medical information from being disclosed by the health plan to third parties without the permission of the patient. ABX Air is permitted to collect medical information for certain situations, such as Workers’ Compensation claims, FMLA requests, drug and alcohol tests, etc. Contact Human Resources for more information regarding HIPAA.
Personal Data Privacy
| Collection of Information: Personal data will be collected from applicants and employees as required in order to meet federal and/or state reporting requirements. Social Security numbers or other personal data may be collected from creditors, suppliers, or independent contractors where no tax identification or employer identification number is accessible. |
| Use of Information: You may not transmit Social Security numbers in open computer transmissions, company distributions, or through the company intranet except where such transmission of information is by secure connection or encryption. For example, reporting of payroll withholding taxes and benefit plan participation require such data; transmission of such data will be handled through secured computer transmission only. You may not send company emails to home email addresses if those emails contain personal employee data. |
| Storage of and Access to Personal Data: Documents containing Social Security numbers and other personal data will be stored in locked secure areas. All computer applications containing Social Security numbers and other personal data shall be maintained on secured, authorized-access computer files only. Only people who have a legitimate business reason will have access to Social Security numbers and other personal data. Access will be granted only by members of management responsible for the functions. Management and employees granted such access must take all necessary precautions to ensure the integrity of records that include such data when the records are not being used. |
| Destruction of Data: Records that include Social Security numbers or other personal data will be maintained in accordance with federal and state laws. When documents containing employee personal data are released for destruction, the records will be destroyed by shredding. |
| State Laws: In any state where the law conflicts with ABX Air policy, the state law will supersede ABX Air policy. |
Employee Responsibility
| Read, understand, and comply with this policy. |
| When requested, sign and comply with the ABX Air Confidentiality Agreement. |
| Hold all trade secrets held by or disclosed to the company in strict confidence by not disclosing them to other persons (employed or otherwise), except to the extent authorized by management. |
| Maintain and respect the privacy and personal data of fellow employees. |
| Notify Human Resources, your supervisor, or another member of management if you suspect or witness misuse or a breach of confidentiality. |
Leadership Responsibility
| Discuss and review this policy with new and affected employees periodically. Where appropriate, have employees periodically sign a confidentiality agreement. |
| Ensure that confidentiality is maintained within the company at all times by limiting internal and external disclosure of personal information. Limit access to those with an authorized, business-related need to know. |
| Partner with upper management and Human Resources if a breach of confidentiality has been reported or suspected so that a course of action can be developed. |
Revision History:
Oct. 4, 2010
Oct. 5, 2004