In nearly any workplace, gossip is seen as a normal part of the job environment. However, this type of behavior is rarely beneficial for employees, especially when it comes to divulging sensitive information. Breaking confidentiality may violate certain privacy laws, as well as result in a contract dispute if confidentiality terms were outlined in an employment contract. At Delev & Associates, LLC, we understand the varied complex nuances of business contracts in Ohio and how a breach of contract may affect an employer or employee.
According to the Society for Human Resource Management, privacy laws in the health care industry are a commonly-known aspect of workplace confidentiality. If you work as a physician, nurse or office assistant, it would be unethical to discuss a patient’s medical records with anyone other than those who have a legal right to know the information. What about in other professions? Those who work in human resources may have access to sensitive employee information, including performance reviews, reference checks, salary and Social Security numbers. This information would be unprofessional to divulge to others who don’t have the clearance to know the details.
Your position in the company may give you access to information that is not known by most other employees, such as financial information, trade secrets and impending layoffs. Revealing highly confidential business information like this could be seen as a potentially devastating breach of contract and may result in serious legal ramifications. To learn more about contract disputes and other civil litigation matters, please visit our page.
