Do I Need A Personnel Security Policy?

Are you hiring contractors or employees to work for your business? If the answer is yes, then you might be in need of a Personnel Security Policy. Every business holds information that it would like to keep private. As exciting as it is to bring new team members into a business, it’s important to manage who has access to what information. That’s exactly what a Personnel Security Policy does.

Let’s talk more about Personnel Security Policies and how they might help your business below.

What Is A Personnel Security Policy?

A Personnel Security Policy is a legal document that outlines how information is protected in your business. It details the regulations and rules surrounding the handling of important information. For example, your policy might include what kind of information can be given out when onboarding a new employee. At the same time, it can detail what happens to a former employee's access to information after termination. This way, you can be assured that the flow of information in your business is working exactly how you need it to. Data falling into the wrong hands can be detrimental for a business, so it’s important to get this right.

Every Personnel Security Policy is different as it should be catered to the unique needs of the business it’s serving. That’s why we don’t recommend getting a general one- rather it’s best to have a legal expert draft one up for you. Our lawyers are happy to help with that.

Is A Personnel Security Policy Something For Government Bodies?

No, a Personnel Security Policy isn’t something that is limited for use in government bodies only. In fact, you might have heard of Personnel Security Policies being used widely within government institutions and workplaces. However, this doesn’t mean that businesses (whether you're operating as a big or small business) cannot benefit from having a strong Personnel Security Policy in place. Whether you're handling the private information of your clients or have business records you want to protect, having the right security measures in place such as a well drafted Personnel Security Policy is something that is important for all kinds of businesses.

When Do I Need A Personnel Security Policy?

It’s important to have a Personnel Security Policy as soon as your business stops being more than a one person show. When employees come on board, it’s essential to make sure you have all the right systems and rules in place that can limit any unauthorised access to your data. The more prepared your business is, the less likely it is for data to be accessed by someone that shouldn't have access to it.

When you’re handing information that is sensitive or private, it’s your duty to make sure that information stays secure. A Personnel security Policy is one of many legal documents that can help keep important business information private.

What Policies And Procedures Are Included In A Personnel Security

As we noted above, every Personnel Security Policy is catered to meet a business’s individual needs. Generally however, Personnel Security Policies tend to cover matters such as:

• Security clearance levels
• Screening and vetting processes for employees and contractors
• Access control procedures
• Training and security policies
• Steps when reporting an incident
• Compliance measures and auditing
• Process for employee termination and transition

It’s important to talk with a legal expert when drafting a Personnel Security Policy so they can assess what kind of processes are best suited to protect your business and draft up a policy that is right for you.

How Else Can I Protect My Business’s Data?

Protecting data is one of the biggest challenges and priorities for any modern business. Depending on your circumstances, there are other legal documents that can help you achieve the maximum level of security for your business. Some of these include:

Information Security Policy: A uniform policy that outlines how data needs to be handled can help standardise things and minimise confusion, which can lead to less mistakes when it comes to managing data-related risks.

Data Breach Response Plan: In case something does go wrong, your reaction can be a lot more efficient if you have a set of pre planned steps already in place.

Data Processing Agreement: If you plan on utilising your data, it’s important to establish a strict set of rules so you can set boundaries when getting your data processed by a third party.

Data Breach Notification: When data gets breached, it’s important to inform the impacted parties. A Data Breach Notification includes the contact details of your company, the data involved in the breach, a description of the breach and recommendations for responding to the breach.

If you have any questions or would like to know more about your options, talking to our specialist Data and Privacy Lawyers can help clear things up.

Next Steps

Enlisting the help of a legal professional can help ensure that your Personnel Security Policy is designed to suit your business's specific needs. That way, you’re one step closer to giving your business the best data protection possible. To summarise what we’ve discussed:

• When bringing new team members into your business, it's important to establish a Personnel Security Policy to manage data access
• The Personnel Security Policy acts as a legal framework, working to make sure that your business's confidential data remains private and is accessed only by authorised personnel
• Even though it’s often associated with government entities, the Personnel Security Policy is equally applicable to businesses of all scales, providing a foundation for maintaining data integrity
• As your business grows beyond a one-person operation, implementing a Personnel Security Policy becomes essential to prevent unauthorised access and data breaches
• The Personnel Security Policy covers matters like determining security clearance levels, screening procedures, controlling access to sensitive areas, security training, incident reporting, regulatory compliance and the process for employee termination
• You can get additional legal documents to help better protect you business’s data, such as a data breach response plan or a information security policy
• For expert guidance on data security matters, consulting with specialised data and privacy lawyer is an important next step

If you would like a consultation on your options moving forward, you can reach us at 0800 002 184 or team@sprintlaw.co.nz for a free, no-obligations chat.