Identity Theft Collaborative Resources

Workplace Identity Theft: How to curb an HR headache

By: Douglas Hottle, Meyer, Unkovic & Scott

BLR: Business and Legal Reports

A rise in identity theft is presenting employers with a major headache: They are being held liable for identity theft that occurs in the workplace.

Identity theft is the misuse or fraudulent use of an individual's personal information. Unfortunately for employers, personal data, such as social security and bank account numbers, is precisely what is contained in HR personnel files, a goldmine for ID thieves.

9/19/2006

The bottom line is this: If an ID thief is lurking in your workplace, the first line of defense is your company's policies and procedures. Employers should periodically review their policies to ensure accordance with state and federal law. Employers may also want to consider seeking legal help to ensure compliance.

Keep in mind, however, that adopting a comprehensive series of policies and procedures will not prevent every known type of identity theft (ID thieves are an industrious and resourceful lot) nor prevent every lawsuit. Having a policy and following the law, however, will strengthen a company's position in any litigation related to identity theft.