How does the FOIP Act affect the use of volunteers by schools?
• Schools can continue to welcome volunteers into schools, but should inform them of the need to protect student privacy, as they are considered employees for purposes of the Act. • The definition of “employee” in the FOIP Act includes a person who performs a service for the public body as an appointee, volunteer or student or under a contract or agency relationship with the public body (section 1(e)). This means that volunteers, students on work experience assignments, and contractors have the same responsibility to protect privacy as other employees of the school board. • The Alberta School Boards Association recommends that volunteers who work closely with students sign a confidentiality agreement in which volunteers agree to protect personal information that they may learn of in the course of fulfilling their duties. This is a way for school boards to demonstrate that they are taking steps to protect privacy.
• Schools can continue to welcome volunteers into schools, but should inform them of the need to protect student privacy, as they are considered employees for purposes of the Act. • The definition of “employee” in the FOIP Act includes a person who performs a service for the public body as an appointee, volunteer or student or under a contract or agency relationship with the public body (section 1(e)). This means that volunteers, students on work experience assignments, and contractors have the same responsibility to protect privacy as other employees of the school board. • The Alberta School Boards Association recommends that volunteers who work closely with students sign a confidentiality agreement in which volunteers agree to protect personal information that they may learn of in the course of fulfilling their duties. This is a way for school boards to demonstrate that they are taking steps to protect privacy.
Related Questions
- Does the FOIP Act still apply to health information held by schools, since the Health Information Act came into effect in April 2001?
- What affect will the Volunteer Protection Act of 1997 have on the potential liability of our nonprofit and our volunteers?
- How does the FOIP Act affect the use of volunteers by schools?
