Privacy Policy

Ambulance Paramedics and Emergency Dispatchers of BC

Personal Information Protection Policy

At the Ambulance Paramedics and Emergency Dispatchers of BC, we are committed to providing our members with exceptional service. As providing this service involves the collection, use and disclosure of some personal information about our members, protecting their personal information is one of our highest priorities.

While we have always respected our members’ privacy and safeguarded their personal information, we have strengthened our commitment to protecting personal information as a result of British Columbia’s Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA). PIPA, which came into effect on January 1, 2004, sets out the ground rules for how B.C. businesses and not-for-profit organizations may collect, use and disclose personal information.

We will inform our members of why and how we collect, use and disclose their personal information, obtain their consent where required, and only handle their personal information in a manner that a reasonable person would consider appropriate in the circumstances.

This Personal Information Protection Policy, in compliance with PIPA, outlines the principles and practices we will follow in protecting members’ personal information. Our privacy commitment includes ensuring the accuracy, confidentiality, and security of our members’ personal information and allowing our members to request access to, and correction of, their personal information.

Scope of this Policy

This Privacy Policy applies to all users of this web site (“Users”). By accessing the web site, the User consents to this Privacy Policy and to the collection and use of information by APBC as specified herein. This Privacy Policy is the entire privacy policy for this web site and supersedes any prior communication on this topic.

Definitions

Personal Information –means information about an identifiable individual. Personal information does not include contact information (described below) or aggregate information which cannot be associated with an individual.

Contact information – means information that would enable an individual to be contacted at a place of business and includes name, position name or title, business telephone number, business address, business email or business fax number. Contact information is not covered by this policy or PIPA.

Privacy Officer – means the individual designated responsibility for ensuring that the Ambulance Paramedics and Emergency Dispatchers of BC complies with this policy and PIPA.

Member – Due paying union member of CUPE Local 873/873-02 or due paying member of the Ambulance Paramedic of BC chapter of the Paramedic Association of Canada.*

User – Any user of the Ambulance Paramedics and Emergency

Dispatchers of BC’s websites (including public websites).*

*For the purposes of this document, the term user and member will be used interchangeably and the provisions in this document apply to both.

Policy 1 – Collecting Personal Information

1.1 Unless the purposes for collecting personal information are obvious and the member voluntarily provides his or her personal information for those purposes, we will communicate the purposes for which personal information is being collected, either orally or in writing, before or at the time of collection.

1.2 We will only collect member information that is necessary to fulfill the following purposes:

• To verify identity;
• To identify member preferences;
• To understand the needs of our members;
• To open and manage an email account;
• To deliver requested products and services;
• To collect union dues;
• To reimburse members for covering union shifts;
• To reimburse missed wages for union representatives;
• To reimburse approved expenses
• To send out association membership information;
• To contact our members for fundraising;
• To ensure a high standard of service to our members;
• To meet regulatory requirements;
• To assist and facilitate in the Duty to Accommodate process
• To manage member grievances
• To represent and assist members in employer led meetings (11.04 and 11.05 process)
• To assist members with legal, statutory and regulatory matters, as needed

1.3 The personal information we collect may include (but may not be limited to the following) for the purposes identified in section 1.2:

• Name
• Birthdate
• Home or cellular phone number
• Home address
• Social Insurance Number
• Medical records
• Doctor’s notes
• Employer correspondence (emails, letters etc)
• Employee records
• Next of kin
• Wages, benefits or pension details
• Any other information deemed as necessary for the provision of services as agreed to

1.4 When a user accesses an Ambulance Paramedic and Emergency Dispatcher of BC web site, the web servers automatically record the user’s internet service provider, IP address, domain name, browser type, and operating system. This generic information does not reveal the user’s identity and is used in an aggregate, non-personally identifiable form to improve the web site.

1.5 The Ambulance Paramedics and Emergency Dispatchers of BC websites use “cookies” for the sole purpose of collecting additional generic non-personally identifiable information to improve site performance. Cookies are a common browser feature that assigns each user a unique, random number that temporarily resides on the User’s computer. The cookie does not store any user personal information or identify the User but rather identifies the particular computer session that the user uses to access the web site. By remembering certain user choices, cookies avoid the need for the user to repeatedly enter the same information. A user may set their browser to not accept cookies; however, doing so may limit the user’s ability to take advantage of all the features of the web site.

Policy 2 – Consent

2.1 We will obtain member consent to collect, use or disclose personal information (except where, as noted below, we are authorized to do so without consent).

2.2 Consent can be provided orally, electronically or in writing or it can be implied where the purpose for collecting using or disclosing the personal information would be considered obvious and the member voluntarily provides personal information for that purpose.

2.3 Consent may also be implied where a member is given notice and a reasonable opportunity to opt-out of his or her personal information being used for mail-outs, the marketing of new services or products, fundraising and the member does not opt-out.

2.4 Subject to certain exceptions (e.g., the personal information is necessary to provide the service or product, or the withdrawal of consent would frustrate the performance of a legal obligation) and with reasonable notice, members can withhold or withdraw their consent for the Ambulance Paramedics and Emergency Dispatchers of BC to use their personal information in certain ways. A member’s decision to withhold or withdraw their consent to certain uses of personal information may restrict our ability to provide a particular service or product. If so, we will explain the situation to assist the member in making the decision.

2.5 We may collect, use or disclose personal information without the member’s knowledge or consent as per sections 12, 15 and 18 of PIPA. The following are some examples:

• When the collection, use or disclosure of personal information is permitted or required by law;
• In an emergency that threatens an individual’s life, health, or personal security;
• When the personal information is available from a public source (e.g., a telephone directory);
• When we require legal advice from a lawyer;
• For the purposes of collecting a debt;
• To protect ourselves from fraud;
• To investigate an anticipated breach of an agreement or a contravention of law
  • The collection is clearly in the interests of the individual and consent cannot be obtained in a timely way

Policy 3 – Using and Disclosing Personal Information

3.1 We will only use or disclose member personal information where necessary to fulfill the purposes identified in this policy, or at the time of collection or for a purpose reasonably related to those purposes:

3.2 We will not use or disclose member personal information for any additional purpose unless we obtain consent to do so.

3.3 We will not sell member lists or personal information to other parties unless we have consent to do so.

3.4 We will only collect, use or disclose personal information in accordance with PIPA.

Policy 4 – Retaining Personal Information

4.1 If we use member personal information to make a decision that directly affects the member, we will retain that personal information for at least one year so that the member has a reasonable opportunity to request access to it.

4.2 Subject to policy 4.1, we will retain member personal information only as long as necessary to fulfill the identified purposes or a legal or business purpose.

Policy 5 – Ensuring Accuracy of Personal Information

5.1 We will make reasonable efforts to ensure that member personal information is accurate and complete where it may be used to make a decision about the member or disclosed to another organization.

5.2 Members may request correction to their personal information in order to ensure its accuracy and completeness. A request to correct personal information must be made in writing and provide sufficient detail to identify the personal information and the correction being sought. A request to correct personal information should be forwarded to the Privacy Officer [or designated individual.

5.3 If the personal information is demonstrated to be inaccurate or incomplete, we will correct the information as required and send the corrected information to any organization to which we disclosed the personal information in the previous year. If the correction is not made, we will note the members’ correction request in the file.

Policy 6 – Securing Personal Information

6.1 We are committed to ensuring the security of member personal information in order to protect it from unauthorized access, collection, use, disclosure, copying, modification or disposal or similar risks.

6.2 The following security measures will be followed to ensure that member personal information is appropriately protected:

• Locked filing cabinets;
• File room secured with a door code and limited access;
• Computer passwords required to access computerized records;

6.3 We will use appropriate security measures when destroying member’s personal information such as shredding documents, deleting electronically stored information.

6.4 We will continually review and update our security policies and controls as technology changes to ensure ongoing personal information security.

6.5 Personal information collected by the Ambulance Paramedics and Emergency Dispatchers of BC may be stored on foreign cloud-based services. Privacy policies for the services used will be reviewed regularly to ensure that the security and privacy standards set forth in this document are satisfied.

6.6 Although the Ambulance Paramedics and Emergency Dispatchers of BC believe the security measures outlined in this document are adequate, no method of storing or transmitting information over the Internet, including email communications, is completely secure. Accordingly, the Ambulance Paramedics and Emergency Dispatchers of BC cannot guaranty or warrant the absolute performance of such safeguards. If a user does not want The Ambulance Paramedics and Emergency Dispatchers of BC to know any particular personal information, the user should not include it in anything submitted to this web site.

6.7 In using certain services offered on the Ambulance Paramedics and Emergency Dispatchers of BC’s websites, a user may be assigned a user ID and password. The user is responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of his/her user ID and password and is responsible for all activities that occur under his/her user ID and password. Each user agrees to immediately notify the Ambulance Paramedics and Emergency Dispatchers of BC of any unauthorized use of his/her user ID, password or personal information, or any other breach of security regarding the web site. The Ambulance Paramedics and Emergency Dispatcher of BC will not be liable for any loss arising from a user’s failure to comply with these security requirements and each user agrees to hold the Ambulance Paramedics and Emergency Dispatchers of BC harmless from any and all losses that arise from any such failure to comply.

6.8 The Ambulance Paramedics and Emergency Dispatchers of BC is not responsible for any information, including personal, which may be gathered at a linked or other third-party site. Although the Ambulance Paramedics and Emergency Dispatchers of BC has taken precautions to ensure that linked sites follow a similar privacy policy, the Ambulance Paramedics and Emergency Dispatchers of BC cannot guarantee their policy or practices and urges users to review the individual policies of each site they visit. In no event will the Ambulance Paramedics and Emergency Dispatchers of BC be responsible for any third-party web site policies or actions.

Policy 7 – Providing Members Access to Personal Information

7.1 Members have a right to access their personal information, subject to limited exceptions as identified in section 23 of PIPA. Some examples include:

• The information is protected by solicitor-client privilege
• The information was collected or created by a mediator or arbitrator in the conduct of a mediation or arbitration for which he or she was appointed to act

(i)under a collective agreement,

(ii)under an enactment, or

(iii)by a court;

• The information was collected or disclosed without consent, as allowed under section 12 or 18, for the purposes of an investigation and the investigation and associated proceedings and appeals have not been completed
• The disclosure of the information would reveal confidential commercial information that if disclosed, could, in the opinion of a reasonable person, harm the competitive position of the organization
• The disclosure can reasonably be expected to cause immediate or grave harm to the safety or to the physical or mental health of the individual who made the request

7.2 A request to access personal information must be made in writing to the Privacy Officer and provide sufficient detail to identify the personal information being sought.

7.3 Upon request, we will also tell members how we use their personal information and to whom it has been disclosed if applicable.

7.4 We will make the requested information available within 30 business days, or provide written notice of an extension where additional time is required to fulfill the request.

7.5 A minimal fee may be charged for providing access to personal information. Where a fee may apply, we will inform the member of the cost and request further direction from the member on whether or not we should proceed with the request.

7.6 If a request is refused in full or in part, we will notify the member in writing, providing the reasons for refusal and the recourse available to the member.

Policy 8 – Questions and Complaints: The Role of the Privacy Officer or designated individual

8.1 The Privacy Officer or designated individual is responsible for ensuring the Ambulance Paramedics and Emergency Dispatchers of BC’s compliance with this policy and the Personal Information Protection Act.

8.2 Members should direct any complaints, concerns or questions regarding the Ambulance Paramedics and Emergency Dispatchers of BC’s compliance in writing to the Privacy Officer. If the Privacy Officer is unable to resolve the concern, the member may also write to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of British Columbia.

Contact information for the Ambulance Paramedics and Emergency Dispatchers of BC’sPrivacy Officer or designated individual:

Privacy Officer

Email: privacy@apbc.ca

Phone number: 604-273-5722

Toll-free phone number: 1-866-273-5762