data-ownership data-protection
Address search at work not related to work
<p>My wife has had letter through our door regarding a scrape in a car park (between cars) at our local vets. The other car belonged to an employee of the vets. At the time both parties were happy and it was left unactioned. The letter was asking for repair costs to be paid. </p>

<p>That's the background.</p>

<p>The letter in question was addressed to Mrs X Watson XXXXXXX. "Watson" is my dog's name and Mrs X Watson XXXXXXXX is how the vet links the dog to the OWNER. The X's refer to an initial and surname.</p>

<p>My question: is this lady allowed to use her works database to look up my address for a matter unrelated to work? </p>

<p>Many thanks in advance</p>

<p>In the State of California, a persons name,address is considered Personal Information and is subject to several State regulations. You may have a cause of action here as the Vet or Vets employees are subject to the States Data Security laws. For Californians,their privacy is an "inalienable right" and the Vet clearly violated this right.</p>

<p>OTOH, your spouse violated Vehicle Code and Penal Code. The Vets employee could ( or may already have) reported a "hit and run", no matter how minuscule the damage is and could potentially be charged. </p>

<p>California Civil Code Section 1798.81.5(b) in relavent part states:-</p>

<p>"..A business that owns owns, licenses, or licenses maintains personal information about a California resident shall implement and maintain reasonable security procedures and practices appropriate to the nature of the information, to protect the personal information from unauthorized access, destruction, use,
modification, or disclosure.."</p>

<p>The Vets business did indeed use a Californians personal information from unauthorized use when the Vets employee used that information to address a civil demand letter.</p>
