Investigation Concludes That the City of Calgary Breached an Employee’s Privacy

April 6, 2001

Information and Privacy Commissioner Bob Clark today released Investigation Report # 2000-IR-006. The report concludes an investigation conducted under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (the “FOIP Act”).

The investigation found that the City of Calgary breached the Complainant’s privacy when an employee disclosed information to other employees that the Complainant initiated an action under the FOIP Act.

The investigation recommends:

  1. That the Manager of Employee Services and Benefits consult with the FOIP coordinator to ensure forms and processes are FOIP compliant.
  2. That discussions be held with the Office of the City Solicitor to ensure MEBAC contracts cover FOIP concerns correctly.
  3. A memo be sent to all Business Unit FOIP Program Administrators to remind them of the City of Calgary’s obligation to protect complainant privacy.
  4. The individuals who breached privacy be reprimanded for the breach, given details of their obligations, as employees, under the FOIP Act and detail the seriousness and potential consequences of their actions.
  5. That the public body put a system in place that verifies when a change is made to a party’s personal record, a corrected copy of the record is automatically sent to the affected party within 30 days of the change.