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Privacy
The Labourers' Pension Fund of Central and Eastern Canada understands the importance of our Member's privacy, and as such we have an obligation to collect, use and disclose personal information in accordance with federal privacy and confidentiality laws. We have developed a Privacy Policy to ensure not only the protection of your personal information, but as well to ensure that proper guidelines are followed in the processing of your personal information.
New procedures that comply with the January 1, 2004 enforcement of the Personal/ Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) are in place and are strictly adhered to.
What Qualifies as Personal Information?
Personal information consists of any identifiable information about an individual, and may include one or more of the following items/documents:
- Annual Benefit Statement
- Birth Certificate
- Death Certificate
- Detailed Employment Work History Report Employee Work History Printout
- HRDC Employment History
- Initial Payment Letter
- Marriage Breakdown Documentation Member's Address
- Monthly Pension Estimate
- Option Election Documentation
- Pension Application
- Self-Pay Contribution Form
- Social Insurance Number
- Termination Statement
- Workplace Safety & Insurance Board (WSIB) Other Specified Documents
Collection, Use and Disclosure of Personal Information
The LPF may collect, use and disclose personal information for the purpose of effective administration of the Fund and for payment of pension benefits from the Fund. The Trustees and Administrator of the Fund may collect, use and disclose personal information as required to permit them to carry out their fiduciary duties.
Employees of Fund may collect, use and disclose personal information as it pertains to the administration of the Fund and payment of pension benefits. Professional Advisors, including Actuaries, Legal Counsel, Auditors, Investment Consultants and Investment Managers may also collect use and disclose personal information as it permits them to execute their professional function. The collection of personal information shall be limited to only what is needed.
Personal information will not be disclosed either orally, electronically, by fax or any other means, unless authorization is granted by the Member. Requestors outside of the Fund, including Local Unions, Employers and insurance carriers may seek to obtain personal information, at which time a Consent to Disclosure of Information form accompanied by a Privacy Authorization and Release Form are administered to the Member. Without a signed authorization form, a Member's personal information cannot be released.
How do we Collect Personal Information?
When LPF receives a request in writing from a "Requestor" outside of the Fund, including a spouse, former spouse, common-law partner, child, Local Union or insurance carrier, LPF must follow the steps outlined below:
- Notify the Member in writing about the request for his/her personal information and provide him/her with the requisite consent forms.
- Request that the Member sign the consent form and return it to the Fund - if he/she consents to the disclosure to the Requestor. The Member must indicate the time period for which their authorization will be valid.
- For this request only
- For a period of one year
- Until I withdraw the consent or cease to be a Member/Beneficiary of the Fund, whichever comes first
- Disclose the personal information to the Requestor only if the Requestor makes the request in writing and if the Member signs the consent form.
- After disclosing the personal information to the Requestor, record the disclosure in the Member's file, including the Member's name, the name of the Requestor, the date of the disclosure and a description of the personal information.
- For all subsequent requests made by the same Requestor, the Member must ensure that they have a current, valid consent from the Beneficiary to the disclosure that applies to the personal information requested. If not, they must go back to step 1. If the Requestor does not make their request in writing, the Fund is not authorized to disclose a Member's personal information. All requests for access to personal information about a Member of the Fund from a Local Union must be made by a specifically named individual who has been designated by the Local Union. We are not authorized to grant general requests made by a Local Union. All Local Unions have been notified in writing of the Procedure Regarding Disclosure of Personal Information to Requestors Outside of the Fund.
Protection of Personal Information
Personal information is only disclosed to the individual(s) who have been granted authorization by the Member or Beneficiary personally. Only the personal information specified may be disclosed, and only for the time period indicated. If the authorized time period expires, the personal information will no longer be made available to the individual who requested it.
The LPF keeps your personal information in the strictest of confidence and uses it only for the purpose for which it was collected.
Personal information is maintained electronically and manually. All electronic information is password protected on a network mainframe which is monitored daily by the IT Department. Only authorized IT personnel within the Fund can access our IT network at any given time.
All hardcopy files are maintained in locked filing cabinets, storage rooms and or locked offices which only authorized personnel have access to at any given time.
Access to the Administrator's and other managerial offices where personal information may be housed for a period of time is strictly monitored.
Maintaining Privacy Standards
The LPF has appointed a Privacy Officer to oversee all privacy related activities as well as tend to questions or issues that may arise as a result of the newly enforced legislation. The Privacy Officer is responsible for ensuring that privacy laws are being adhered to and PIPEDA standards are being met.
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