R994-312-103. Confidentiality of Records

  (1) Employers and individuals have a legitimate expectation of privacy in the information they provide to the Department. Therefore, consistent with federal and state requirements of confidentiality, it is the intent of this rule to limit access to Department records for use in:

  (a) administration of the programs of the Department and the other divisions of the Department of Workforce Services;

  (b) the detection and avoidance of duplicate or fraudulent claims against public assistance funds, or to avoid significant risk to public safety; and

  (c) as specifically mandated by federal or state law. Department records shall not be published or open to public inspection in any manner revealing the employer's or the individual's identity except upon written request which shall set forth one or more of the following reasons for disclosure:

  (i) Records used in making an initial determination or any decision by the Department may be provided to all interested parties prior to the rendering of any decision to the extent necessary for the proper presentation of the case.

  (ii) Any information requested by employers concerning claims for benefits with respect to former or current employees may be provided where the employer's reason for seeking the information is directly related to the unemployment insurance program. Information in the records may be made available to the party who submitted the information to the Department; and an individual's wage data submitted by an employer may be made available to that individual.

  (iii) Information in the record may be made available to the public for any purpose following a written waiver by all parties of their rights to non-disclosure.

  (iv) Employment and claim information may be disclosed by the Department to other divisions of the Department of Workforce Services for the purpose of carrying out the programs administered by the Department for the protection of workers in the work place; to the Governor's office and other governmental agencies administratively responsible for statewide economic development, to the extent necessary for economic development policy analysis and formulation; and to any other governmental agency which is specifically authorized by federal or state law to receive such information, subject to the requirements of Subsection R994-312-304(2).

  (v) Employment and claim information may be disclosed by the Department to any other public employees in the performance of their public duties only upon a determination by the Department that such disclosure will not discourage the willingness of employers to report wage and employment information or individuals to file claims for unemployment benefits, and such disclosure:

  (A) is directly related to the detection or avoidance of duplicate, inconsistent or fraudulent claims against public assistance funds, or the recovery of overpayments of such funds; or

  (B) is necessary to avoid a significant risk to public safety; and Disclosure pursuant to R994-312-304(1)(vi)(B) shall be subject to the requirements of Subsection R994-312-304(2).

  (vi) No disclosure of employment or claim information may be made by the Department other than as set forth above. All requests for information must comply with the requirements and procedures contained in this rule. The Department will request a judicial or administrative body to withdraw any subpoena issued by that body if the subpoena does not conform to the Act and this rule.

  (vii) The Department will provide aggregate information to the Wage and Hour Division of the U. S. Department of Labor on certain employers found to have misclassified workers. Once the Department finds that ten or more workers have been misclassified, the employer will be given 90 days from the date of the final audit report to cure the misclassification by resolving any outstanding amounts due, including contributions, interest and penalties. If an employer appeals the audit report, the 90 days runs from the date the final Department decision is issued. An employer can resolve the outstanding amount due by paying it in full, making payment arrangements or making other reasonable efforts to satisfy the outstanding contributions. If an employer does not cure the misclassification within 90 days, the information will be provided to the Wage and Hour Division of the U. S. Department of Labor.

  (2) Employment and claim information may be disclosed to the divisions of the Department of Workforce Services, other governmental agencies, and other public employees only upon completion of a written agreement containing all of the following terms and conditions:

  (a) The requesting division or agency must specify a bona fide need for the information, and must agree to use the information only to the extent necessary to assist in its valid administrative needs.

  (b) The requesting division or agency must identify all agency officials, by position, authorized to request and receive information.

  (c) The methods and timing of requests for information must be agreed upon by the Department and the requesting division or agency, and there must be provision for the appropriate reimbursement of the Department for the costs associated with furnishing the requested information.

  (d) The requesting division or agency must agree to implement, at a minimum, the following requirements for safeguarding disclosed information:

  (i) the disclosed information may not be used by the requesting division or agency for any purposes not specifically authorized; and

  (ii) the information must be stored by the requesting division or agency in a secure place, and electronically stored information must be secured so that unauthorized persons cannot access the information; and

  (iii) the requesting division or agency must instruct all persons authorized to request and receive information as to the confidential nature of the information and of the legal sanctions for unauthorized disclosure; and

  (iv) the requesting division or agency must permit the Department to make on-site inspections to insure that there is a genuine need for the information, that the information is being used only for that purpose, and that state and federal confidentiality requirements are being met; and

  (v) the head of the requesting division or agency must sign a written acknowledgment attesting to the confidentiality requirements of this rule.