HomeMy WebLinkAboutPR 637 HR - Employee Medical Records Management
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PROCEDURE PR.637.HR
TITLE: EMPLOYEE MEDICAL RECORDS MANAGEMENT
Date issued: 20 March 2012
Last revised: 16 January 2018
Authorization: 16 January 2018
1.0 OBJECTIVE
To provide direction and information regarding the management of the OCDSB employee
confidential medical records.
2.0 DEFINITIONS
In this procedure,
2.1 District refers to the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB).
2.2 Medical Records refer to any records that contain information relating to an employee’s
medical condition, health status, limitations, restrictions or precautions (e.g.:
Standardized Medical Certificate, Functional Abilities Form, Workplace Safety and
Insurance Board (WSIB) forms).
2.3 Supervisor refers to principals, vice-principals, managers and supervisors.
3.0 RESPONSIBILITY
3.1 The Director of Education and Secretary of the Board or designate, Employee Wellness
& Disability Management Officer, Superintendent of Human Resources, Director’s
Executive Council, all supervisory staff.
4.0 PROCEDURES
4.1 The OCDSB respects its employees’ right to privacy and confidentiality of personal
health information. The confidential nature of all personal and medical information
provided by the employee or their treating practitioner to the District will be respected by
all involved parties.
4.2 Medical information submitted by an employee will be used for employment-related
purposes by the employer to determine eligibility for benefits, provide workplace
accommodations, or arrange return to work plans, or, to the extent necessary, to
support the Attendance Support Program.
4.3 Medical information may be collected when:
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a) An employee is absent from work due to an illness or injury and is seeking
access to sick leave or injury on duty leave;
b) An employee is requesting medical accommodations;
c) Legislated requirements;
d) An employee submits a WSIB claim; or
e) Collective agreement requirements.
4.4 Employee medical records will be received by the Employee Wellness & Disability
Management Officer, or designate and will be kept in confidence in locked cabinets
while electronic records are secured with limited and monitored access.
4.5 No information from an employee’s medical record is given to a third party without the
employee’s written consent, unless required by law. If required by law, the Employee
Wellness & Disability Management Officer shall notify the employee.
4.6 Medical records will be maintained in confidence and are accessible only by those
designated employees authorized or required to do so for the purposes of their job to
manage a particular disability, WSIB claim, or Attendance Support Program file.
Medical records may consist of non-medical and medical records and these will be
handled in a manner consistent with the provisions of the Workplace Safety and
Insurance Act and the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act
where applicable.
4.7 An employee may request access to view information contained in their medical records
by contacting the Employee Wellness & Disability Management Officer. Photocopies of
specific information shall be provided to the employee upon written request as per
section 54 (2) of the Personal Health Information Protection Act.
4.8 Supervisors will forward all original medical information that they receive to Employee
Wellness & Disability Management in an expeditious and confidential manner. Medical
documents are not to be kept at individual work locations. The employee should keep a
copy of the information for his or her own files. The original documents must be
forwarded to Employee Wellness & Disability Management via Board courier in a sealed
envelope marked confidential.
4.9 All medical information must be deleted from individual facsimile or email inboxes after it
has been forwarded to Employee Wellness & Disability Management.
4.10 Employee medical records and WSIB records, active, inactive, or in storage, will be
maintained separately from the Human Resources records. The medical records of
former employees are retained for seven (7) years from the date the employee’s
employment ends. Workplace Safety and Insurance Board records are to be retained
for seven (7) years from the date of the original claim. Records of employees exposed
to regulated substances are retained permanently.
5.0 REFERENCE DOCUMENTS
Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004, SO, c. 3
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Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, 1990
Workplace Safety & Insurance Act
Human Rights Code
OCDSB Policy P.128.GOV: Privacy Policy - MFIPPA
OCDSB Policy P.027.GOV: Corporate Records Management
OCDSB Procedure PR.516.GOV: Corporate Records Management
OCDSB Procedure PR.669.GOV: Privacy Breach Procedure
Sick Leave Program (available on BEAM)
WSIB Program (available on BEAM)