Employee benefits…there’s an app for that!

It was only a matter of time before app-mania struck the pension and benefits industry. In the past few weeks, it seems like industry publication has an article about another service provider launching an app or using social media as a communications tool.

In recent years, we’ve seen the rise of auto-enrollment, online planning tools, employee websites and portals, but the introduction of apps may bring employee engagement and access to their benefit or retirement savings information to a new level. For example, Sun Life Financial has announced that it plans to offer a free mobile application for group benefits and group retirement and savings plan members. The app will allow plan members to submit benefit claims or check the balance of their retirement plan accounts.

At a time when defined contribution plan sponsors are concerned about the lack of engagement by members responsible for investing their plan assets, the advent of apps has the potential to increase participation and interaction. The ability to see your pension plan account balance at the press of a button (or tap of the screen as the case may be) also enhances transparency and may help increase member awareness and education.

Other benefit providers are also jumping on the app-bandwagon, capitalizing on the increasing number of people with smartphones. For example, Morneau Shepell has launched “My EAP”, which will provide users with access to interactive tools, support resources (such as e-counselling) and other employee assistance programs. Many of these features are already available on Morneau’s website, but the app enhances the ease of access for people on the go, giving access to EAP services anywhere and anytime they are needed.

The use of apps and other social media technology is creating new opportunities for communication and disclosure with pension and benefit plan members. However, as always, apps and social media must be integrated into an overall communications strategy. Consideration must also be had to ensuring the privacy and security of such sensitive personal information.

Specifically with reference to pension plans, plan administrators must also make sure they are complying with any applicable rules regarding the use of electronic communications. Governments have implemented a number of rules regarding when and how electronic communications can be used in the administration of a pension plan. I will discuss this in more detail in an upcoming post.

Social Media Use by Teachers and Students: OCT Recommends Limits

The Ontario College of Teachers has recently issued a professional advisory recommending strict limits on interactions between teachers and students through social media. The advisory emphasizes that teachers are professionals, who are held to high standards of conduct, in both their professional and private lives. Since inappropriate electronic communications with students – including those outside of school hours and unrelated to school matters – can lead to teacher discipline, and even criminal charges, the OCT recommends that teachers take certain precautions in their electronic communications, particularly through social media. Among other guidelines, the advisory recommends that teachers:

not be “friends” with students on Facebook, refrain from “following” students on Twitter, and otherwise avoid personal connections with students on social media;
notify parents before using social media for classroom purposes; and
use appropriate privacy settings when using social media, to ensure that students may not access personal or inappropriate postings.

The recommendations are not surprising, given the high standards of conduct expected of teachers, and the perils teachers may face from inappropriate use of electronic media – as illustrated by the recent Ontario Court of Appeal decision in R. v. Cole.

Although specific to the educational context, the OCT’s professional advisory reflects the importance of addressing the impact which social media, and electronic media in general, can have in various settings. Employers should consider whether the dynamics of their workplace justify guidelines or policies on the appropriate use by employees of social media, for example, in their interactions with each other or with customers, suppliers or other parties.

A link to the OCT’s professional advisory is here, and a related CBC article is here.

Workplace Privacy Here and Now

I had fun speaking at the OBA Institute privacy session today. I did a hot topics presentation on (1) the blurring boundary between work and private life, (2) access to stored communications on corporate systems, (3) PIPEDA application to employment in the provinces and (4) the remedial approach to dealing with employees who breach privacy rules.

Case references here:

HO-010 is quite the case for Ontario health information custodians. It’s controversial because of the following paragraph on dealing with employees who breach privacy rules:

For other staff members of the hospital involved, knowing that all of the details of the disciplinary action imposed will be publicly disclosed, should serve as a strong deterrent. This is especially true if those details also become known to other employees, either through the actions of the aggrieved individual, the custodian, or both. Employees must understand that, given the seriousness of these types of breaches, their own privacy concerns will take a back seat to the legitimate needs of the victims involved to have a full accounting of the actions taken by the health information custodian. Our primary concern must lie with the aggrieved party, whose privacy was completely disregarded.

This statement suggests (very mildly) that employers should publish information about the outcome of the disciplinary process as a means of remedying a data breach that is caused by intentional employee misconduct. As I comment in the slides below, this suggestion should be approached with great caution.

Thanks to the program chairs and the other speakers. I enjoyed the afternoon!