Employers, Employees And PIPA

Now that a date has been set for the coming into force of the Personal Information Protection Act 2016, employers need to be aware of how this important legislation will affect them.

PIPA, which received Royal Assent on July 27, 2016, will come into full effect on January 1, 2025, meaning that the clock has started ticking and employers must begin preparing for its impact.

Personal information is defined under PIPA as "any information about an identified or identifiable individual".

Sensitive personal information, which is a category of personal information, is defined as "any personal information relating to an individual's place of origin, race, colour, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, sexual life, marital status, physical or mental disability, physical or mental health, family status, religious beliefs, political opinions, trade union membership, biometric information or genetic information".