Federal And State Privacy Laws – Compliance Deadlines Fast Approaching

The number and complexity of federal and state privacy laws continue to increase. These laws affect a broad range of public and private companies, including U.S. companies as well as foreign companies that conduct business in the United States.

Any company that possesses personal information relating to U.S. employees, customers, shareholders or others likely is subject to privacy laws. For purposes of the privacy laws, personal information typically includes names together with information like social security numbers, financial account information or driver's license numbers. Protected health information is covered by the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act.