No company, organization, or firm is above document shredding regulations
You simply can’t avoid it. These days, there are many regulations – federal and state, even local – that require companies, organizations and institutions to thoroughly destroy documents to protect the privacy and security not only of their own interests but also the interests of their clients, customers, and vendors.
Here are just a few federal laws that govern document shredding in Virginia, Maryland and Washington, DC and across the nation:
The Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act (FACTA) – designed to enhance accuracy of consumer reports and give consumers better control over the amount and type of marketing they receive. This act establishes standards in key areas regarding the disposal of consumer information currently in the possession of companies and organizations.
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) – designed to protect personal health information, this act requires that all entities put in place safeguards to protect the privacy of personal, protected health information, including proper disposal of paper documents – they must be shredded prior to disposal.
Gramm-Leach-Bliley Financial Services Modernization Act – this legislation enacts privacy provisions required of financial institutions and insurance companies to ensure consumer information is not shared unintentionally. The rules require that paper documents be protected and safely destroyed.
Federal Rule 26 – requires that, in the event of a lawsuit, each party will provide all relevant records to the opposing counsel within 85 days of the defendant’s initial response. If either of the litigants does not fulfill this obligation, it could result in a summary finding against them. By destroying records according to a set schedule, a company appropriately limits the number of materials it must search through to comply with this law.
Of course, you have a few options for your document shredding needs in the DMV. You can buy shredders and pay a maintenance fee, pay wages while your employees spend time over the shredders each day, or you can hire a document Atlantic Shredding and we’ll come to your site and shred your papers with no fuss.
Click to request document shredding pricing or call 703-988-7052 to discuss your document shredding needs in Grand Prairie, Fort Worth today.
What Type of Document Shredding in Virginia, Maryland and Washington, DC Do You Need?
Since no one is immune from the need to shred documents, here is a list of the types of documents that any company should shred – or let’s just be clear, destroy.
- Account data and statements
- Banking information and notes
- Cancelled checks, copies of checks
- Customer names and addresses
- Vendor names and addresses
- Drafts of contracts
- Drafts of letters
- Drafts of proposals
- Employee information and education records
- Insurance information and statements
- Internal memos
- Loan details
- Market analysis documents
- Medical information
- Misprints, obsolete contracts, obsolete records
- Patient information, including bills
- Payroll information
- Phone logs and messages
The list goes on and on … essentially, anything that’s printed should likely be shredded, especially if it has any identifying information or details on it that could be used by fraudulent parties.
When you work with the document shredding experts at Atlantic Shredding, you’ll get a Certificate of Destruction with your invoice. Call our team today at 703-988-7052 for a free document shredding quote in Northern Virginia, Maryland and Washington, DC.