The COVID-19 pandemic and vaccines raise lots of questions about privacy concerns. Employers may want to know if their employees are vaccinated. And you may want to know if the people you are interacting with are vaccinated. But vaccine records are personal information. In Alberta, three laws protect how different entities collect, use and disclose personal information: The Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) governs organizations (such as businesses, employees and professional regulatory bodies). The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIP ACT) governs public bodies (such as governments, universities and school boards). The Health Information Act (HIA) governs those in the medical field (such as Alberta Health Services, nursing homes, pharmacies and medical professionals). Under these laws, anyone collecting personal information has legal obligations with respect to that information. For example, if your employer asks for proof of vaccination, they must store that information safely and cannot disclose to others except according to the law. Importantly, they cannot share that information with other employees of the organization who would not otherwise have access to the information. If you have concerns about how your personal information is collected, used or disclosed, contact the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta (OIPC). Last Updated: December 2022