Opinion ID: 2355825
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Delmar Gardens Has Standing to Object to the Disclosure of its Employees' Personnel Files.

Text: As a threshold matter, Respondent asserts that Delmar Gardens lacks standing to object to the production of Ms. Johnson's personnel file because the right of privacy is personal to her. In order to have third-party standing, a litigant must be able to show three things: (1) a concrete injury, (2) a close relation to the third party, and (3) some hindrance to the third party's ability to protect its own interests. State v. Knese, 985 S.W.2d 759, 775 (Mo. banc 1999). Delmar Gardens can satisfy each of these requirements. Disclosure of confidential information about Ms. Johnson could subject Delmar Gardens to liability under Missouri law  a concrete injury. See Fierstein v. DePaul Health Center, 24 S.W.3d 220, 223 (Mo.App. E.D.2000) (affirming award of actual and punitive damages for disclosure of confidential records without authorization). [3] Delmar Gardens, as Ms. Johnson's employer and the custodian of her personnel files at the time of the incident in question, has a close relationship to the third party. Finally, Ms. Johnson is not a party to this action, nor is she the custodian of her personnel file. As such, she is not entitled to receive legal notice that Mr. McNeil has requested production of these documents, which hinders her ability to protect her personnel file. In these circumstances, the employer has standing to object to production of its employee's employment records. [4]