OhioBWC - Common:  Complete Privacy Policy

Confidential personal information; Ensuring online security

Security notification statement
This website is intended for official state use only. Access to this website may be logged and monitored. Anyone using this website shall have no expectation of personal privacy unless explicitly stated on this site. Please see Chapter 10 of the Ohio Administrative Code for our rules on confidential personal information. Illegal or unauthorized attempts to access any system or information could lead to criminal and civil liability.

Protecting sensitive data
Access to this website means access to sensitive data. Below you'll find guidelines for how to handle sensitive data.

  • Store sensitive data, such as paper records, CDs, DVDs and diskettes, in a secure area that you control.
  • Never maintain sensitive data longer than required. When you've finished using the data, delete it from any portable storage device, and shred any paper documents.
  • Do not transmit sensitive data via e-mail.
  • Follow the guidelines below when disposing sensitive data.

Disposing of sensitive data
No matter what the format, never leave sensitive data in an unsecured area, and never throw in the trash.

  • Paper - Use a cross-cut shredder (if available) to shred sensitive documents. Do not use straight-cut shredders.
  • CDs and DVDs
    • If possible, shred CDs or DVDs.
    • If a shredder is not available, bend the CD or DVD back and forth until it cannot be used.
  • Diskettes
    • Remove the outer silver tab so the diskette cannot be used.
    • After removing the tab, open the diskette, remove the floppy and cut it up.

Sending sensitive data to BWC
The safest way to send sensitive information to BWC is to fax the information to a phone number. If you cannot do that, we ask you to password protect a Microsoft Word/Excel document. Once you password protect the data, send the password to BWC in a separate e-mail. Here are the steps to password protect a Microsoft Word or Excel document for versions lower than 2007.

  1. Create or open the document you want to password protect.
  2. From the top menu bar click Tools, Options.
  3. From the Options window, click the Security tab.
  4. Enter your password in the Password to open field, and then hit enter.
If you have Microsoft or Excel 2007 follow these steps.
  1. Create or open the document you want to password protect.
  2. Click on the large office button in the top, left-hand corner.
  3. Select ‘Prepare, then Encrypt Document’.
  4. Enter your password in the Password field, and then hit enter.
  5. To verify if your document is password protected, simply close and re-open the document. You should see a window pop up asking for the password. Enter the password and click OK. The document should open.

Click here to learn more about the e-signature.