Recently Jeffrey Butler, a lawyer in Rockwall, Texas, submitted a sweeping demand for information to Pullman Regional Hospital pursuant to the Public Records Act, seeking the full name, job title, work location, and e-mail of every employee.

The Washington State Nurses Association is taking action to prevent the disclosure of your personal information to fullest extent allowed by law. WSNA believes that disclosure of this personal information would violate nurses’ right to privacy and could jeopardize the safety of nurses who have been victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, or other threats to their bodily security.

In response to similar requests for information by a notorious anti-union group, the so-called Freedom Foundation, WSNA and other unions sued and obtained an injunction preventing the disclosure of personal information concerning public employees who had been victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, or stalking.

If you or a family member have been a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, or other threats of violence and you wish to prevent the disclosure of your personal information, please contact paralegal Jeanna Te in the WSNA legal department at 206-575-7979, extension 3040, or tjeanna@wsna.org. Any information you provide shall be kept strictly confidential.

Protecting your privacy and safety are paramount to WSNA.

NOTE: You should not provide sensitive information to your employer about risks to your security, except as necessary to ensure your safety at work, since any information provided to a public employer may be subject to disclosure as a public record.

If you have any questions about this issue, please contact the WSNA legal department at 206-575-7979, extension 3040 or tjeanna@wsna.org.