Few want to get past the COVID-19 pandemic more than leaders of federal and state unemployment benefit departments. For the last 2 years they have been successfully targeted for fraud and data breaches, racking up billions in losses. Thousands of employees across the country, including yours truly, have had false claims submitted in their name.
Joseph J. Lazzarotti
Joseph J. Lazzarotti is a principal in the Tampa, Florida, office of Jackson Lewis P.C. He founded and currently co-leads the firm's Privacy, Data and Cybersecurity practice group, edits the firm’s Privacy Blog, and is a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP) with the International Association of Privacy Professionals. Trained as an employee benefits lawyer, focused on compliance, Joe also is a member of the firm’s Employee Benefits practice group.
In short, his practice focuses on the matrix of laws governing the privacy, security, and management of data, as well as the impact and regulation of social media. He also counsels companies on compliance, fiduciary, taxation, and administrative matters with respect to employee benefit plans.
California Consumer Privacy Act, California Privacy Rights Act FAQs for Covered Businesses
The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), considered one of the most expansive U.S. privacy laws to date, went into effect on January 1, 2020. The CCPA placed significant limitations on the collection and sale of a consumer’s personal information and provides consumers new and expansive rights with respect to their personal information.
Less than one…
The RIPTA Data Breach May Provide Valuable Lessons About Data Collection and Retention
Efforts to secure systems and data from a cyberattack often focus on measures such as multifactor authentication (MFA), endpoint monitoring solutions, antivirus protections, and role-based access management controls, and for good reason. But there is a basic principle of data protection that when applied across an organization can significantly reduce the impact of a data…
From Time Keeping to Dashcams, BIPA Litigation Continues
The use of smart dashcams and vehicle cameras, including those leveraging AI technology, may trigger the next wave of BIPA litigation, according to two cases filed in Illinois this week.
Enacted in 2008, the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act, 740 ILCS 14 et seq. (the “BIPA”), went largely unnoticed until a few years ago…
Preventing “Credential Stuffing” Attacks, Guidance from NY State Attorney General Letitia James
After reading New York Attorney General Letitia James’ Business Guide for Credential Stuffing Attacks (“Guide”), I promptly reminded my family (and myself!) to change passwords. The practice of using the same password for multiple online accounts is one that most, if not all of us, use from time to time. According to a recent study,…
Does a Poor ESG, Social Responsibility Rating Increase an Organization’s Cyber Risk?
With ransomware and other cyber threats top of mind for most in the c-suite these days, a question frequently raised is whether a particular organization is a target for hackers. Of course, nowadays, any organization is at risk of an attack, but the question is whether some organizations are targeted more than others. A recent…
Does Your Cyber Insurance Policy Look More Like Health Insurance?
Over the past several years, if your organization experienced a cyberattack, such as ransomware or a diversion of funds due to a business email compromise (BEC), and you had cyber insurance, you likely were very thankful. However, if you are renewing that policy (or in the cyber insurance market for the first time), you are…
Responding to the Kronos Cyber Attack – What Should Employers Be Thinking About?
The leaders of our Wage & Hour Practice, Justin Barnes Jeffrey Brecher and Eric Magnus collaborated with us on this article.
According to reports, Kronos, the cloud-based, HR management service provider, suffered a data incident involving ransomware affecting its information systems. Kronos communicated that it discovered the incident late on Saturday, December 11, 2021,…
Employee Monitoring: New York Establishes New Requirements for Employers
Earlier this month, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed into a law a bill that will require New York private sector employers to provide written notice to employees before engaging in electronic monitoring of their activities in the workplace. Civil Rights (CVR) Chapter 6, Article 5, Section 52-C*2 will take effect six months after enactment,…
OSHA ETS: What Records Must Covered Employers Collect, Retain, Safeguard, and Make Available Upon Request
Last week, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued an Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) implementing President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate covering employers with at least 100 employees. The ETS is summarized here, including the general compliance deadline of 30 days from November 5, 2021, with an additional 30 days for testing to…