Greetings

April. Now that tax season has wound down, I can focus on the latest topic that keeps crossing my desk: Massachusetts' New Privacy and Data Protection Law. Do you recall the widely-publicized data security breaches of TJX, Hannaford Supermarkets, The Boston Globe and Heartland Payments Systems? These cases of identity theft have moved the Massachusetts' legislature to enact a new privacy law, designed to protect the personal information of Massachusetts' citizens. It will force companies to be proactive vs. reactive to security breaches.

If you are an individual or business and you have information that combines a Massachusetts citizen's name along with his/her credit card number, social security number, financial account number or state issued identification number -- then you or your company must take certain steps to be compliant by January 1, 2010.

At Greater Boston Bookkeeping and Financial Services, we have always taken the security of our clients' information very seriously. In fact, we have most of the security measures outlined in the law already in place.

Here's what we're already doing to protect your privacy:

  • Employees and subcontractors must sign a strict confidentiality agreement before working with our firm
  • Client files are maintained in locked filing cabinets
  • Client computer data files are password-protected
  • Client working papers no longer needed are cross-cut shredded
  • We have developed and implemented a Written Information Security Plan (WISP)

Here's what you can expect from us within the upcoming months as we move towards full compliance:

  • WISP will be maintained and monitored on a regular basis
  • Blackberry communications will be limited to the flow of non-sensitive information only
  • Outgoing emails containing confidential financial information will be encrypted
  • Portable hardware devices such as laptops and USB flash drives will be encrypted

Massachusetts passed this new law to protect your privacy. We have always and will continue to take measures to protect your privacy. Please call our office if you have any questions about how your privacy is safeguarded at Greater Boston Bookkeeping and Financial Services.

Sincerely,
Laura Glennon

Privacy Law

The new regulation is formally called 201 CMR 17.00: STANDARDS FOR THE PROTECTION OF PERSONAL INFORMATION OF RESIDENTS OF THE COMMONWEALTH (part of M.G.L. c.93H.)

  • Companies will be subject to criminal and civil penalties if they fail to comply with the new law
  • Civil penalty of $5,000 imposed for each violation
  • $50,000 fine for each instance of improper disposal of information

Works Consulted

201 CMR 17.00: STANDARDS FOR THE PROTECTION OF PERSONAL INFORMATION OF RESIDENTS OF THE COMMONWEALTH, http://www.mass.gov/Eoca/docs/idtheft/201CMR17amended.pdf

 
Greater Boston Bookkeeping and Financial Services Receives State Office of Minority and Women Business Assistance (SOMWBA) Certification

SOMWBA certification expands the market opportunities of Minority Business Enterprises and Woman-Owned Business Enterprises

January 12, 2009 - The Commonwealth of Massachusetts awarded Greater Boston Bookkeeping and Financial Services with SOMWBA certification, verifying the firm's eligibility to participate in the state's affirmative purchasing programs for minority and women businesses as outlined in Executive Order 390, and Massachusetts General Law Chapter 7, Section 40N.

"We're honored to receive this certification," said Greater Boston Bookkeeping founder Laura Glennon. "We're hoping that it opens some new doors, and are looking forward to the broad exposure it gives our business in 2009 and beyond."

SOMWBA provides several benefits to Massachusetts businesses. Clients looking to work with women and minority-owned businesses can easily search a public database at the SOMWBA website. More than $240 million of the $4 billion the Commonwealth of Massachusetts spends on firms is targeted to SOMWBA certified minority and women businesses. In addition, SOMWBA also assists government agencies in meeting their affirmative purchasing and contracting goals.

On the SOMWBA website, former Massachusetts Governor Argeo Paul Cellucci says "Minority-and women-owned business provide ever-increasing value to our state's economy...By facilitating easier access to the various phases of state purchasing and contracting, SOMWBA is providing a valuable jumpstart to many of these businesses which make up our state's fastest-growing business sector."