In today’s technology oriented environment, many organizations send and receive important documents via facsimile. As such, we suggest that you require that your users follow a few guidelines.

• Management or supervisor authorization should be required prior to the transmission of confidential information that falls outside of the employee’s normal job functions.
• Do not send critically classified information (e.g. Social Security numbers, account numbers, etc.) via fax unless specifically authorized to do so.
• Cover sheets should be used to facilitate delivery of document(s) to the intended receiver. The cover sheet should include: recipient’s name, sender name and telephone number, date and time, description of the document, number of pages, name, phone and fax number of the recipient, and a confidentiality statement.
• The fax cover sheet should include a confidentiality statement. Here’s an example:

“This message is intended only for the use of the individual to whom, or entity to which, it is addressed and may contain information that is privileged, confidential, or exempt from disclosure under applicable law.

If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient or the employee or agent responsible for delivering the message to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, or copying of this communication is prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify us immediately by telephone.”

• When possible, the sender should schedule to send a confidential fax to the recipient at a time when it can be immediately retrieved.
• Take reasonable steps to ensure the fax is sent to the appropriate destination. Confirm with recipients the correct fax number. Pre-program and test destination numbers whenever possible to eliminate errors in transmission from misdialing. Regularly confirm that programming is correct by checking confirmation sheets for accuracy.
• Should you become aware that a fax was sent to an incorrect recipient, contact the recipient and ask that the material be returned or destroyed.