Example Clean Desk Policy

All files containing Personally Identifiable Information (PII) must be locked in a file cabinet or placed in a secure file room when not in use.

All attorneys are required to lock their offices when they leave for the day or for any extended period of time during the day. All employees that are notaries are required to lock their desk each evening when they leave to ensure that their seal is secure.

Each employee has a sign that notifies the other employees in the office that he/she has left the office for the day or that he/she is on vacation. Each employee is required to place this sign in his/her inbox when he/she leaves the office for the day or is on vacation so that the other employees in the office know not to place any information containing PII on that person’s work station and if the person is on vacation to whom to direct the incoming file or document in that employee’s absence.

Each evening must conduct a nightly sweep of the office to confirm that all files are secure, to ensure that no documents containing PII remain on any printer, copier, or fax machine, and to confirm that each person’s shred box has been emptied. The person conducting the daily sweeps must notate any instances of non-compliance in the Clean Desk Policy Log. Any non- compliance findings will be discussed with the applicable employee by his/her manager and disciplinary action will be taken if repeated occurrences take place.

The Clean Desk log contains the following data fields: (i) date of sweep, (ii) copiers free of papers, (iii) printers free of papers, (iv) fax machines clear of papers, (v) desks clear of papers and files with PII, (vi) shred boxes clear of papers, (vii) all office doors are locked, (viii) all cabinets are locked, (ix) description of discrepancies found, (x) email sent to supervisor, (xi) files found have been secured in a secure area, and (xii) sweep completed by.