Privacy and Workplace Policies
Privacy Policy
LHS respects your privacy. We collect only the personal and health information needed to provide safe care, run the program and meet the law. LHS operates in Ontario, Canada, so Ontario and federal privacy laws apply, mainly the Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA) and the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA). We also follow the standards of the U.S. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) as a best practice for safeguards, even though HIPAA does not apply directly to us.
What we collect
Name, contact details, date of birth, emergency contacts, care needs from the intake form (such as mobility, eating, feeding and medication assistance), allergies, daily progress notes, messages, requests and payments. Website visitors: we use only what is needed to run the site and do not sell data.
How we use it
To deliver care and activities, communicate with you and your family, schedule services, keep you safe, bill fees, report incidents and meet legal duties. We do not sell or rent personal information, and we do not use it for advertising.
Consent and sharing
We share information only with your consent, with your substitute decision-maker, with staff who need it to care for you, or when the law requires it (for example, to protect someone from harm or in a medical emergency). You may withdraw consent at any time, subject to legal limits.
Safeguards
Portal passwords are stored in hashed form; sessions expire after 8 hours; staff see only what their role requires; records are kept in access-controlled storage; staff sign confidentiality agreements; and we report privacy breaches as required by law.
Access, correction and freedom of information
You can ask to see or correct your information, and we will respond within 30 days. Ontario’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Acts (FIPPA and MFIPPA) apply to public institutions, and the U.S. Freedom of Information Act applies to U.S. federal agencies. LHS is a private not-for-profit, so we follow the same principles voluntarily: we answer access requests openly, explain any refusal and tell you how to complain. You may also contact the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario.
Retention
We keep records for the period required by law and our policies, then securely destroy them.
Anti-Racism Policy
LHS does not tolerate racism or discrimination based on race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, disability, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family or marital status. We train staff on bias and inclusion, review programs for barriers, welcome concerns without reprisal, investigate fairly and take corrective action, up to ending employment or service. We follow the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA).
Workplace Harassment and Violence Policy
Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), every worker, client and visitor has the right to a workplace free of harassment, sexual harassment and violence. Report concerns to the Program Director, or to the CEO if the concern involves the Program Director. LHS investigates promptly and confidentially, protects the person who reports, informs the people involved of the outcome, and reviews this policy every year. Where there is immediate danger, call 911.
Health and Safety (OHSA / OSHA)
LHS follows Ontario’s OHSA and its regulations, including WHMIS training, safe lifting and transfers, infection control, emergency drills and incident reporting. Workers have the right to know about hazards, to participate in health and safety, and to refuse unsafe work. (OSHA is the U.S. equivalent of OHSA.) Report hazards and injuries to the Program Director immediately.
Recognition of First Nations
We acknowledge that LHS works on the traditional territory of many nations, including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples, and that Toronto is covered by Treaty 13 with the Mississaugas of the Credit. We recognize First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples as the original peoples of this land, honour their ongoing presence and contributions, and commit to learning, to respectful relationships and to welcoming Indigenous clients, staff and partners.
Contact and complaints
Email help@lovinghandssupport.ca with privacy questions or complaints. We reply within 5 business days.