Catasauqua employees private data accidentally sent to watchdog group
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Trending ppResponding to a RighttoKnow Law request from a government watchdog group Catasauqua accidentally released unredacted W2 tax forms of 70 employees and former employees exposing their Social Security numbers and other personal data a borough official confirmedppBorough Manager Glenn Eckhart said the incident happened last month when the group Open the Books asked for employee salaries and the amount of money in the general fund and other accounts for 2024 all of which is public recordppEckhart said employees determined the fastest way to provide the salary information was by providing redacted W2 forms disclosing only salaries but he acknowledged it should have been compiled a different way Pennsylvania courts ruled more than a decade ago that employee tax forms confidential under federal law cant be released even if redactedppIn this case the forms werent redacted before they were emailed to the watchdog group The error was quickly flagged and an unsuccessful attempt made to recall the email Eckhart saidppThe borough solicitor contacted Open the Books which claims to run the largest private database of public spending in human history and told it to delete the recordsppThe group which did not respond to a request for comment affirmed in writing it had done so and that none of the information was disseminated Eckhart saidppWhile the disclosure was not considered a data breach under Pennsylvanias Breach of Personal Information Notification Act the borough followed the procedures outlined under that law council President Howard Cunningham said in an emailppEveryone affected was contacted counseled on ways to protect data from unauthorized disclosure and offered a free year of identity theft protection from a private companyppThat included current and former office staff police public works employees council members Mayor Barbara Schlegel and Eckhart himselfppAnyone who drew a paycheck in 2024 Eckhart saidppThe borough also contacted the Lehigh County district attorneys office as required by the actppWe were notified appropriately and there was a request to evaluate for possible criminal consequences District Attorney Gavin Holihan said Tuesday Because the information was released accidentally and not with malicious intent criminal intent was not present he saidppCunningham said has complete confidence in the boroughs manager staff and solicitors and therefore believe that the matter was handled professionally and appropriately in a timely mannerppSo far Eckhart said no one has reported any issues to the borough He attributed the incident to human error inexperience and work overload saying the office has been shorthanded and the employee who normally responds to RighttoKnow requests is on leaveppSeven people have taken advantage of the credit monitoring offer so far he said estimating the cost at 140 per personppIt was a learning experience Eckhart saidppMorning Call reporter Daniel Patrick Sheehan can be reached at 6108206598 or dsheehanmcallcomppCopyright 2025 The Morning Callp
Trending ppResponding to a RighttoKnow Law request from a government watchdog group Catasauqua accidentally released unredacted W2 tax forms of 70 employees and former employees exposing their Social Security numbers and other personal data a borough official confirmedppBorough Manager Glenn Eckhart said the incident happened last month when the group Open the Books asked for employee salaries and the amount of money in the general fund and other accounts for 2024 all of which is public recordppEckhart said employees determined the fastest way to provide the salary information was by providing redacted W2 forms disclosing only salaries but he acknowledged it should have been compiled a different way Pennsylvania courts ruled more than a decade ago that employee tax forms confidential under federal law cant be released even if redactedppIn this case the forms werent redacted before they were emailed to the watchdog group The error was quickly flagged and an unsuccessful attempt made to recall the email Eckhart saidppThe borough solicitor contacted Open the Books which claims to run the largest private database of public spending in human history and told it to delete the recordsppThe group which did not respond to a request for comment affirmed in writing it had done so and that none of the information was disseminated Eckhart saidppWhile the disclosure was not considered a data breach under Pennsylvanias Breach of Personal Information Notification Act the borough followed the procedures outlined under that law council President Howard Cunningham said in an emailppEveryone affected was contacted counseled on ways to protect data from unauthorized disclosure and offered a free year of identity theft protection from a private companyppThat included current and former office staff police public works employees council members Mayor Barbara Schlegel and Eckhart himselfppAnyone who drew a paycheck in 2024 Eckhart saidppThe borough also contacted the Lehigh County district attorneys office as required by the actppWe were notified appropriately and there was a request to evaluate for possible criminal consequences District Attorney Gavin Holihan said Tuesday Because the information was released accidentally and not with malicious intent criminal intent was not present he saidppCunningham said has complete confidence in the boroughs manager staff and solicitors and therefore believe that the matter was handled professionally and appropriately in a timely mannerppSo far Eckhart said no one has reported any issues to the borough He attributed the incident to human error inexperience and work overload saying the office has been shorthanded and the employee who normally responds to RighttoKnow requests is on leaveppSeven people have taken advantage of the credit monitoring offer so far he said estimating the cost at 140 per personppIt was a learning experience Eckhart saidppMorning Call reporter Daniel Patrick Sheehan can be reached at 6108206598 or dsheehanmcallcomppCopyright 2025 The Morning Callp
