Zach Fridell reports that the Steamboat Springs School District is offering reduced price credit monitoring to about 900 former employees whose Social Security numbers were on laptop that was stolen last week. At least some former employees are unhappy with the offer, particularly since the district is picking up the tab for current employees.
Although I am sensitive to the financial concerns of school districts, expecting former employees to incur costs as well as any stress or worry is simply…. wrong. Either cover everyone (the preferred strategy) or offer everyone reduced-cost coverage to everyone. Or is coverage for credit monitoring when your employer has a data breach the newest fringe benefit of employment?
Of course, given our litigious society, some of the former employees may turn around and sue the district, in which case the district may wind up spending more defending a lawsuit than what they would spend to just provide everyone with the free credit monitoring.
Update: The District worked out a deal and will be covering all employees. Glad to hear it!