x
Breaking News
More () »

City: Employees' personal info incorrectly posted on site

Knoxville officials informed workers' about the release Thursday afternoon.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Personal information of some 1,470 city of Knoxville employees was incorrectly posted on a procurement website, prompting the city to take steps to protect against potential theft identity.

City spokesman Eric Vreeland said authorities were "not aware of anyone misusing the data that was erroneously posted."

Employees were notified Thursday afternoon.

The site is a place where the city can share information with prospective bidders for city services or contracts.

"I am sorry to inform you of an inadvertent disclosure of some of your personal information, including your Social Security number," the notice from city COO David Brace begins.

Employees affected are those who were working Feb. 1, 2018.

It does not affect those who were on the payroll before that date or anyone who was hired after that date, according to Vreeland.

The information included names, addresses, dates of birth, the Social Security number and "other types of employment information."

No health information or financial information ended up on the site, where goods or services can be acquired, according to Brace's notice.

Discovery occurred Jan. 8 and the city says it pulled the information from the website.

"New policies and procedures have been implemented to prevent this from happening again. We sincerely apologize for this inadvertent disclosure," Brace's note reads.

To counter the potential for abuse of the release, the city of Knoxville is offering employees free credit monitoring, theft protect and restoration services.

"Employees who waived the City’s medical insurance will have equivalent coverage available. Enrollment instructions will be provided to you soon," the statement reads.

Before You Leave, Check This Out