Releasing Client Information - Research Paper Example

Ethical and legal guidelines Ethical and legal guidelines are set of governing basic rules in a company or an organization, which lays as the backbone to a strong employer-employee relationship. Ethical guidelines provide that the manner of operation within as well as outside the working premises, do not interfere negatively with neither the employers nor employees personal and confidential life matters. With the mentioning of confidentiality, it refers to any personal issues that do not involve by any manner, any groups, couples, counselors and many more.

One very common and applicable ethical guideline in almost every organization is that there is protection of all information relating to the employer and employee that could be considered highly privileged. It is provided that the organization is to obtain informed consent from any particular client or employee before taking the step to use or publicly refer to the clients’ information in a way that the client or the employee is left exposed to some extent. In view of this, it is necessary that the code of ethics outlined as per the ACA is adhered to.

The ACA, in other words, the American Counseling Association serves several main purposes. It first and foremost establishes the key principles that define ethical behavior as well as best practices of association members. The principle of confidentiality according to the ACA code of ethics provides that employers or patients terminally ill have an option to break or not breaking confidentiality as per the applicable laws and the circumstances on which the situation rests upon. Similarly, in a situation such as the one in the case study, whereby a social worker asks for very personal information concerning one of the workers in the group who was referred from his social work project.

The social worker asks questions concerning the performance of the Priya since then. With reference to the ACA code of ethics, if at all the client or the worker had made clear notification, in terms of signing a release of information, and then it is applicable that some information could be presented, though not in depth. Similarly, if it was as a result of a court order that Priya joined the group, and that the social working was to compulsorily check on her status, then in that case too, it was possible and by every means legal that some information would be provided to assist the social workers research on the subject.

Similarly, it would be considered against the law if vital information concerning the worker is passed on to irrelevant parties without the necessary authentication. This is because, countries constitutions don’t provide for irresponsible handling of clients information without his or her ascent. This is against all the provided ethics and legal guidelines governing operation in an organization.As it is clear now on the idea governing ethical and legal guidelines, it is therefore necessary to practice good ethical behavior.

As in this case, following the right procedures and as per the guidelines provided, the social worker is to receive no information until all verifications are clear and support the unveiling of the information.