New photo identification badge policy allows last name to be omitted to protect employee, student safety
Penn State Health has implemented a new policy to enhance employee and student safety that allows last names on photo identification badges to be omitted. Employees who choose not to have their last names on their badges will instead have the last four digits of their Penn State identification number displayed on the front of the badge as a unique identifier.
The revised badge identification policy, effective Sept. 1, follows legislation Gov. Tom Wolf signed into law in July to better protect health care professionals in the workplace. It amended the commonwealth’s Health Care Facilities Act and allows health systems to omit the last names of employees from their identification badges. The revised Penn State Health and College of Medicine badge policy applies to all employees, faculty and students who are issued a name badge.
“This change that allows employees to opt not to have their last name on their badge is an additional employee safety measure,” said David Swift, senior vice president and chief human resources officer. “Social media and web searches can too easily provide a malicious individual with information that will unfortunately allow stalking, harassment and other threats.”
Any employee who would like to have a first-name-only badge should visit the badge office at their convenience. Because the Healthcare Facilities Act also requires a “recent photo” of the employee — which the Pennsylvania Department of Health has deemed to be within four years — employees will have a new photo taken. Employees working at clinic locations outside the Hershey area should discuss with their site manager how best to coordinate getting a replacement badge.
To help facilitate new photo ID badges being provided, the ID Badge Office on the Hershey campus will have extended hours for the foreseeable future, starting September 21st. St. Joseph will continue with normal hours at this time.
Hershey Campus
- Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays ― 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Tuesdays and Thursdays ― 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
St. Joseph Bern Campus
- Call 610-378-2011 to schedule an appointment.
In August, information was provided to managers stating that employees could use white-out tape to cover their last name until they were able to obtain a new badge with their first name only. This was a temporary measure and not intended to be permanent. The new amendment requires a first-name badge to include a notation, marker or indicator to differentiate employees with the same first name.
Any employee who chooses to have a first-name-only badge or anyone who was recently issued a first-name-only badge without the Penn State identification number printed on the front will need to get a replacement badge.
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