What Office Documents Can and Should be Shredded

If you run a business, chances are the need to destroy certain documents will arise. As some printed information becomes obsolete and clutters space, employing a professional shredding service not only protects your company from possible identity theft, but it can preserve the environment through safe recycling measures. The question of which documents to shred may be argued among administrators, though for some it isn't difficult to ascertain. In fact, you may be required to destroy specific papers under penalty of law.

The improper destruction of outdated and time sensitive data may put a company at risk of violating certain employment laws, including the Privacy Act, the Economic Espionage Act, and may constitute a breach in contracts between employers and their companies. Therefore it is important to be aware of the types of paperwork that should be thoroughly shredded to protect private information. Suggested information includes the following:

Accounting Data: Banking information and documents, cancelled checks, copies of checks, billing information, and payroll data.

Notes: Internal office memos, meeting notes (even the smallest of Post-Its with important info!), visitor logs, drafts of letters and proposals, phone messages.

Personal Information: Social Security numbers, obsolete employee records, expired employee contracts, customer database information, education records.

Sales Information: Shipping data, old receipts, supplier information, purchase orders, anything that would have payment or credit information attached.

The more you have that can be traced to any kind of credit card or banking information, the more should be destroyed when the information is no longer applicable to your work. To hang on to important data such as this puts the privacy of not only your company at risk, but any third-party vendor or supplier who has done business with you. It doesn't take much for an identity thief to capture what he needs to cause trouble, so a thorough look at your office's paperwork is necessary for overall safety.

Kathryn Lively is a freelance writer specializing in articles on Virginia Beach shredding services and Virginia Beach used cars.