Westate Confidentiality Agreement

Appendix E:
Westat Confidentiality Agreement

WESTAT TRC DATA COLLECTOR CODE OF CONDUCT
AND
ASSURANCE OF CONFIDENTIALITY

Westat is committed to the collection of high quality independent and unbiased data. This Code of Conduct and
Assurance of Confidentiality defines the principles that are at the foundation of our data collection. By following these
principles, we assure clients, researchers, educators, business leaders, and policy makers that they can have confidence
in the data we collect.
The basic principles guiding Westat data collection are:
I.

Ethics
•
•
•
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Respondents, who are individuals or institutions that participate in our studies, are to be provided
with the information about the basic elements of a study as set forth in survey materials.
Respondents are to be treated with respect and their concerns are to be addressed promptly, openly
and courteously.
Data collectors are to maintain high standards of personal conduct and perform their job in a
manner which will not harm, humiliate, or mislead respondents.
Data Collectors have an obligation to submit time information that accurately reflects the work
performed.

II.

Work Style
•
Data collectors are to follow the study protocol and procedures as specified in the study manual, at
training, and in post training memos.
•
Data collectors are to perform work that conforms to the quality requirements for the study.
•
Data collectors are to perform their work as effectively as possible and in such a way as to meet the
goals set for the study.
•
Data collectors are to accept responsibility for the quality of the data they collect and the work they
complete.
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Data collectors are to demonstrate commitment, initiative, consistency and organization in their
approach to work.
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Data collectors are to display a professional attitude during the conduct of their work.
•
Data collectors are to communicate professionally and effectively with clients, respondents and
other employees.
•
Data Collectors are to work effectively with the project team.

III.

Confidentiality
A. Policy on Confidentiality of Survey Data
Westat is firmly committed to the principle that the privacy of respondents and the confidentiality of
individual data obtained through Westat surveys must be protected. This principle holds whether or not
any specific guarantee of confidentiality was given at time of data collection, or whether or not there are
specific contractual obligations to the client. When guarantees have been given or contractual obligations
regarding confidentiality have been entered into, they may impose additional requirements, which are to be
adhered to strictly.

B. Protecting the Privacy and Rights of Survey Participants
Successful survey research depends upon the cooperation of respondents. Data Collectors are expected to
gain cooperation using the methods described at training sessions or by their supervisor. Data Collectors are
also to respect the privacy of respondents. They must not engage in any selling or promotion of products or
services or in any other activity unrelated to the survey.

C. Procedures for Maintaining Confidentiality

1. All Westat employees and Data Collectors shall sign this agreement of confidentiality. This
agreement may be superseded by another agreement for a particular project.
2.

3.

Data Collectors shall keep completely confidential the names and addresses of respondents, all
information or opinions collected in the course of the interviews, and any information learned
incidentally about individual respondents, responding organizations, or the places and organization
where respondents work and live. Data Collectors shall exercise care to prevent access by others
to survey data in their possession.
Unless specifically instructed otherwise for a particular project, an employee or Data Collector,
upon encountering a respondent or information pertaining to a respondent that s/he knows
personally, shall immediately terminate the activity and contact his/her supervisor for
instructions.