Last week, after much, much studying, I received my privacy credential by the International Association of Privacy Professionals. I'll let them tell you what this means:

Certified Information Privacy Professional/United States (CIPP/US)

The Certified Information Privacy Professional/United States (CIPP/US) program launched in October 2004 as the first professional certification ever to be offered in information privacy. It has since become the preeminent credential in the field of privacy and remains the IAPP’s single largest educational program with several thousand CIPP/US-certified professionals working successfully in the field today.

The CIPP/US credential demonstrates a strong foundation in U.S. privacy laws and regulations. Subject matter areas covered include:

• The U.S. legal system: definitions, sources of law and sectoral model for privacy enforcement

• U.S. federal laws for protection of personal data: FCRA and FACTA, HIPAA, GLBA, COPPA and DPPA

• U.S. federal regulation of marketing practices: TSR, DNC, CAN-SPAM, TCPA and JFPA

• U.S. state data breach notification and select state laws

• Regulation of privacy in the U.S. workplace: FCRA, EPP, ADA and ECPA plus best practices for privacy and background screening, employee testing, workplace monitoring, employee investigation and termination of employment

This means the Maier Law Group will now advise companies and individuals on complying with US regulations around privacy. For example, when can an employer discipline or terminate based on an employee's posting on Facebook? When should a dental office put in place Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) procedures? When might a school or student need to comply with, or be able to call upon, the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)?

Privacy law runs across many disciplines and goes way beyond employment law. Any time someone's personal information might be used or accessed, privacy rights are at stake.

Currently, I'm studying for the CIPP/European Union credential since I need that expertise for my in-house job. Stay posted on that one!