Employee training: weak link or Law 25 shield

You have a twenty-page policy, and an employee just sent a client export to Gmail because "it was easier". Law 25 is not just paperwork. Your teams are the cheapest shield, or the link that breaks everything.

In practice: a well-targeted 45-minute session beats a three-hour PowerPoint nobody applies.

Minimum topics to cover

Here is the core for a Quebec SMB; adapt examples to your sector:

• Phishing: warning signs (sender, urgency, attachment); report to the privacy officer or IT without shame.
• Passwords and MFA: no reuse; password vault or enterprise manager when possible.
• Document sharing: public links, old versions on SharePoint, "Reply all" with sensitive data.
• Transfers outside Quebec: before adopting a "free" U.S. SaaS, consult the privacy officer.
• Personal devices (BYOD): clear rules; lost or stolen phone = immediate alert.

Frequency and new hire onboarding

Plan an initial session of 30 to 60 minutes and a shorter annual reminder (fifteen minutes is enough if it is concrete). Every new hire gets training in the first week, before access to systems with personal information. Keep a record: signature, LMS, confirmation email; the CAI sometimes asks for proof, not just intent.

Measuring effectiveness (without turning it into punishment)

• Short quiz: five questions after the session; aim for a high pass rate, not a trap.
• Phishing simulation: annual campaign; discreet individual follow-up, not humiliation in a meeting.
• Reports: count timely alerts received; that is a positive indicator.
• Sharing audit: occasional review of cloud links opened by mistake.

In brief

Tie training to your Law 25 action plan and the incident procedure. Give employees a simple reflex: when in doubt, they call the privacy officer, not Google.

Useful references

• CAI, Protection of personal information: awareness and governance.
• 7-step action plan: integrate training into the SMB roadmap.
• Incident procedure: what employees must report without delay.

This text is for information only and does not constitute legal advice. For a decision that binds your organization, consult the CAI and a legal professional.

Check your website

Several Law 25 obligations show up on your public site (policy, cookies, privacy officer contact details). Our free technical scan helps spot observable gaps. It complements, but does not replace, your compliance program.