How should HR provide guidance when a colleague requests fact verification after a crisis response?

📌 First, the answer: Distinguish between a request to 'disclose the facts' and 'guidance necessary for business purposes.'

Colleagues who participated in the crisis response or witnessed the situation may ask, “What happened?”, “Is the employee okay now?”, and “Why isn’t the company providing any explanation?” HR does not need to ignore that anxiety, but You must not respond by confirming sensitive information such as the reason for the person's crisis, counseling details, medical treatment status, or family history.

First, determine what your colleague actually needs. The scope of guidance varies depending on whether a work handover is required, if they are concerned about their own safety, if anxiety persists after witnessing the incident, or if they want to verify procedures because it appears the company has taken no action.

🧭 It becomes easier to respond to a colleague's questions if you break them down into four categories.

🔐 I share 'work-related information' rather than the 'reason' with general colleagues.

💬 Ready-to-use instruction message

⚠️ Information sharing during an emergency response and subsequent explanations do not meet the same standards.

The Personal Information Protection Act provides for certain exceptions, such as cases where it is necessary to protect the urgent interests of the life, body, or property of the data subject or a third party. However, Sharing information with the person in charge necessary for rescue in an emergency situation This does not mean that you are allowed to explain the details to your colleagues after this crisis ends.

During the crisis phase, you must determine whether you can quickly share the necessary scope of information with those required for actual action, such as 112, 119, 109, health managers, and in-house crisis response personnel. Conversely, during the post-crisis phase, it is advisable to reduce the scope of sharing again to prevent an individual's condition and background from spreading beyond what is necessary for safety and work measures.

👥 Witnesses and first responders can be both 'information requesters' and 'support recipients'.

Colleagues who directly heard the crisis remarks or participated in the rescue process may experience guilt, anxiety, sleep problems, and the thought, "Should I have noticed sooner?" after the incident. In this situation, what HR should do is not provide detailed information about the person involved, but, Verifying the reporting and connecting behavior at the time and supporting the colleague's own response no see.

• We do not require you to explain the situation at the time repeatedly.
• They avoid being held accountable for not speaking up sooner.
• Check if adjustments are needed for the time being regarding workload, sighting locations, shift work, etc.
• We provide information on available channels, such as EAP, health managers, and medical and community mental health support.
• If signs of severe anxiety or recurrence are observed, prioritize safety checks over general team guidance.

📣 If a rumor has already spread, we only correct within the 'correctable scope'.

Just because speculation has spread within a team, HR is not required to disclose all the facts to 'resolve' the rumors. For example, in cases where unverified claims, such as "it happened because of disciplinary action" or "it was caused by a specific team leader," worsen working relationships... The fact that this is unconfirmed speculation, that it is not an officially shared fact, and that business inquiries should be directed to the designated channel. You can provide guidance.

Conversely, if the person's diagnosis, counseling status, rescue circumstances, or contact details with family are newly disclosed on the grounds of refuting rumors, the information may spread more widely.

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📚 Source and Verification Criteria

• Article 3 of the Personal Information Protection Act (Principles of Personal Information Protection)
• Article 18 of the Personal Information Protection Act (Restrictions on Use and Provision for Purposes Other than the Original Purpose and Exceptions)
• Article 23 of the Personal Information Protection Act (Restrictions on Processing Sensitive Information)
• Ministry of Health and Welfare · 24-hour Suicide Prevention Hotline 109

This document serves as a general guideline for reference when sharing information with colleagues and witnesses following a crisis response. The actual scope of permissible disclosure may vary depending on the crisis situation, the nature of the information, the wishes of the parties involved, the company's legal obligations, and investigation and safety procedures. In cases where an immediate risk of suicide, self-harm, or harm to others is suspected, prioritize ensuring safety and contacting emergency services (such as 112, 119, or 109) over providing information. Date of verification for laws and official materials: September 29, 2026.