Why does this policy exist?
Protecting Gem’s data while you travel is an important step in the security of our (and our customer’s) data. Not to mention your personal data, in case you happen to use your Gem laptop for personal use. Whether your travel is from home to the office, domestic US, International and for work, personal, or both reasons, there are some key things to keep in mind to keep all the data, safe.
This is a team effort!
It’s important to remember we’re all in this together. The security of our data and our customers is paramount and it will take the efforts of everyone at Gem to protect our company.
For any and all travel questions
- Send them in the #ask-ops Slack channel
- Email to helpme@gem.com
This policy is not final and subject to change at any time. Please review each time before traveling.
Types of Travel
Travel for Work
- Gem travel is any trip taken on behalf of Gem. This can be to another office, another city, or another country. If you’ve booked travel through Gem and the company reimburses you for expenses incurred, your trip is classified as Gem Travel. We expect you to travel with your Gem laptop for work. If you need anything else for work trips, let us know via helpme@gem.com
Travel for Personal
- Personal Travel is just that, not work-related. This is your time to disconnect from work and we encourage you not to bring your Gem laptop with you.
Travel for Work and Personal (blended)
- In some cases, Gems will mix Personal and Work Travel. This can be a combination of traveling for work while taking personal time off during the same trip or needing to work while on a personal trip.
Tips to protect your devices and information while traveling
For all types of travel (Work, Personal, Blended) domestic or international
- Please contacthelpme@gem.com ASAP if your laptop and/or phone is lost or stolen
- Don’t let others use your work laptop
- Do not connect to random public Wifi networks
- Domestic or Internationally, please connect to known good WiFi like family homes, established businesses, your own personal hot spot
- Use a privacy screen
- Email helpme@gem.com if you would like a screen protector, esp. when traveling for work
- Lock your screen if you walk away from your laptop or phone, no matter where you are
- Keep your laptop with you; if you do need to leave it somewhere, power it down and lock it up
- Don’t use a public computer to login to your work accounts
- Notify helpme@gem.com ASAP with details if you are forced to give up your password, unlock your device, or it is confiscated by any authority (this can happen at border crossings and immigration)
Traveling Internationally
When traveling Internationally, there are some additional points to consider to keep you and your data safe. Traveling internationally can pose significant risks to information stored on or accessible through computers, tablets and smartphones. Some of the risk is associated with increased opportunities for the loss or theft of the device. An additional part of the risk is because you will use networks that may be managed by entities that monitor and capture network traffic for competitive or malicious purposes.
- Please let us know via helpme@gem.com if you plan to travel internally for work or personal and plan to bring your Gem laptop. The location and dates would be helpful as we need to determine what data access is safe if working from known “high risk” countries. This will allow us to follow up with any additional info and requirements for when traveling Internationally with your Gem laptop.
- We aren’t offering a VPN at this time, but it might be suggested depending on where you are traveling
- Do not download confidential work data; view it in the browser only
- Here is a link to the US State Department’s list of current travel advisories in case you happen to be traveling to a location with current travel guidance
- https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories.html/
- If you don’t have access to email or slack and have an urgent need to contact Gem IT, call Micah @ +1-510-417-0929
- Why does this policy exist?
- Types of Travel
- Tips to protect your devices and information while traveling
- Traveling Internationally