Originally Posted by
evergrn
Yes, my work in healthcare deals with PHI (protected health info). But I'm not aware that there have been any recent changes to HIPAA rules as far as what we are talking about here. So if there are now more red tapes remoting into work during vacation or there's seemingly more privacy infringement against me now as opposed to 2 years ago, then those are not due to any changes in laws and regulations. It's probably due to corporate decisions and how the industry is trending. I could be wrong.
If you don't like it, then leave your laptop at home. I think any company wants to know where their assets (equipment, not people) are. If your business is only catering to American customers, and your laptop pings somewhere in southeast Asia, Infosec's first thought is that your laptop was stolen and being sold overseas. It's important for them to know that you are the one logging in outside the country. I make it known far and wide within my company when I work remotely overseas; that way, they know that they shouldn't try to get a hold of me late afternoon through evening (and I have a backup contact--and I reset my Outlook OOO daily to reflect that).
(My boss also yells at me if I reply to e-mails while on PTO, so I stopped doing that. It makes going on PTO so much more relaxing.)