Application
Hoseright treats the handling of all personal information very seriously. Accordingly, the purpose of this policy is to ensure the protection of privacy in relation to the handling of any and all personal information and all employees are to comply with the requirements of the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (The Act). This policy provides a clear outline of managing personal, sensitive and commercially sensitive information.
Purpose
The Directors, Managers and Employees of Hoseright have the responsibility of applying this Policy in all circumstances. The designated Privacy Officer has a responsibility to bring to the attention of the Directors/ Management any perceived breach.
This policy applies to:
- all, clients, customers, suppliers, providers, sub-contractors, visitors, officers and employees (collectively referenced as a business contact); and
- employment applicants.
General Matters
Business Contacts:
Information collected from a business contact will vary according to circumstances including the following
- Employment Applications (unsuccessful) will be retained for a period of 12 months
- Employment Applications (successful) will be retained as an Employees Personal File, for the period of employment, followed by a period of 5 years.
- Client / Customer Information will be collected and retained only for the purposes of carrying out normal business activities and providing clients / Customers with products and services.
- Supplier information will be collected and retained only for the purposes of carrying out normal business activities and providing their own clients with products and services.
- Business contacts should note that providing information about a third party (eg from a referee or credit reference), is undertaken with the agreement that business will inform the third party that Hoseright will be provided with their information, that their information will be used in accordance with this Policy and that the third party can gain access to their own information collected.
- In addition to the above, information collected from a business contact may be used for administrative functions, such as accounting, risk management, record keeping, archiving, systems maintenance or employees training.
Collection of Personal Information
Personal information may be collected during various processes including Human Resources processes. This personal information may be disclosed to other areas within Hoseright for administrative purposes and for the progression of employment applications. All confidential information will be used for legitimate purposes in accordance with relevant legislation.
Personal information of employees that is held by Hoseright includes, but is not limited to information relating to:
- the engagement, training, disciplining or resignation of the employee;
- termination of the employment of the employee;
- terms and conditions of employment of the employee;
- employee’s personal and emergency contact details;
- employee’s performance or conduct;
- employee’s hours of employment;
- employee’s salary or wages;
- employee’s membership of a professional or trade association;
- employee’s trade union membership;
- employee’s recreation, long service, sick, personal, maternity, paternity or other leave; and
- employee’s taxation, banking or superannuation affairs.
All reasonable attempts will be made to keep this information relevant, complete and current. Employees are made aware of the need to ensure that any personal information provided is accurate and current.
Use and Disclosure of Personal Information
- Personal and sensitive information, (as defined under the Act), is treated with the utmost security and confidentiality. Hoseright will ensure that it is not collected for any purposes other than outlined in this policy, unless the law requires otherwise, or other exceptional circumstances prevail as described under the Act.
- Hoseright will also advise individuals of the specific third parties to whom the information is being disclosed.
- Hoseright aims to protect the personal information that it collects. Personal information will be managed confidentially and securely. Any confidential information which Hoseright holds is stored in secure file storage in office premises of the Business, or in electronic file storage on the Business’s internal computerised system. Hoseright will monitor and implement appropriate technical advances or management processes, to safeguard personal and confidential information.
- Hoseright will take all reasonable steps to ensure that the data we collect, use or disclose is accurate, complete and up to date, and has been obtained directly from individuals or other reputable sources.
- All officers, employees and contractors of Hoseright who provide services related to our information systems are obliged to respect the confidentiality of any personal and confidential information held by the Business.
- Hoseright can take no responsibility for client’s and third-party stakeholders’ compliance with the Privacy Act with regard to their own information handling practices.
Use and Disclosure of Personal Information – Business Contacts
- Unless business contacts have advised Hoseright otherwise, personal or Business information provided by a business contact will not be used for any other purpose other than that for which it was provided.
- In particular, Hoseright will not sell, rent, or trade a business contact’s personal information, or disclose information about a business contact unless the disclosure is: Required by law (eg the Australian Tax Office, Police)
- Is authorized by law (eg to protect Business interests or where Hoseright has a duty to make such disclosure)
- Approved by a business contact by way of consent.
- Hoseright may contract out certain aspects of their work for a client/ customer, to another provider. In that circumstance, the sub-contracting entity may be provided with information about the Business’s client/ customer, sufficient for the sub-contractor to carry out their normal business or service activity in providing the clients / customers with the Business’s products and services. Sub-contractors or other entities who are provided with information in this situation, may only use the information to the extent necessary to provide the services Hoseright requires.
Quality of Information
Hoseright will use its best endeavors to keep business contact information as up to date as possible. However, Hoseright relies on the cooperation of business contacts to advise Hoseright of any material changes to the information which was originally provided.
Security of Information
Hoseright undertakes to keep secure all personal or Business information about business contacts and will take precautions to protect that information against loss, misuse or alteration.
Access to Information
Hoseright will provide business contacts with access to their own information, in a timely manner and upon receipt of a verified request for that information.
Employee Responsibilities
In light of the above objective, every employee is responsible for the appropriate handling of such information and to prevent unlawful disclosure.
If employees have access to this information or any such personal information belonging to another employee or a client of the Employer, employees must ensure that they maintain the confidence of any confidential information that they have access to, or become aware of, during the course of their employment and prevent its unauthorised disclosure or use by any other person.
Employees must not use confidential information for any purpose other than for the relevant and related Employer processes during or after their employment. Any action in breach of this policy may result in disciplinary action being taken.
Ben Chambers
Director
on behalf of Hoseright
Date: 1/3/24
Review date: June 2025
Associated Documents
Hoseright-PRO041-Employee Handbook
Hoseright-REG006-Compliance Register
