Privacy Policy and Collection Statement

Our commitment

The Partnership Group is committed to providing you with the highest levels of professional service. This includes protecting your privacy. We understand the importance placed on the privacy of your personal information, and so have developed this Privacy Policy which explains:

• How we collect and use your personal information
• Your right of access to your personal information
• Your right to inspect and, where necessary, correct the personal information that we hold about you
• Your right to have your privacy complaints investigated and resolved
• Your right to have your personal information protected from misuse or unauthorised access

The Partnership Group will take all reasonable steps to protect the privacy of the personal information that we collect and use. This applies to all clients, individuals, job applicants and prospective employees who provide their personal information to us.

What is personal information?

Personal information is any information that can be used to identify you. This includes any personal information or opinions about you, whether true or not, no matter how the information or opinions are recorded. Sensitive information is a special category of personal information and includes information about your health, race or ethnic origin, political or religious beliefs, membership of a trade union or association, sexual preferences or criminal record.

We will not disclose your sensitive information without your consent unless there is a need to, in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).

Why do we collect personal information?

We collect the personal information of job applicants to facilitate placement operations and recruitment opportunities, and to deliver the best possible service to our clients. We also collect and use personal information for the following purposes:

• To provide you with further information about the recruitment opportunities or services you requested
• For assessing and facilitating your application for employment with prospective employers
• For placement operations and recruitment purposes generally

What personal information do we collect and use?

Personal information that we collect and use may include your name, date of birth, current address, email address, telephone numbers, work history, performance appraisals, qualifications, health information, personal history, opinions from referees and our assessment of you as a prospective candidate for recruitment.

The personal information that we collect and hold usually falls into the following categories:

• Personal information obtained from applicants in connection with previous periods of employment
• Work performance information and qualifications
• Information about incidents in the workplace
• Information and opinions from referees
• Information submitted and independently obtained in relation to absences from work due to leave, illness or other causes
• Information obtained to assist in managing client and business relationships

We will not use your personal information for any purpose which is not related to the service we provide to you, or that you would not reasonably expect us to use it for. We will take all reasonable steps to ensure the personal information that we hold is accurate and up to date. If you feel that information about you is not accurate or your details have, or are about to, change, please inform us and we will correct or update your personal information. If you would like to access any of our services on an anonymous basis please tell us. If this is possible and lawful, we will take all reasonable steps to comply with your request. If you choose not to provide us with your personal information we may not be able to provide you with the services or assistance you require, including arranging suitable interviews for you.

How do we collect personal information?

Where possible, we collect your personal information directly from you. If you feel that the information that we are requesting, either on our forms or in our discussions with you, is not information that you wish to provide, please feel free to raise this with us. In most situations we will also obtain your personal information from third parties such as referees, educational institutions and former employers.

When do we disclose your personal information?

For the purposes referred to in this policy we may disclose your personal information to prospective employers, external organisations seeking labour, your referees, your former employers, educational institutions, our clients, our referees, our professional advisors including our accountants, auditors and lawyers, and our related companies and our contractors and suppliers.

Access to and correction of your personal information

You have a right to access and copy your personal information, subject to certain exceptions provided for in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth). If you would like to access your personal information please follow the procedures set out in our Access Policy below or contact our Privacy Officer. For security reasons, you will be required to put your request in writing and provide proof of your identity. If you are able to establish that personal information we hold about you is not accurate, complete or up to date we will take all reasonable steps to correct our records.

Security of your information

We will take all reasonable steps to secure your personal information. Electronic information is protected by various security measures and access to information and databases is restricted to the staff at The Partnership Group who need access to the information in order to perform their duties. All electronically captured job applicant and client data is passed through a secure site using encryption technology to ensure your personal information is protected if it is sent over the internet.

Complaints

We have a Grievance Policy for dealing with your privacy complaints. The purpose of the policy is to ensure that any person who has a complaint about the way their personal information is collected, used, disclosed, stored and administered may lodge a complaint under the Grievance Policy. All complaints will be treated seriously and dealt with promptly. Our Grievance Policy can be obtained by contacting our Privacy Officer.

Fair Trading Amendment (Employment Placement Services) Act 2002 and Regulations

The above Act and Regulations require us to provide the following statement to you.

• The Partnership Group is an employment placement service and we do not charge candidates (job applicants) a fee for the purpose of finding that candidate employment
• We do not engage in any misleading or deceptive conduct, including advertising a position as being available when we know no such position exists, or knowingly giving misleading information to a candidate about the nature of a position

Any job seeker or job applicant who believes that any employment placement service has acted inappropriately may contact the Department of Fair Trading on 133 220.

Access Policy

Purpose

The purpose of this Policy is to set out how The Partnership Group will provide access to your personal information. The Access Policy is part of our Privacy Policy and our desire to provide for, maintain and give effect to your right to privacy.

Overriding principles

• All requests will be dealt with promptly and in a confidential manner.
• Any inaccurate or out of date information will be corrected.
• Your request to access your personal information will not affect any commercial or professional arrangements between you and The Partnership Group.

How to obtain access

For security reasons you will be required to put your request in writing and provide proof of your identity. This is necessary to ensure that personal information is provided only to the correct individuals and that the privacy of others is not undermined. If you are able to establish that the personal information we hold about you is not accurate, complete or up to date we will take all reasonable steps to correct our records.

When will access be denied?

Access will be denied if:

• The request does not relate to the personal information of the person making the request
• Providing access would pose a serious and imminent threat to the life or health of a person
• Providing access would create an unreasonable impact on the privacy of others
• The request is frivolous or vexatious
• The request relates to existing or anticipated legal proceedings
• Providing access would prejudice negotiations with the individual making the request
• Access would be unlawful
• Denial of access is authorised or required by law
• Access would prejudice law enforcement activities
• Access discloses a commercially sensitive decision making process or information
• Any other reason that is provided for in the Australian Privacy Principles

If we deny access to information we will set out our reasons for this. Any dispute about your right of access to information will be dealt with in accordance with our Grievance Policy.

Time

We will take all reasonable steps to provide access or the information requested within 14 days of your request. In situations where the request is complicated or requires access to a large volume of information, we will provide access or the information requested within 30 days. We may seek payment for our costs of supplying you with this information.

How to contact us

If you would like more information on privacy and information access, or if you have any questions in relation to this policy, please contact our Privacy Officer. We will provide access by allowing you to inspect, take notes of or receive copies or print outs of the personal information that we hold about you.

The Partnership Group, Level 2, 383 George Street, Sydney NSW 2000. Telephone 1300 136 169. Email [email protected].

We reserve the right to review, and if necessary, change this policy.