Introduction
From time to time Reo Group (“the Company”) is required to collect, hold, use and/or disclose personal information relating to individuals (including, but not limited to, candidates, clients, suppliers, referees, contractors and employees) in the performance of its business activities.
This document sets out the Company's policy in relation to the protection of personal information, as under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (“the Act”) and the Australian Privacy Principles (“APP”). The APPs regulate the handling of personal information.
What is Personal Information?
Personal information means information or an opinion (including information or an opinion forming part of a database), whether true or not, and whether recorded in a material form or not, about an individual whose identity is apparent or can reasonably be ascertained, from the information or opinion.
Employee Records
This policy does not apply to the collection, holding, use or disclosure of personal information that is an employee record.
An employee record is a record of personal information relating to the employment of an employee. Examples of personal information relating to the employment of the employee include, but are not limited to, health information and information about the engagement, training, disciplining, resignation, termination, terms and conditions of employment of the employee. Please see the Act for further examples of employee records.
Kinds of Information that we Collect and Hold
Personal information that we collect and hold is information that is reasonably necessary for the proper performance of our functions and activities as a recruitment and on-hire agency and is likely to differ depending on whether you are:
- a Jobseeker
- a Client
- a Referee
Personal information is any information or an opinion about you. It may range from the very sensitive (e.g. medical history or condition) to the every day (eg address and phone number).
It would include the opinions of others about your work performance, your work experience and qualifications, aptitude test results and other information obtained by us in connection with your possible work placement. Personal information includes sensitive information.
Sensitive information is a special category of personal information. It is information or opinion about your:
- Racial or ethnic origin
- Political opinion
- Membership of a political association
- Philosophical beliefs
- Religious beliefs or associations
- Membership of a professional or trade association
- Membership of a trade union
- Sexual preferences or practices
- Criminal record
- Health or disability (at any time)
- Expressed wishes about the future provision of health services
Sensitive information can, in most cases, only be disclosed with your consent.
Some laws such as taxation law, immigration law, laws regulating employment agencies, laws relating to national security, laws relating to professional or trade registration and laws for the protection of certain classes of people (such as children or the elderly), may require that we collect certain types of information (including criminal history and evidence of your right to work) from you that is relevant to the position/s for which you may be applying.
The following Australian laws require or authorise our collection of personal information from you:
- Migration Act 1958 (C'th) and Migration Regulations 1994 (C'th)
- Private Employment Agents (Code of Conduct) Regulation 2005 (QLD)
- The Education and Care Services National Law and the Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011
- The Working with Vulnerable People (Background Checking) Act 2011 (ACT)
- Child Protection (Working with Children) Act 2012 (NSW)
- The Working With Children Act 2005 (VIC)
- Aged Care Act 1997 (C'th)
How the Company Collects and Holds Personal Information
The Company must collect personal information only by lawful and fair means. The Company will collect personal information directly from you if it is reasonable or practicable to do so.
The Company may collect personal information in a number of ways, including without limitation:
- through application forms;
- by email or other written mechanisms;
- over a telephone call;
- in person;
- through transactions;
- through our website;
- through surveillance cameras;
- by technology that is used to support communications between us;
- from third parties, including but not limited to: from past and present employers and referees when conducting reference checks, candidates after completing an interview, clients of the Company and contract management services in relation to assignments;
- through publicly available information sources (which may include telephone directories, the internet and social media sites); and
- direct marketing database providers.
When the Company collects personal information about you through third parties, it will manage such information in accordance with the APPs.
Much of the personal information that the Company holds is stored in our Information Record System. The Company's Information Record System comprises of hard copy files and/or electronic files in the Company's ordinary IT systems. These may include cloud servers or servers of third parties.
Unsolicited personal information is personal information that the Company receives which it did not solicit. Unless the Company determines that it could have collected the personal information in line with the APPs or the information is contained within a Commonwealth record, it must destroy the information to ensure it is de-identified.
Cookies
Cookies are pieces of information that a website transfers to your computer's hard disk for record keeping purposes. Most web browsers are set to accept cookies. We use cookies to make your use of our Website, resources and services as convenient as possible. Cookies in and of themselves do not personally identify users, although they do identify a user's browser. Cookies are useful to estimate our number of users and determine overall traffic patterns through our Website. If you do not wish to receive any cookies, you may set your browser to refuse cookies, but this may mean you will not be able to take full advantage of the services and resources on our Website.
Embedded Content from Other Websites
Articles on this site may include embedded content (e.g. videos, images, articles, etc.) Embedded content from other websites behaves in the exact same way as if the visitor has visited the other website.
These websites may collect data about you, use cookies, embed additional third-party tracking, and monitor your interaction with that embedded content, including tracking your interaction with the embedded content if you have an account and are logged in to that website.
Purposes for which Reo Group Collects, Holds, Uses and/or Discloses Personal Information
The Company will collect personal information if it is reasonably necessary for one or more of its functions or activities.
The main purposes for which the Company may collect, hold, use and/or disclose personal information may include but are not limited to:
- recruitment functions;
- customer service management;
- training and events;
- surveys and general research; and
- business relationship management.
The Company may also collect, hold, use and/or disclose personal information if you consent or if required or authorised under law. For example, the Company may be required or authorised to collect your Tax File Number, if you choose to provide it, by the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 (Cth).
We sometimes collect information from third parties when it is necessary for a specific purpose such as checking information that you have given us or where you have consented or would reasonably expect us to collect your personal information in this way.
We may also collect personal information about you from a range of publicly available sources including newspapers, journals, directories, the Internet and social media sites. When we collect personal information about you from publicly available sources for inclusion in our records, we will manage the information in accordance with the APPs and our Privacy Policy.
Sometimes the technology that is used to support communications between us will provide personal information to us – see the section on Electronic Transactions.
If you do not allow us to collect all or some of the personal information we request, we may not be able to achieve its purposes. For example, if you are a Candidate the Company may not be able to locate suitable work for you, or if you are a Client the Company may not be able to provide you with the product or service you are seeking.
Direct Marketing
The Company may use or disclose personal information (other than sensitive information) about you for the purpose of direct marketing (for example, advising you of new goods and/or services being offered by the Company).
The Company may use or disclose sensitive information about you for the purpose of direct marketing if you have consented to the use or disclosure of the information for that purpose.
You can opt out of receiving direct marketing communications from the Company by contacting the Privacy Officer in writing or if permissible accessing the Company's website and unsubscribing appropriately.
Electronic Transactions
Sometimes, we collect personal information that individuals choose to give us via online forms or by email, for example when individuals:
- Ask to be on an email list such as a job notification list
- Register as a site user to access facilities on our site such as a job notification board
- Make a written online enquiry through our website or email us directly
- Make a written online enquiry through other linked websites
- Submit a resume by email or through our website
- Submit a resume through a third party recruitment advertising website
Disclosure of Personal Information
The Company may disclose your personal information for any of the purposes for which it was collected, or where it is under a legal duty to do so.
Disclosure will usually be internally, to related entities, candidates, referees, potential and actual employers and clients of the Company.
The Company may disclose personal information to third parties such as contracted service suppliers (CSP). Examples of CSPs include, but are not limited to, financial institutions for payment processing, information technology service providers, marketing and communications agencies, printers and distributors of direct marketing material and external business advisors.
Before the Company discloses personal information about you to a third party, the Company will take steps as are reasonable in the circumstances to ensure that the third party does not breach the APPs in relation to the information.
It is important that you understand that there are risks associated with the use of the Internet and you should take all appropriate steps to protect your personal information. It might help you to look at the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner's (OAIC) resource on Internet Communication and other Technologies.
The Company will not make it mandatory for visitors to use its websites to provide personal information unless such personal information is required to answer an inquiry or provide a service. The Company may, however, request visitors to provide personal information voluntarily when participating in competitions or questionnaires.
You can contact us by landline telephone or post if you have concerns about making contact via electronic means.
Access to Personal Information
If the Company holds personal information about you, you may request access to that information by putting the request in writing and sending it to the Privacy Officer. The Company will respond to any request within a reasonable period, and a charge may apply for giving access to the personal information.
There are certain circumstances in which the Company may refuse to grant you access to the personal information. In such situations the Company will give you written notice that sets out:
a) the reasons for the refusal; and
b) the mechanisms available to you to make a complaint.
Correction of Personal Information
If the Company holds personal information that is inaccurate, out-of-date, incomplete, irrelevant or misleading, it must take steps as are reasonable to correct the information.
If the Company holds personal information and you make a request in writing addressed to the Privacy Officer to correct the information, the Company must take steps as are reasonable to correct the information and the Company will respond to any request within a reasonable period.
There are certain circumstances in which the Company may refuse to correct the personal information. In such situations the Company will give you written notice that sets out:
a) the reasons for the refusal; and
b) the mechanisms available to you to make a complaint.
If the Company corrects personal information that it has previously supplied to a third party and you request us to notify the third party of the correction, the Company will take such steps as are reasonable to give that notification unless impracticable or unlawful to do so.
Integrity and Security of Personal Information
The Company will take such steps (if any) as are reasonable in the circumstances to ensure that the personal information that it:
a) collects is accurate, up-to-date and complete; and
b) uses or discloses is, having regard to the purpose of the use or disclosure, accurate, up-to-date and complete.
The Company will take steps as are reasonable in the circumstances to protect the personal information from misuse, interference, loss and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.
If the Company holds personal information, it no longer needs the information for any purpose for which the information may be used or disclosed, the information is not contained in any Commonwealth record and the Company is not required by law to retain the information, it will take such steps as are reasonable in the circumstances to destroy the information or to ensure it is de-identified.
Anonymity and Pseudonymity
You have the option of not identifying yourself, or using a pseudonym when dealing with the Company in relation to a particular matter. This does not apply:
- where the Company is required or authorised by or under an Australian law, or a court/tribunal order, to deal with individuals who have identified themselves; or
- where it is impracticable for the Company to deal with individuals who have not identified themselves or who have used a pseudonym.
However, in some cases, if you do not provide the Company with your personal information when requested, the Company may not be able to respond to your request or provide you with the goods or services that you are requesting.
Complaints
You have a right to complain about the Company's handling of your personal information if you believe the Company has breached the APPs.
If you wish to make such a complaint to the Company, you should first contact the Privacy Officer in writing. Your complaint will be dealt with in accordance with the Company's complaints procedure and the Company will provide a response within a reasonable period.
If you are unhappy with the Company's response to your complaint, you may refer your complaint to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.
Company and Privacy Officer Contact Details
The Company Privacy Officer can be contacted in the following ways:
Telephone: 02 8211 3488
Email: privacy@reogroup.com.au
Postal address: P.O. Box 3273, Parramatta, NSW, 2124
Or via our contact us page.
