Privacy Policy

Purpose

Supreme Community Care (the Company) understands the importance of keeping personal details private and is committed to maintaining this for our stakeholders.  Our stakeholders include, but are not limited to:

  • prospective employees;
  • employees;
  • host employers;
  • business associates;
  • visitors, which include visitors to our online pages.

Scope

This policy applies to all employees, including:

  • full time, part time, casual, permanent or temporary employees;
  • contract or commission workers;
  • volunteers, vocational and work experience placements.

It applies to all employees whilst:

  • at Company premises;
  • attending work-related interactions with fellow employees, clients, candidates and other stakeholders;
  • fulfilling work-related obligations;
  • at host employer, stakeholder or client premises; and/or
  • at Company sponsored or funded functions or activities, during and/or outside working hours.

Other actions by employees outside working hours may also fall within the scope of this policy if there is an impact on the employee’s ability and/or suitability to do their job or their actions bring the Company into disrepute.

Objective

The Company recognises the importance of an individual’s privacy.  It is our policy to make every effort to ensure your privacy is maintained while providing you with the service you require.  The aim of this privacy policy is to provide information about the personal information the Company collects, how that information will be handled, and how a person can access their personal information or make a complaint about the Company’s handling of the information.  This will be in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (The Act).

Policy

Personal Information

Personal information refers to information which identifies you as an individual or from which your identity can be reasonably ascertained (and regardless of the form of the information, and regardless of whether it is true or not).

The Company collects personal information if it is necessary for one of our functions or activities.  The types of personal information we collect may depend on the reason for collection and different personal information will be required depending on the stakeholder.

Generally the types of personal information we collect will include name, contact details and other information necessary to do business with you, including for associated administrative and legal purposes.  In addition we may collect personal information relating to employment which includes, but not limited to, tax file number details, bank account details, superannuation details, reference details, emergency contact details, visa details, qualifications/training details and limited health information.

Website and Security

When you visit our website we may also collect information about the pages you viewed and what you open, download or click on.  Our system may also log the date and time of your visit to our site.  This information will only be used as a way of continuous improvement.  We use a variety of security measures, including firewalls and secure databases to protect your personal information from misuse or unauthorised use or disclosure.  However, no transmission of data over the internet is guaranteed to be secure.  Our site may have links to other sites and we are not responsible for the privacy practices of those sites.  Any information you communicate through the internet, enters the public domain and the Company cannot guarantee its security.

When you disclose information over the internet, it is possible that this information may be collected and used by others.  It is ultimately your responsibility to ensure usernames and passwords are kept confidential and correct procedures are followed when closing down a site or computer in a public arena (such as an internet café).

  1. Collection and Storage

The Company only collects personal information by lawful and fair means.  We may collect personal information directly from you when you correspond or register details with us, enter into arrangements with us or provide feedback to us.  We may also collect your personal information from relevant third parties where it is reasonable and practicable to do so, for example – from host employers.

Personal information is held electronically and in some cases, in hard copy form.  This is stored at our own private, secure premises and is also stored offsite with the assistance of our secure server providers.  The Company takes all reasonable steps to keep personal information protected from loss, misuse, unauthorised access, modification and disclosure.  This is done by ensuring that this information is held on secure servers in controlled facilities and that information stored within our computer systems can only be accessed by those entrusted with authority and computer network password sanctions.

  1. Disclosure of Personal Information

We only disclose personal information to third parties where we are permitted to do so, where we have obtained consent to do so or when required by law.  Disclosure of personal information may be for the primary purpose for which it is collected or for purposes related to the primary purpose where it would be reasonably expected to be used in such a way.

Third parties may include, but not limited to:

  • related companies;
  • service providers or providers engaged to undertake functions or activities, on our behalf – e.g. processing payment information, managing databases, marketing, research and advertising;
  • host employers;
  • external advisers, e.g. legal advisors, financial institutions, auditors, organisations we support or sponsor; and
  • government or law enforcement agencies.

We take steps to ensure that our service providers are obliged to protect the privacy and security of personal information and use it only for the purpose for which it is disclosed.

  1. Accessing and correcting personal information

You can request access to your personal information held by us, or request that it be corrected, by contacting us.

We take confidentiality of personal information very seriously and details of your personal information may only be passed on to you if we are satisfied that the information relates to you.  If we deny access in some circumstances, we will advise you about the reasons.  We may deny your access where accepted by law, or if your request is frivolous or vexatious.

Fees will not be charged for requesting access to your personal information, but you may be charged for reasonable expenses we incur where we do provide access.

You may contact us to correct the personal information in which we hold.  We will act on the request within a reasonable period after the request is made.  We will take all reasonable steps to correct that information and ensure that, having regard to the purpose for which it is held, the information is accurate, up-to-date, complete, relevant and not misleading.

  1. Questions or Complaints

If you have a question about our Privacy Policy or wish to make a complaint about a suspected breach of this Privacy Policy, the Company will consider your complaint within a reasonable timeframe and make contact you to seek to resolve the matter; we may refer your complaint to an internally appointed Privacy Officer.  If we have not responded to you within a reasonable time frame, or if you are not satisfied with the manner in which the company has handled a complaint, a further complaint can be submitted to the Office of the Australian Privacy Commissioner.

Consequences of non-compliance with this policy

Employee failure to comply with the policy may result in consequences outlined in the Disciplinary Policy which may include termination of employment.

Related legislation

  • Privacy Act 1988

Related Documents

  • Disciplinary Policy
  • Consent to Release Information Policy

Policy Review

This policy will be reviewed annually (or more frequently if necessary due to technical or other business policy requirements).  Employees are responsible for keeping up to date with policy terms, including policy revisions, by regularly reviewing Company policies.