Privacy and Confidentiality Policy

Purpose

In accordance with the Privacy Act and PIPEDA (Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act), The Job Shoppe is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of personal information belonging to its employees (internal and external), candidates and clients. This policy outlines the responsibilities of all employees in handling sensitive information appropriately, ensuring compliance with legal requirements and safeguarding personal data throughout their employment.

Scope

This Privacy Policy applies to internal employees within The Job Shoppe. It governs the collection, use, storage, and protection of personal and confidential information relating to employees (internal and external), candidates and clients. The policy is applicable to all forms of data, whether digital or physical, and outlines procedures to ensure compliance with relevant privacy laws and the confidentiality of sensitive information handled in the course of business operations.

Policy

Collection

The Job Shoppe collects and uses personal information solely for the purpose of conducting business and developing an understanding of its customers. Information is gathered through various means, including online forms, applications and in-person interactions. Collected data includes, but is not limited to:

• Client lists
• Client information 
• Candidate personal information
• Candidate medical or employment history 
• Human resource planning, policies or procedures
• Company financial information, status and statements
• Any information, or documentation labelled "Confidential" by the Company, or listed as such by separate memorandum, or e-mail that informs of confidential status
• Any information pertaining to The Job Shoppe’s business operations 

Any information relating to The Job Shoppe that is freely in the public domain may not be considered "Confidential". In the event that an employee can prove that information was possessed before it was received from The Job Shoppe or that information was gained from an unrelated third party, said information will not be classified as "Confidential".

Use and Disclosure

The Job Shoppe hereby asserts that personal information will only be used for the following purposes:

• Recruitment
• Accounting
• Human Resources
• Information Technology

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Disclosure

Confidential information shall not be used for any purpose other than its reasonable use in the normal performance of employment duties for The Job Shoppe. 

For the protection of The Job Shoppe and the well-being and privacy of our clients and candidates, employees of The Job Shoppe are required to keep all confidential and relevant business information regarding both the company, our clients and candidates confidential both during and after their term of employment. 

Employees shall not divulge, disclose, provide or disseminate confidential information to any third party not employed by The Job Shoppe at any time, unless The Job Shoppe gives written authorization. Limited disclosure may be required as part of The Job Shoppe fulfilling its stated business duties and day-to-day operations. This may include consultants, suppliers, or business partners of The Job Shoppe, but only with the understanding that these parties obey and abide by this Privacy Policy, to the extent necessary of fulfilling their own business duties and day-to-day operations.

The Job Shoppe may use personal information without the individual’s consent under particular circumstances. These situations include, but are not limited to:

• The Job Shoppe is under obligation by law to disclose personal information in order to adhere to the requirements of an investigation of the contravention of a regional or federal, under the purview of the appropriate authorities.
• An emergency exists that threatens an individual’s life, health, or personal security.
• The personal information is for in-house statistical study or research. 
• The personal information is already publicly available.
• Disclosure is required to investigate a breach of contract.
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Access to and Amending Personal Information

In most cases, The Job Shoppe will grant individuals access to their personal information upon presentation of a written request and satisfactory identification. If an individual finds errors of fact with his/her personal information, please notify The Job Shoppe as soon as possible to make the appropriate corrections. Should The Job Shoppe deny an individual’s request for access to his/her personal information, The Job Shoppe will advise in writing of the reason for such a refusal. The individual may then challenge the decision.

Electronic Monitoring

The Job Shoppe may monitor electronic systems, such as email, phone calls and internet usage for quality control, security, and legal compliance. This monitoring is done transparently, with notice provided to employees as per our Electronic Monitoring Policy.

Data Protection

The Job Shoppe maintains personal information through a combination of paper and electronic files. Active paper files are kept in locked filing cabinets. Where required by law, older records may be stored in a secure, offsite location. The Job Shoppe’s computer and network systems are secured by complex passwords. Only authorized individuals may access secure systems and databases. Routers and servers connected to the internet are protected by a firewall and are further protected by virus attacks or “snooping” by sufficient software solutions. 

Upon termination of employment with The Job Shoppe, employees shall promptly return (without duplicating or summarizing), any and all material pertaining to The Job Shoppe business in their possession including, but not limited to: 

• All client information (charts, lists, etc.)
• Physical property
• Documents
• Keys or swipe cards
• Electronic information
• Storage media
• Manuals
• Letters
• Notes
• Reports

Data Retention

Personal information is retained only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, including legal or business requirements.