Moira Rayner & Associates regard the secure protection of personal information entrusted to us by or about individuals as of paramount importance. We are bound by the Privacy Act 1988 and the amendments incorporated in the Privacy Amendment (Private Sector) Act 2000. Our practices have been designed to adhere to the National Privacy Principles. This protection is a fundamental part of our service to you.
The Privacy Act and the National Privacy Principles
There are ten National Privacy Principles that prescribe the manner in which information is collected and used. They outline the conditions under which information can be disclosed, as well as principles governing the integrity, accuracy and security of the collected data. The principles cover issues surrounding information exchange, access by individuals to their records, the right to examine records and correct any inaccuracies, use of identifiers, the right of an individual to deal anonymously with organisations, and the type of information collected.
Full details of the National Privacy Principles are available from the website of The Office of the Federal Privacy Commissioner, which we encourage individuals to consult. (These links will launch in a new browser window.)
How we collect your personal information
Our policy and practice at Moira Rayner & Associates and its associated entities is to collect information directly from you, or from agents such as case workers or employment facilitators whom you have authorised to deal with us, either specifically or as part of a general authority to interact with industry organisations to promote your interests. We may collect information from forms that you or your authorised representative submit to us, over the telephone, by mail, fax or email, or in response to requests directed to us via our website.
The type of information collected relates specifically to enhancing the services we provide for you and may include name, address and other contact details, work experience resumes, personal references from former employers or other volunteered sources, health histories and information about special needs required to maximise your employment prospects, and educational, professional, trade or personal skills. Some information may derive from third parties, for example work history confirmation. All information that we obtain, seek and store is gained as a result of your desire to access our products and services.
How we use your personal information
The information collected is used to provide you with the services and products you have sought from us. Our aim is to provide the best service possible and we will only collect information necessary to achieve that aim. We will advise you personally, or through your authorised appointed representative, the purpose for which we will use or disclose information about you. As an essential part of the service we provide, we must discuss your details with organisations we approach on your behalf.
We may disclose your information to:
- Negotiate employment or other opportunities on your behalf
- Help us further develop our relationship with you
- Comply with any legal reporting requirement
- Meet any contractual obligations
- Use outsourced operations to assist in promoting your interests. In such cases, our policy dictates that strict confidentiality agreements are negotiated to protect your rights.
- With your consent, disclose your information to third parties whom we believe can materially assist us in helping you or providing you with marketing or informational material that may be of interest to you.
Storage and security of your information
All of your information is held in confidence and stored securely. Our duty of confidentiality is both legally and ethically paramount and will only be overridden with your consent, where we are compelled to disclose by law, or where public security issues dictate disclosure.
Storage of information is either in hardcopy or electronically or both. Access to the information is strictly limited to officers who need it to act effectively on your behalf. Hardcopy material is stored in lockable cabinets and our online data systems have password access facilities.
Physical access to our premises is monitored with after-hours access being centrally controlled by building management. Computer facilities made available for public use (for example, resume writing for which we offer assistance) are fire-walled and maintained in a discreet, lockable area.
Team meetings and confidential discussions, including telephone screening of employment applicants and discussions with potential employers, are held in appropriately confidential surrounds. Minutes and notes from meetings are securely maintained.
Your right to know: requests for access and right of correction
It is in our interests and is your fundamental right to have information about you kept up to date and as accurate as possible. Only through having complete, current information can we provide you with the level of service you expect. We take every reasonable step to ensure accuracy and currency of your personal data.
You may access the information we hold about you on request. You generally do not need to provide us with a reason for your request. We will usually be able to provide the information immediately or within a very short time. We may provide information to you in a number of ways including photocopying, allowing you to take notes, printing out electronically stored data, faxing information to you, or providing you with a summary of information held. A reasonable administrative charge (negotiable) may be levied under some circumstances.
There are some circumstances in which we may not be able to provide the information. These include matters where legal action is pending, law prevents disclosure, the rights of others to privacy may be compromised, or the request is frivolous. Should access be denied, we will provide you with a comprehensive report explaining the decision.
Should you consider that the information held by us is outdated, incomplete, inaccurate or capable of misinterpretation without additional explanatory material, you are advised to contact us immediately to enable prompt amendment to our records. In the event that we disagree with your assertions of inaccuracy, we will note your points of difference and maintain them with your information.
Any information held about you that is no longer relevant to our operations in your interests, or needed for legal requirements, or useful in maintaining the effectiveness of our services will be destroyed. We use secure shredding services for hard copy records and delete all unnecessary electronic data from our systems.
Our staff is always available and ready to assist you with any concern. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any concerns relating to collection, storage and use of your personal information.
Sensitive information
We will not hold sensitive information about you without your consent unless required by law. We are especially conscious of the sensitivity of some information necessarily divulged to us in the course of our duty to you and emphasise the absolute confidentiality in which we secure and protect such disclosed information.
Privacy and website security
We take all possible measures to ensure website security of interactions between you and this agency. Our system is unable to identify individuals who access our site unless the person concerned chooses to divulge personal or company information. Our website data collection is limited to the number of times the discreet areas of our site are accessed and, in common with all systems, can identify the service provider through whom access was made. We do not record such service providers who, themselves, are bound by law to not reveal the identity of users of their services.
We are able to ensure this type of security because, unlike many commercial sites, which are used to conduct transactions such as account payments and product ordering, ours is primarily an informational site and this allows us greater flexibility over access security.
Links to other sites
You are able to access other links from our site. We are confident that the organisations with whom we have created links are of high repute and conduct their business ethically and with equal concern for the rights of individuals. They are, of course, equally bound by privacy legislation.
This agency cannot be responsible for the conduct of other organisations and advises that, when choosing to interact with those identified on our website, you examine their privacy policies and, in the event of concern, contact them directly.
Other sources of information
The Office of the Federal Privacy Commissioner has produced informational material on privacy issues which is available on their website at www.privacy.gov.au (This link will launch in a new browser window). They also maintain a Privacy Hotline on 1300 363 992 (free call).
All State Governments have legislation dealing with privacy issues, which may be accessed through their relevant contact facilities. In Victoria information is available at www.dhs.vic.gov.au/privacy (This link will launch in a new browser window)
We believe that all matters of concern between our clients and ourselves can be effectively resolved between both parties and are prepared to engage professional mediators to ensure satisfactory harmony and our mutual interests are protected and maintained.
