Introduction
The Career Foundation is fully committed to protecting the personal information of its clients, donors, employees, and other stakeholders. Protecting privacy and security of personal information in every aspect of our business is of critical importance to us, and we have many measures in place to ensure that data is kept confidential and maintained pursuant to our privacy standards and applicable legislation.
Our Privacy Policy is based upon the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) Model Code and reflects requirements of applicable legislation, including the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA).
Definition of “personal information”
Personal information is any information about a specific, identifiable individual, including such commonly available details as name, address, and telephone number.
Despite the fact that some personal information is widely available (e.g. through telephone/online directories or public database), this does not, in any way, lessen the responsibility to apply the CSA Code’s principles to its collection, use and disclosure. The CSA Code incorporates the principles that every element of personal information should only be used for purposes that are defined and explained in advance to the individual, and that use or disclosure for any other purposes requires further knowledge and consent.
The Career Foundation’s Privacy Policy
We respect your privacy. When you visit our website, contact us, participate in one of our programs, or make a donation to support our activities, we are committed to protecting your privacy rights and your personal information.
As part of our commitment to ensure that personal information is kept confidential and maintained pursuant to our privacy standards, The Career Foundation has adopted the 10 Privacy Principles contained within the Canadian Standards Association Model Code for the Protection of Personal Information, which is a national standard of Canada.
Our 10 Privacy Principles
1. Accountability
The Career Foundation is responsible for the protection of your personal information collected through our offices, program activities and website.
Note to Clients: This responsibility extends when The Career Foundation must transfer personal information to third parties. Clients will be asked to review and sign a Consent to Release Information form before any personal information is released to third parties for the purpose of providing employment services or otherwise.
2. Identifying the Purposes for Collecting Personal Information
The Career Foundation will provide a statement to explain the purpose(s) for the collection of your personal information wherever possible, before we ask you to disclose it.
Using our website and its functions:
The Career Foundation gathers the following types of information from users:
A) Information that users provide through optional, voluntary submissions. These are voluntary submissions you may wish to provide in order to complete our online application forms, receive free electronic newsletters and participate in periodic polls and surveys. Any personal information that site visitors voluntarily choose to provide in order to receive free electronic newsletters, participate in periodic polls and surveys and/or to complete any of our online application forms is not shared with third parties unless stated otherwise. The Career Foundation will ensure all personal information is secured and remains confidential.
B) The Career Foundation tracks the amount of visits our website accumulates. We do not collect any personal information about you or any information from the computers used to view our website. Our tracking system is simply designed to read click rates that our site accumulates.
3. Requirement for Your Consent
The only personal information that The Career Foundation collects is with your knowledge and consent. You can choose not to disclose any personal information we may ask you to provide; however, information is collected for the purpose of providing publicly funded services. Information collected is as required by funders and a decision to withhold some information may result in our inability to provide publicly funded services.
4. Limiting Collection
The amount and type of information that The Career Foundation collects is limited only to that which is necessary to fulfill the purposes identified. The Career Foundation will ask for the information it requires directly from the individual.
You can choose to disclose as much or as little personal information as you are comfortable with; however, as noted above, a decision to withhold some personal information can result in our inability to provide you with our services.
5. Limiting Use, Disclosure and Retention of Your Information
The Career Foundation will only use or disclose your personal information for the purposes that will be explained to you at the time it is requested. Your information will not be disclosed without your prior written and voluntary knowledge and consent, except as permitted by law.
The retention period for which your personal information is held on record by The Career Foundation, before it is securely and irreversibly destroyed, will depend upon the retention requirements specific to the funded services that you access from our organization at the time that you access them.
6. Responsibility to Ensure the Accuracy of Your Personal Information
Virtually all personal information that The Career Foundation collects is provided directly from the individuals themselves. We generally assume this information to be accurate and complete unless we are informed otherwise.
If your personal information changes at any time, we hope to be informed immediately.
Our employees are required to inform The Career Foundation if any personal information, such as their mailing address, changes.
7. Responsibility to Safeguard Your Personal Information
The Career Foundation maintains strict internal policies and protocols to safeguard the personal information in our control. This includes training for all personnel and a Privacy and Security Standard of Conduct to enforce various protocols designed to protect personal information.
8. Openness About Our Privacy Policy and Practices
The Career Foundation understands and values the importance of your privacy. We strive to maintain transparency about our privacy practices, including informing individuals about our policies and procedures, the purposes for which we collect, use, or disclose personal information, and how to access their personal information.
9. Your Right to Access Your Personal Information
The Career Foundation will confirm if we have any personal information about you on file, should you wish to inquire about it. Upon your request, we will also provide you with access to the information and inform you what it is being used for, if applicable.
Should you wish to access the contents of your information file, you must make an official request, in writing, and mail it to:
Privacy Officer
The Career Foundation, Head Office
700 Lawrence Avenue West, Suite 435
Toronto, ON M6A 3B4
10. Challenging Our Compliance
If, for any reason, you are concerned about our compliance with our privacy policy, please contact our Privacy Officer at the address listed above.
This Employment Ontario service is funded in part by the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario.