Privacy Policy

Diversified Staffing Services Ltd is committed to protecting the privacy of its candidates, employees and clients. We will endeavor to ensure information is collected, used and retained in accordance with the purposes as stated hereafter.

The Privacy Policy explains the management of your personally identifiable information collected in relation to our services from all the divisions within the Diversified Staffing Group (Diversified). The Diversified Staffing Group includes Diversified Staffing Services, Financial Staffing Solutions, PEO Canada and World Staffing Solutions.

In order to keep up with changing legislation requirements, this policy may be updated periodically without notice. Please note that this policy does not apply to the practices of companies which are not owned or controlled by Diversified.

1. General Information
2. Definition of Personal Information
3. What Personal Information do we collect?
4. How do we collect Personal Information?
5. Why we collect Personal Information?
6. How is Personal Information used?
7. Who controls Personal Information?
8. What is Personal Information used for?
9. Where is it stored and how it is kept secure?
10. Who has access to or uses it?
11. Who is Personal Information disclosed to?
12. When is it disposed of?
13. How do I access my personal information?
14. What if I wish to correct personal information that is being held?
15. How do I make a complaint about personal information?

1. General Information

Each of our divisions provides a unique service. Through these divisions we provide recruitment services, human resource management and payroll services.

There are three main types of groups we deal with:

• Candidates: people actively looking for work.
• Employees: people currently employed individuals that are payrolled through Diversified.
• Clients: businesses that require our services to supply them with recruitment, human resource management or payroll needs.

2. Definition of Personal Information

"Personal Information" is personally identifiable information, including but not limited to name, address, and date of birth, contact details, resume, qualifications, work history, skills and interests.

3. What Personal Information do we collect?

4. How do we collect Personal Information?

We collect personal information through fair and lawful means and personal information is subject to our privacy policies.

Information is collected from a wide variety of sources, which includes resumes dropped off in person, received by fax or e-mail.

• References are obtained through telephone conversations and written reference letters
• Candidate application forms, payroll information, benefits application forms are received from candidates and employees by fax, e-mail and in person
• Garnishee information is received from various organizations in writing by mail or fax
• Client information is collected by our internal staff and volunteered by our clients in order to provide them with our services

We may collect personal information without consent or knowledge if it:

• Is in the interest of the individual and consent is not obtainable in a timely manner
• Would compromise information availability or accuracy
• Is reasonable to investigate contravention of laws
• Is publicly available and specified in the regulations

5. Why we collect Personal Information?

The very nature of our business means that we require a lot of personal information concerning individuals. Personal information is only collected in order to provide services through our divisions to our candidates, employees and clients and not for any other means.

Only relevant information is collected, to fulfill the needs and requirements to facilitate the services we offer.

6. How is Personal Information used?

Personal information and references regarding candidates is added to our database, and it is used to place candidates in positions at our client sites. This information may be used by any internal staff member and may be sent to clients interviewing potential candidates for positions.

Other employee personal information, such as SIN, date of birth, etc is used in order to provide payroll and human resource services to our employees.

Information regarding our clients is used only to provide services. We do not sell or share client information with any outside agency unless approval is granted by the client. Information is shared with an outside agency only if additional outsourcing services are required.

7. Who controls Personal Information?

All internal staffs are responsible for collection of data as required to perform their duties. It is also the responsibility of all internal staff to protect the privacy of all candidates, employees and clients.

Decisions on the collection, use, disclosure and retention of data are shared by the Management Team and the Privacy Officer. The Privacy Officer also deals with any complaints concerning privacy issues.

8. What is Personal Information used for?

Personal information is used only to provide services to our candidates, employees and clients. Personal information is never sold or passed on to outside organizations or individuals for purposes other than providing these services.

9. Where is it stored and how it is kept secure?

Storage of paper based personal information is maintained in our offices, along with external secured storage facilities. Electronic information is stored in our computer systems with back up stored off-site.

In order to protect the privacy of our employees, candidates and clients we have various levels of security in place: physical safeguards, administrative safeguards and technical safeguards.

Physical safeguards include:

• Locked cabinets and storage areas
• Limited access to areas where personal information is filed or stored
• Shredding papers containing personal information when disposing
• Alarms and pass keys for restricted areas

Administrative safeguards include:

• Staff training on privacy policies and procedures
• Staffs are required to acknowledge and sign a confidentiality agreement.

Technical Safeguards:

The most secure technology is used where possible to protect personal information. Our Information Technology department monitors access and use of our electronic systems and is responsible for maintaining the security of our systems through use of tools such as firewalls, anti-virus programs and passwords. All internal passwords are changed regularly.

All staffs are responsible to protect personal information using the security safeguards in a manner appropriate for the type of information.

10. Who has access to or uses it?

We limit access to personal information in candidates’, employees’ and clients’ files to:

• Diversified staff or persons authorized by Diversified who require it to perform their duties,
• Persons to whom candidates, employees or clients have granted access, and
• Persons authorized by law.

Certain types of information are segregated to facilitate privacy, provide appropriate access and to protect personal information from unauthorized:

• Access,
• Use, theft or loss,
• Copying, changing or destroying

Copies of files are kept to a minimum and all information, where possible, is included or scanned into our database in order to maintain the most current and accurate information and to minimize paper documentation.

11. Who is Personal Information disclosed to?

Diversified may release personal information to a third party under the following circumstances:

• Disclosure of personal information would not constitute an unreasonable invasion of privacy
• For the purpose for which the information was collected or compiled or for a use consistent with that purpose.
• The employee has consented in writing to the disclosure
• Disclosure is necessary to comply with a federal or provincial law
• For the purpose of complying with a subpoena, warrant or order issues made by a court, person or body having jurisdiction to complete the production of information or with a rule of court that relates to the production of information.
• Collecting a fine or debt owing by an individual to Diversified or to the provincial or federal government.
• For the purpose of determining or verifying an individual’s suitability or eligibility for a program or benefit
• To the Auditor General or any other prescribed person or body for audit purposes
• To a member of the Legislative Assembly who has been requested by the individual the information is about to assist in resolving a problem
• To a public body or a law enforcement agency in Canada to assist in an investigation undertaken with a view to a law enforcement proceeding, or from which a law enforcement proceeding is likely to result
• So that the spouse, relative or friend of an injured, ill or deceased individual may be contacted
• For research or statistical purposes, required by legislation to an agency such as Statistics Canada.
• To the Director of Maintenance Enforcement for the purpose of enforcing a maintenance order under the Maintenance Enforcement Act
• To a relative of a deceased individual, if, in the opinion of Diversified the disclosure is not an unreasonable invasion of the deceased’s personal privacy.
• If Diversified believes, on reasonable grounds, that the disclosure will avert or minimize an imminent danger to the health or safety of any person.

12. When is it disposed of?

We aim to retain information only as long as is needed to fulfill the purpose that it was collected for.

Resumes are scanned into our database and then the paper copies are shredded. Our database is periodically purged of old information. Resumes, skills and reference information that has not been accessed or used for more than a year, in relation to any of our services, is deleted. Our Information Technology department is responsible for maintaining and enforcing regular deletion of out-dated information.

Other payroll, garnishee and employee information is kept on file according to federal and provincial legislation requirements.

Client information that is considered public domain and does not contain any personal information is kept on file for an indefinite period of time.

All paper files are destroyed at end of the retention stage through confidential shredding services. Electronic files and discs are destroyed by the Information Technology department to ensure proper deletion of data prior to outdated discs being disposed of.

13. How do I access my personal information?

A signed request may be made, in writing, to the Privacy Officer for a copy of your personal information on file.

Please direct correspondence to:
Privacy Officer
Diversified Staffing Services
100, 805 – 5 Avenue SW
Calgary, Alberta T2P 0N6

The request must specify your name, and at least two personal identifiers such as employee number, SIN, date of birth etc., in order for Diversified to verify identity and to locate the appropriate files.

A response will be provided within 30 days of receipt of the request.

Where possible, all information will be provided to the person requesting their information although some information may not be provided.

We may refuse access

• If doing so would reveal information about a third party
• If doing so would reveal confidential commercial information
• If doing so would threaten life/security of another
• If information was generated in course of a formal dispute resolution process

Information contained in references will not be disclosed. If you require clarification of a reference provided to Diversified you must contact the individual that provided the reference.

14. What if I wish to correct personal information that is being held?

A signed request may be made, in writing, to the Privacy Officer to correct personal information held on file.

Please direct correspondence to:
Privacy Officer
Diversified Staffing Services
100, 805 – 5 Avenue SW
Calgary, Alberta T2P 0N6

The request must specify your name and at least two personal identifiers such as employee number, SIN, date of birth etc and must specifically indicate what is incorrect and the corrected information.

Factual information will be changed where appropriate, but opinions noted on file cannot be changed.

A response will be provided within 30 days of receipt of the request.

15. How do I make a complaint about personal information?

Contact the Privacy Officer, in writing, and provide your name, contact details and the details of your specific complaint.

Please direct correspondence to:
Privacy Officer
Diversified Staffing Services
100, 805 – 5 Avenue SW
Calgary, Alberta T2P 0N6

The Privacy Officer will investigate your complaint and respond within 30 days.