Privacy Policy
Ascendunt Group is committed to providing quality services to you and this policy outlines our ongoing obligations to you in respect of how we manage your Personal Information.
Your privacy and the security of your personal data is important to Ascendunt Group and we are responsible for ensuring that all personal data entrusted to us is processed in accordance with applicable data protection legislation. Ascendunt Group complies with all applicable privacy laws, including the 13 Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) in the Privacy Act 1988 (Privacy Act) as well as our existing obligations of confidentiality. The APPs govern the way in which we collect, use, disclose, store, secure and dispose of your Personal Information.
A copy of the Australian Privacy Principles may be obtained from the website of The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner at https://www.oaic.gov.au/.
This policy explains who we are, the types of Personal Information that we may collect and hold, how that information is used and with whom the information is shared such as clients. It also sets out how you can contact us if you have any queries or concerns about our collection, use or disclosure of Personal Information, or if you believe we have not complied with this Privacy Policy or the Privacy Act.
By using this website and Ascendunt Group’s services that reference this Privacy Policy, or otherwise providing us directly, or through others, with your Personal Information, you agree with the terms of this Privacy Policy and consent to the collection, use, and disclosure of that information in accordance with this Privacy Policy, the Privacy Act, and other applicable privacy laws.
Ascendunt Group (referred to in this notice as: “we” or “us” or “Ascendunt Group”), is a provider of IT professional services that specialises digital technology, transformation and data solutions.
We will process your personal data in accordance with data protection notice (such personal data sometimes also referred to as “information”).
Except as otherwise set out below, Ascendunt Group is the controller of the personal data (“controller” within the meaning of applicable data protection legislation).
When you are a temporary worker on an assignment at one of our clients, we may collect and process personal data about you such as:
• Identification information – we may process your name, contact information (including home address, home phone number, mobile phone number, email), citizenship and country of residence, date of birth, gender, digital signature and languages spoken.
• Professional information – we may process personal data related to your work including (without limitation) your job title, description and location, your department, professional email address, reporting levels, and employment status (full-time/part-time/etc.)
• Financial information – financial information including (without limitation) your bank account number, bank details, superannuation account number, tax file number
• Salary information – we may process salary information including (without limitation) recurring payments and benefits, your bonus.
• Performance-related information – performance-related information including (without limitation) information on your performance reviews.
• CV/resumes and other recruitment information – we may process your CV/resume, work history, information about your skills, your experience and educational background and other relevant information (such as your photograph, interview notes and personal data included in the cover letter or as part of the application process)
• Compensation and benefits information – we may process personal data relating to your current compensation and benefits including (without limitation) your current bonus, recurring payments and benefits.
• Government issued identifiers – we may process government issued identifiers including (without limitation) the tax file number and social security number, as legally required.
• Photographs and video footage – when participating in external or internal events, meetings, conferences or other events, we may process photographs or videos of you.
• Information related to your usage of Ascendunt Group devices, software and access to Ascendunt Group’s network – we may process information related to your use of our devices, software and access to our networks, including (without limitation) your browsing history, your use of email, internet and social media, whether at the workplace, on our equipment or otherwise through our networks.
• Information you choose to share with us – we may process additional personal data if you choose to share that with us.
This data may be obtained directly or indirectly from you. In the latter case, we will inform you of the purpose and data sources we use when we communicate with you in connection with our Services (e.g. to alert you about a job opportunity), or in any event within one month of the time we indirectly obtain your data. The exception is where the provision of this information to you would cause disproportionate efforts. In that case, we may take alternative measures to protect your rights and freedoms.
Ascendunt Group processes your personal data only for the purposes specified below:
Legal grounds for the processing of your personal data
General HR management and administration purposes (including workforce management)
The processing is necessary for the performance of the worker’s employment contract; and/or Processing is necessary for compliance with employment and social security legal obligations
To provide our Services to you (including matching and proposing you to clients, interviews, assessments). For example, we may process your personal data to recommend jobs to you based on your profile and enable our consultants to provide you with tailored job opportunities, career advice, reskilling options, suggest additional training where necessary and introduce you to hiring managers.
The processing of your data and the use of automated systems is necessary to provide you with the matching services, and is therefore based on (pre-) contractual necessity
Compensation, payroll and expense reimbursement (including reporting and billing to clients)
The processing is necessary for the performance of the worker’s employment contract; and/or Processing is necessary for compliance with employment and social security/tax legal obligations.
Insurance, pension and other benefits
Processing is necessary for the performance of the worker’s employment contract; and/or Processing is necessary for compliance with employment and social security legal obligations
Performance management, career development and training
Processing is necessary for the performance of the worker’s employment contract; and/or Processing is necessary for the purpose of the legitimate interests pursued by Ascendunt Group, which include the development and training of employees
Disciplinary and grievance management, investigations, appeals (including managing complaints) and handling reports through Ascendunt Group’s misconduct reporting procedure
Processing is necessary for the purpose of the legitimate interests pursued by Ascendunt Group, which include the protection of company assets, protecting its legal interests and managing legal claims/disputes
Dispute management and litigation
Processing is necessary for the purpose of the legitimate interests pursued by Ascendunt Group, which include the protection of company assets, protecting its legal interests and managing legal claims/disputes
Managing holidays, leaves and other absences
Processing is necessary for the performance of the worker’s employment contract; and Processing is necessary for the purpose of the legitimate interests pursued by Ascendunt Group, which include improving efficiency in the workplace and the proper conduct of its business
Compliance with labour, tax and social security laws and other legal or regulatory requirements (e.g. equal opportunity and workplace diversity requirements)
Processing is necessary for compliance with employment and compliance with our legal obligations under labour, tax, social security and other laws and regulations
IT support
Processing is necessary for the performance of the worker’s employment contract; and/or Processing is necessary for the purpose of the legitimate interests pursued by Ascendunt Group, which include safeguarding our assets and ensuring security of our information systems
Facilities, security and contingency planning purposes
Processing is necessary for the performance of the worker’s employment contract; and/or Processing is necessary for the purpose of the legitimate interests pursued by Ascendunt Group, which include safeguarding and securing our assets, our facilities, our information systems and our people
Network and device usage optimization and related security controls (including company network access and authentication)
Processing is necessary for the performance of the worker’s employment contract; and/or Processing is necessary for the purpose of the legitimate interests pursued by Ascendunt Group, which include safeguarding our assets and ensuring security of our information systems
Preventing, detecting and investigating fraud and other crimes, and compliance with sanctions regimes (including identification of politically exposed persons, specially designated nationals and screening against sanctions lists)
Processing is necessary for the purpose of the legitimate interests pursued by Ascendunt Group, which include the protection of company assets, protecting its legal interests and managing legal claims/disputes; and/or Processing is necessary to comply with our legal obligations (including when authorities or administrations ask information about a temporary worker)
To monitor and enforce compliance with Ascendunt Group policies and procedures
For the purpose of the legitimate interests pursued by Ascendunt Group, which include safeguarding our assets and ensuring security of our information systems
To monitor and enforce compliance with legal obligations applicable to us (including the requirements set out in your contract with us)
Processing is necessary for the purpose of the legitimate interests pursued by Ascendunt Group, which include the protection of company assets, protecting its legal interests and managing legal claims/disputes
Recruitment and staffing
(a) (pre)contractual necessity for our services when matching or when we enter into an employment contract with you we require some data to be able to draw up this contract and to then be able to execute it correctly; (b) If and only if the local process would not amount to a legally binding contractual relationship under (a) or if applicable law prescribes otherwise, the exception could be based on our legitimate interest to build and maintain a relationship; (c) Where (a) and (b) are not possible or local mandatory law requires so, only in those limited cases may this be based on a consent
Employee surveys, statistical purposes
Based on our legitimate interest to survey our workers so as to better understand their needs, to improve our services and to build and maintain a good relationship with our workers and with the clients they work at
Events
Based on our legitimate interest to organise events so as to better build and maintain a good relationship with the community of workers and with the clients our workers work at
To manage memberships of employees to professional associations
Processing is necessary for the purpose of the legitimate interests pursued by Ascendunt Group, which include improving efficiency in the workplace and the proper conduct of its business
To perform internal and external audits
Processing is necessary for the purpose of the legitimate interests pursued by Ascendunt Group, which include improving efficiency in the workplace and the proper conduct of its business, including compliance with laws and regulations
To conduct corporate transactions (including mergers, acquisitions and divestments)
Processing is necessary for the purpose of the legitimate interests pursued by Ascendunt Group, which include Ascendunt Group’s interest in developing its business through mergers, acquisitions and divestments
Your personal data will be kept for 7 years in accordance with our legal obligations. We may keep your personal data longer if necessary, in connection with any actual or potential dispute (e.g. we need this personal data to establish or defend legal claims), in which case we will keep your personal data until the end of such dispute; and/or for us to comply with any legal or regulatory obligation (e.g. for tax or pension purposes), in which case we will keep your personal data for as long as required by that obligation.
'Sensitive information' is Personal Information about an individual's health, racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, membership of a political association, religious beliefs or affiliations, philosophical beliefs, membership of a professional or trade association or membership of a trade union, among other things. We will collect, use and disclose your sensitive information only for the primary purpose for which it was collected, or for directly related purposes which would reasonably be expected by you, or for purposes to which you have consented and in other circumstances required or authorised by law. Personal Information (including sensitive information) may be included in documents that are identified as Commercial-in-Confidence such as:
• opinions expressed in meetings and recorded in the meeting minutes; and
• comments submitted as part of our compliance reporting obligations.
Documents labelled as Commercial-in-Confidence may be circulated within the organisation or to the responsible Customer.
Ascendunt Group will take reasonable steps to protect the Personal Information we hold from misuse, loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. The ways we do this include:
• limiting physical access to our premises;
• limiting access to the information we collect about you (for instance, only those of our personnel who need your information to carry out our business activities are authorised to access this Personal Information;
• requiring any third-party providers to have acceptable, industry standard security measures to keep Personal Information secure e.g. encryption
• putting in place physical, electronic, and procedural safeguards in line with industry standards e.g. encryption.
While we have measures in place to protect your personal data, it is important for you to understand that 100% complete security cannot be guaranteed. Under the Notifiable Data Breaches (NDB) scheme any organisation the Privacy Act 1988 covers must notify affected individuals and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) when a data breach is likely to result in serious harm to an individual whose Personal Information is involved.
Accordingly, Ascendunt Group has procedures in place to deal with data security incidents and to comply with legal requirements applicable to the detection, handling and notification of personal data breaches.
If we no longer require your Personal Information and are not legally required to retain it, Ascendunt Group will take reasonable steps to destroy or permanently de-identify the Personal Information.
You have the following rights regarding your personal data:
Rights
What does this mean?
Right to be informed
You have the right to be provided with clear, transparent, and easily understandable information about how we use your personal data and your rights. This is why we are providing you with the information in this notice
Right of access
You have the right to access the personal data we keep about you – this is because we want you to be aware of the personal data, we have about you and to enable you to verify whether we process your personal data in accordance with applicable data protection laws and regulations.
Right to rectification
If your personal data is inaccurate or incomplete, you have the right to request the rectification of your personal data.
Right to erasure
This is also known as ‘the right to be forgotten’ and, in simple terms, enables you to request the deletion or removal of your personal data where there is no compelling reason for us to keep it. This is not a general right to erasure, there are exceptions.
Right to restrict processing
You have rights to ‘block’ or suppress further use of your personal data in certain circumstances. When processing is restricted, we can still store your personal data, but may not use it further. We keep lists of people who have asked for further use of their personal data to be ‘blocked’ to make sure the restriction is respected in future.
Right to data portability
You have the right to obtain and reuse your personal data in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format in certain circumstances. In addition, where certain conditions apply, you have the right to have such personal data transferred directly to a third party.
Right to object to processing
You have the right to object to certain types of processing, in certain circumstances. In particular, the right to object to the processing of your personal data based on our legitimate interests or on public interest grounds; the right to object to processing for direct marketing purposes (including profiling); the right to object to the use of your personal data for scientific or historical research purposes or statistical purposes in certain circumstances.
Right to withdraw consent
If our processing of your personal data is based specifically on your consent, you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time. This includes your right to withdraw consent to our use of your personal data in the context of voluntary employee surveys.
You may access the Personal Information we hold about you and to update and/or correct it, subject to certain exceptions. If you wish to access your Personal Information, please contact us in writing.
Ascendunt Group will not charge any fee for your access request, but may charge an administrative fee for providing a copy of your Personal Information.
In order to protect your Personal Information we will require you to verify your identity and specify what information you require before releasing the requested information.
You must be aware that, in particular cases (for instance, due to legal requirements) we may not be able to make your request effective right away.
In any case, within one month from your request, we will inform you on the actions taken.
It is important to us that your Personal Information is up to date. We will take reasonable steps to make sure that your Personal Information is accurate, complete, up-to-date, relevant and not misleading. If you find that the information we have is not up to date or is inaccurate, please advise us as soon as practicable so we can update our records and ensure we can continue to provide quality services to you.
We may update this policy from time to time to take account of new laws and technology, changes to our operations and practices and the changing business environment. You can see the date on which the last change was made below in this notice. We advise you to review this notice on a regular basis so that you are aware of any changes.
If you are concerned that we have not complied with your legal rights or applicable privacy laws, you may bring a complaint internally through our complaints process or you may decide to make a formal complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (www.oaic.gov.au) (which is the regulator responsible for privacy in Australia).
• Step 1: let us know
If you would like to make a complaint, you should let us know by contacting our Privacy Officer (see below for contact details).
• Step 2: investigation of complaint
Your complaint will be investigated by our Privacy Officer. A response to your complaint will be provided in writing within a reasonable period.
• Step 3: contact OAIC
We expect our procedures will deal fairly and promptly with your complaint. However, if you remain dissatisfied, you can also contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner as follows:
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
GPO Box 5218
Sydney NSW 2001
General information about privacy may be found at https://www.oaic.gov.au