Job Applicant Privacy Notice

At Autism Plus we are serious about data protection. We are committed to protecting your data and storing it safely and securely

Please see the Autism Plus Privacy Policy for more detailed information. As part of Autism Plus recruitment process, we collect, process and store personal data related to job applicants – both paid and unpaid.

What information do we collect and why do we collect it?

We only collect information relevant to the post that is being advertised and for the purposes of assessing suitability for the post, this includes a range of personal data:

• Name, address, e-mail address, telephone number(s)
• Details of employment history
• Details of education history, qualifications and training
• Whether you have a disability which would require reasonable adjustments as part of the interview process
• A number of statutory obligations including:
  • information regarding criminal convictions and cautions (relevant to the type of job role)
  • information about right to work in the UK
• Any other information relevant to the job

This information enables us to comply with legal requirements, to pursue the legitimate interests of the company and protect our legal position in the event of legal proceedings.

If you become an employee, please refer to the Employee Privacy Notice.

Legislation we adhere to:

• Data Protection Act 1998
• Human Rights Act 1998
• Access to Health Records Act 1990
• Public Records Act 1958
• General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and The Data Protection Act 2018

How do we collect this information?

We may do this in a variety of different ways including from CV’s, applications forms, passports and other identify documents via e-mail, online websites (Autism Plus and external sites), recruitment agencies, in physical form such as through the post and from information provided in person.

Third party personal data

We may obtain application forms and CV’s from third parties such as recruitment agencies. We will also obtain employee references from former employers, education establishments and personal referees, though these will only be taken up after a job offer has been made.

Data storage

Information for unsuccessful candidates will be stored in lockable cabinets for a period of 6 months for the purposes of defending any legal claims, and on I.T systems for 6 months, after which the information will be destroyed securely. Successful candidates will have the information stored in employee records for the duration of their employment - The Employee Privacy Notice will provide more details. We take data storage and security seriously, and have relevant data policies to ensure that data is handled, stored and destroyed securely.

Why do we process personal data?

We need to process the data in order to ensure that we meet our statutory obligations in regards of criminal records, right to work in the UK and other factors such from a safeguarding perspective such as employment history. This ensures that we are able to determine suitability for the post applied for.

We have a legitimate interest in processing personal data during the recruitment process and for keeping records of the process. Processing data from job applicants allows us to manage the recruitment process, assess and confirm a candidate's suitability for employment and decide to whom to offer a job. We may also need to process data from job applicants to respond to and defend against legal claims.

We may process special categories of data, such as information about ethnic origin, sexual orientation or religion or belief, to monitor recruitment statistics. We may also collect information about whether or not applicants are disabled to make reasonable adjustments for candidates who have a disability. We process such information to carry out its obligations and exercise specific rights in relation to employment.

If your application is unsuccessful, we may keep your personal data on file beyond 6 months in case there are future employment opportunities for which you may be suited. We will ask for your consent before we keep your data for this purpose and you are free to withdraw your consent at any time if you do so.

Who will we share data with and who will have access to my data?

Your information may be shared internally for the purposes of the recruitment exercise, which will include members of the HR team, interviewers involved in the recruitment process, managers of the service/function and IT staff if access to the data is necessary for the performance of their roles. We will not share your data with third parties, unless your application for employment is successful and we make you an offer of employment. We will then share your data with former employers to obtain references for you, and employment background check providers such as DBS check providers to obtain necessary background checks.

Your rights

As a data subject, you have a number of rights. You can:

• access and obtain a copy of your data on request;
• require the organisation to change incorrect or incomplete data;
• require the organisation to delete or stop processing your data, for example where the data is no longer necessary for the purposes of processing; and
• object to the processing of your data where Autism Plus is relying on its legitimate interests as the legal ground for processing

What if you do not provide personal data?

You are under no statutory or contractual obligation to provide data to us during the recruitment process, however, if you do not provide the information, it is highly likely that your application won’t be able to be taken any further as we won’t be able to process the data adequately to meet the needs of the process and to meet our legal obligations

If you need further information or wish to make a complaint.

You can request details of the information we hold on you. In order to do so, please contact the HR department on:

0114 384 0340
humanresources@autismplus.co.uk
Autism Plus HR, Exchange Brewery, 2 Bridge Street, Sheffield, S3 8NS

If not satisfied, then you may wish to report to the Information Commissioners Office.