As part of any recruitment process, Whitehead Monckton collects and processes personal data relating to job applicants. We are committed to being transparent about how we collect and use this data to meet our General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) obligations.
What information does Whitehead Monckton collect?
We collect a range of information about you. This includes:
- your name, address and contact details, including email address, national insurance number, telephone number, gender and date of birth;
- details of your educational establishments, qualifications, skills, experience and employment history;
- at interview stage information about your current level of remuneration, including benefit entitlements;
- at interview stage whether or not you have a disability for which we need to be able to make reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process;
We may collect this information in a variety of ways. For example, data might be contained in application forms, letters or CV’s, or collected through interviews or other forms of assessment.
Data will be stored in a range of different places, including on your application record and other IT systems (including email).
Why does Whitehead Monckton process personal data?
We need to process data to take steps at your request prior to entering into a contract with you. It may also need to process your data to enter into a contract with you.
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 information about whether or not applicants are disabled to make reasonable adjustments for candidates who have a disability. This is to carry out its obligations and exercise specific rights in relation to employment.
Whitehead Monckton will not use your data for any purpose other than the recruitment exercise for which you have applied.
Who has access to data?
Your information may be shared internally for the purposes of the recruitment exercise. This includes members of the HR team, interviewers involved in the recruitment process, managers in the business area with a vacancy 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 it makes you an offer of employment. We will then share your data with former employers to obtain references for you.
Whitehead Monckton will not transfer your data outside the European Economic Area.
How does Whitehead Monckton protect data?
We take the security of your data seriously. We have internal policies and controls in place to ensure that your data is not lost, accidentally destroyed, misused or disclosed, and is not accessed except by our employees in the proper performance of their duties.
For how long does Whitehead Monckton keep data?
If your application for employment is unsuccessful, we will hold your data on file for 6 months after the end of the relevant recruitment process. If you are unsuccessful following an interview we will hold you data for 12 months after the end of the relevant recruitment process. At the end of these periods or if you were to withdraw your consent, your data will be deleted or destroyed.
If your application for employment is successful, personal data gathered during the recruitment process will be transferred to your personnel file and retained during your employment. The periods for which your data will be held will be provided to you in a new privacy notice.
Work Experience
If your application for work experience is unsuccessful we will delete or destroy your data immediately.
If your application for work experience is successful we will hold your data from the date of your application until the end your placement. At the end of this period or if you were to withdraw your consent, your data will be deleted or destroyed.
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 us to change incorrect or incomplete data;
- require us 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 we are relying on its legitimate interests as the legal ground for processing.
If you would like to exercise any of these rights, please contact Joanne Forbes, HR Officer – joanneforbes@wmlaw.uk
If you believe that the organisation has not complied with your data protection rights, you can complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
Data Protection Officer
We have appointed a Data Protection Officer to oversee the compliance with this privacy notice. If you have any questions about this notice or how we handle your personal information, please contact Simon Longhurst, Chief Operating Officer – simonlonghurst@wmlaw.uk
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, we may not be able to process your application properly or at all.
Automated decision-making
Whitehead Monckton does not use automated decision-making during any part of its recruitment processes.
If you would like to download or print this Privacy Notice then please click here.
