PRIVACY NOTICE : JOB APPLICATIONS

in compliance with EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) 2016/679

As part of any recruitment process, Whitby Wood collects and processes personal 
data relating to job applicants. We are committed to being transparent about how we collect and use that data, and to meeting our data protection obligations.

Download a copy of this data privacy notice >

What information does Whitby Wood collect?
We collect a range of information about each job applicant, including:
— Name, address and contact details, including email address and telephone number
— Qualifications, skills, experience and employment history details
— Information about current levels of remuneration, including benefit entitlements
— Whether or not an application has a disability for which we need to make reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process
— Information about an applicant’s entitlement to work in the UK

Whitby Wood may collect this information in a variety of ways. For example, data might be contained in application forms, CVs or resumes, or obtained from a passport or other identity documents, or collected through interviews or other forms of assessment. We may also collect personal data about an applicant from third parties, such as through references supplied by former employers. We only seek information from third parties once a job offer has been made, and we inform the applicant that we are doing so.

Data is stored in a range of places, including on individual application records, in HR management systems and on other IT systems (including email).

Why does Whitby Wood process personal data?
We need to process data both prior to entering into an employment contract and in order to enter into such a contract. In some cases, we need to process data to ensure that we are complying with our legal obligations. For example, it is mandatory to check a successful applicant’s eligibility to work in the UK before employment starts.

Whitby Wood has 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 we offer a job. We may also need to process data from job applicants in order to respond to, and defend against, legal claims.

Circumstances might dictate that Whitby Wood processes special categories of data, such as information about ethnic origin, sexual orientation, or religion or beliefs, for the monitoring of 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 our obligations and exercise specific rights in relation to employment.

If an application is unsuccessful, Whitby Wood may want to keep the applicant’s personal data on file in case there are future employment opportunities for which the person may be suited. In these circumstances, we will ask for the applicant’s consent before we keep the data for this purpose, and consent can be withdrawn at any time.

Who has access to the data?
Information may be shared internally to support the recruitment process. People with access may include 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 the data with third parties, except in the case of a successful application where we have made an offer of employment, in which case we may share the applicant’s data with former employers to obtain references, and/or employment background check providers to obtain necessary background checks.

How does Whitby Wood protect data?
We take the security of personal data seriously. We have internal policies and controls in place to ensure that personal data is not lost, accidentally destroyed, misused or disclosed, and is not accessed except by nominated employees in the proper performance of their duties.

For how long is the data kept?
For unsuccessful employment applications, Whitby Wood holds the applicant’s data on file for six months after the end of the relevant recruitment process. If an applicant agrees to allow it, we may hold personal data on file for a further six months for consideration in relation to future employment opportunities. At the end of that period, or if consent is withdrawn, the data is deleted or destroyed.

If you are submitting your CV to Whitby Wood and wish to be considered for other future positions, you should clearly indicate whether you give us consent to hold your details for the full 12 months or not.

For successful employment applications, personal data gathered during the recruitment process is transferred to a new Human Resources file (electronic and paper based) and retained during employment. The period for which individuals’ data is to be held is set out in our internal Data Protection Policy, which is accessible by all staff.

If we are holding your data, 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)
— Object to the processing of your data where Whitby Wood is relying on its legitimate interests as the legal grounds for processing

To exercise any of these rights, contact Whitby Wood HR … hr@whitbywood.com

If you believe that Whitby Wood has not complied with your data protection rights, you can complain to the UK’s Information Commissioner.

What if you do not provide personal data?
You are under no statutory or contractual obligation to provide data to Whitby Wood 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.