At the Human Resources Professionals Association of Ontario (HRPAO), the privacy of your personal information has always been an important aspect of how we operate. On January 1, 2004, the federal Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) began to apply to provincially regulated organizations that collect, use and disclose personal information in the course of commercial activity. As such, the HRPAO has developed the following Privacy Policy in order to ensure compliance with PIPEDA, as well as to inform individuals of our continuing commitment to the protection of their personal information.
What is personal information?
Personal information includes any factual or subjective information, recorded or not, about an identifiable individual. This includes information in any form such as a personal e-mail address, credit card numbers, home addresses and so on. It does not include information normally found on a business card, such as name, title, company, business address, business telephone or fax number.
Who is responsible for protecting the personal information collected, used and disclosed by the HRPAO?
The Director, Finance & Administration of the HRPAO is the Chief Privacy Officer for the organization. The Chief Privacy Officer, along with members of the Privacy Compliance Team, HRPAO staff, and board and committee members, are responsible for ensuring compliance with PIPEDA and with this Privacy Policy. At times, HRPAO staff may be delegated to act on behalf of the Chief Privacy Officer or to take responsibility for occasional collection, use and disclosure of personal information.
Why does the HRPAO collect, use or disclose personal information?
The HRPAO is committed to providing its members and other individuals with quality professional development opportunities, excellent networking events, up-to-date information in the field of Human Resources (HR), as well as information regarding the association itself. In order to meet these goals, the HRPAO may collect, use and disclose personal information, when applicable, for the following purposes:
- To uphold the commitment to continue professional growth in human resources management, in support of the goals, objectives and by-laws of the Association;
- To verify the identity of HRPAO members;
- To collect and verify academic, certification and recertification requirements as set out in the HRPAO by-laws;
- To register members and non-members for HRPAO events;
- To market and sell HRPAO products and services;
- To communicate and provide information about member benefits;
- To communicate and provide information about up-coming HR and HR-related events, programs, services and other opportunities to members, non-members, and prospective members;
- To provide members only access to the HRPAO Online Membership Directory.
The HPRAO does not sell or rent its membership information to any external parties.
How do individuals provide the HRPAO with their consent for the collection, use and disclosure of their personal information?
Consent can be withdrawn by contacting the HRPAO Chief Privacy Officer who will ensure that the individual’s personal information is no longer used or disclosed by the organization.
How much personal information does the HRPAO collect, use or disclose?
The HRPAO collects, uses and discloses personal information only to the extent required to fulfill the purposes stated within this policy.
How long does the HRPAO retain personal information?
The HRPAO retains personal information only for as long as is required to fulfill the purposes stated within this policy, and to meet all requirements by law. For example, inactive membership records are retained in a protected storage facility for a seven (7) year period as required by law. Another example is members’ contact information being retained only for the duration of their active membership period.
How accurate is the personal information collected, used and disclosed by the HRPAO?
Personal information that is collected, used and disclosed by HRPAO is provided by individuals and is updated by the association when requested by the individual. If an individual’s personal information requires amendment, they may contact the HRPAO office at
How secure is the personal information stored at the HRPAO?
The HRPAO is committed to ensuring that personal information is protected from unauthorized access, unintended disclosures or theft. This protection is provided by firewalls in the computer system, passwords to protect databases, locked filing cabinets and restricted access to offices. Only the Chief Privacy Officer and delegated individuals have access to this information.
How is personal information collected, used or disclosed via HRPAO's web sites?
In order to enhance your browsing experience when accessing HRPAO's web sites, a small text file called a "cookie" is sent from our web server to your browser and stored on your computer. Cookies enhance your browsing experience, and also allow us to recognize you when you return to HRPAO's web sites. You may set your browser to notify you when you receive cookies and you may choose to disable or delete cookies if you wish. Cookies are not programs or code, and are only used to optimize browsing.
HRPAO's web sites also log IP addresses of visitors. This information is used, in aggregate form, to provide statistical measures about usage of the site. This in turn allows us to continually improve the content and design of our web sites.
HRPAO's web sites may contain links to other web sites owned and operated by third parties. While we attempt to ensure that these organizations adhere to similar privacy policies, we are not responsible for the content or privacy practices of such sites. It is highly recommended that you review the privacy policies of other sites prior to providing any personal information on those sites.
How can individuals learn more about HRPAO’s Privacy Policy?
Updated versions of this Privacy Policy will continue to be posted on the HRPAO Web site at www.hrpao.org as we make improvements. This Policy is also available in hard-copy at the HRPAO office, a copy of which can be requested by contacting the HRPAO at:
HRPAO
M4W 3E2
Phone: (416) 923-2324
Fax: (416) 923-7264
E-mail: privacy@hrpao.org
How can individuals access their personal information held by the HRPAO?
Individuals have a right to access their own personal information in the possession and control of the HRPAO. They also have a right to know if their information has been disclosed to any third parties. If individuals wish to access their personal information, they need to contact the HRPAO in writing at the above mailing or e-mail address. The HRPAO reserves the right to charge a reasonable fee for the copying of this information.
How can individuals relay their concerns about their personal information held by the HRPAO?
K1A 1H3
Tel: (613) 995-8210
Toll free: 1-800-282-1376
Fax: (613) 947-6850
E-mail: info@privcom.gc.ca
Updated: February 12, 2004