Employee privacy notice

General

Your employment information is generally held by the People Unit. Some information will also be held by your local work area. Information about your financial transactions, expenses and pay is held by the Finance Unit.

Other areas of UTS may also collect and hold records about staff where relevant to their functions and services, such as:

• Student Services Unit in relation to health services
• Student Administration Unit or Graduate Research School for staff who are also UTS students
• Equity and Diversity Unit in relation to grievances or for equity reporting to external agencies (for example, Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency (EOWA)
• Advancement Unit in relation to fundraising and related activities
• University Library.

These areas will have their own privacy notices or consent requirements relevant to their activities.

Information about your role at UTS is not considered your personal information for the purpose of this notice. This includes your name, your position title and work contact details, for example, where your contact details are on the public website or the fact you signed a document or made a decision in your work capacity.

This notice may be amended and updated at any time. Changes to this notice will be communicated to staff through Staff Notices.

Collecting information

Information will be collected or generated about you during your employment with UTS. This includes:

• personal details, which include your title, date of birth, photograph, contact details, emergency contact name and employment contracts
• EEO data you voluntarily provide
• salary and financial information, which includes your bank account details, tax file number and superannuation details
• information you provided during your recruitment or appointment
• details of your previous employment or prior service
• information about your eligibility to work in Australia, which includes visa information if applicable
• any security, working with children checks, or criminal background checks required
• information required to issue corporate devices or credit cards. Information may also be collected if you are registered as an official officer of UTS for the purpose of accessing government systems
• records of your on boarding, induction and completion of training
• information about your leave applications
• information about your qualifications and credentials
• information about your work performance, which includes work plans, performance reviews, performance planning or performance management. This may also include information collected through 360 feedback assessments
• information you provide as part of applications for promotion
• information related to grievances, complaints, discipline, or misconduct matters if relevant
• any personal information disclosed through surveys and questionnaires issued by UTS from time to time
• information relating to a resignation or retirement, or other form of separation from UTS, which includes exit interviews and relevant surveys
• where information is volunteered by you in discussions or communication with UTS.

Information will also be collected by your local work area that is relevant to your day to day employment. This includes information about your work performance, work schedule, remote working arrangements, timesheets, working with children checks and safety compliance. Information may also be collected relating to grievances and complaints managed locally.

In addition, health information may be collected in some situations. This includes:

• where accidents, incidents, hazards, or injuries are reported by you or on your behalf
• information that may be relevant to work performance and changes in your contract
• information required to manage workers compensation claims
• return to work arrangements or adjustments with your employment
• leave requests on health grounds and related medical certificates, which may include health information about another person for carer’s leave
• where information is volunteered by you in discussions or communication with UTS.

Information will be automatically collected when you use IT hardware, software and the university’s information systems, for example, where actions are recorded in event logs. Information is also collected when you access UTS facilities, rooms, assets using your UTS staff ID card or as a result of security surveillance, including CCTV in line with the Surveillance Policy.

Using information

The information held by UTS will be used:

• to manage your employment
• for the effective conduct of the university’s business
• to manage staff remuneration, including any deductions applied
• to process reimbursements and other expense claims
• to manage staff travel
• to manage your performance. Information will also be used to manage staff performance at aggregated levels
• to provide services and support to staff
• where required to meet compliance and reporting obligations
• to facilitate staff surveys and questionnaires
• for quality improvement and planning purposes. This includes for operations and strategic planning
• to support staff retention strategies
• for activities related to workforce planning and recruitment planning. This may include considering you for other employment opportunities at UTS now or in the future.
• to review and investigate any complaints or incidents, and to manage disciplinary or misconduct matters. It may also be used if required for internal or external audits or investigations.
• to manage safety and wellbeing of staff and other individuals, and to provide support for staff. This includes requests for workplace adjustments or workers compensation matters.

Disclosing information

There will be occasions where your information may be disclosed to an external third party. This may include where a disclosure is required:

• to check eligibility for employment
• to provide or arrange training, development and coaching related services
• to process pay or expense claims, which includes where information needs to be disclosed to the ATO, your superannuation fund, or relevant government departments in relation to benefit claims or payments
• to organise travel and related insurance, which includes providing safe travel arrangements and support while travelling
• to manage requests for workplace adjustments or workers compensation claims
• to meet government reporting obligations, for example, where staff data is reported to the Commonwealth Department of Education
• to review and investigate any complaints or incidents, and to manage disciplinary or misconduct matters. It may also be disclosed if required for internal or external audits or investigations
• if someone’s health or life is under serious and imminent threat, which may include where there is a serious threat to public health and safety
• or otherwise required or permitted by law.

Information will also be disclosed in line with other privacy notices if relevant. Other disclosures may occur based on your consent.

Accessing your information

You can access some of your information directly by logging into the relevant information system, for example NEO. Otherwise you can contact your supervisor in the first instance to request access to information they hold.

You can contact the People Unit Client Services to request access to your centrally held employee information. An appointment to access your information will be arranged within standard business hours. Reasonable notice is required and timing will depend on where your information is held and business demands. Records are normally viewed in the presence of a People Unit staff member. You may take notes or make copies of information but are not permitted to remove or change any information. Making corrections is covered below.

In some cases access may not be provided. For example, if access to information may breach confidentiality or another person’s privacy. If a request is rejected you will be advised in writing of why and informed of your appeal rights or other ways access may be requested.

Correcting your information

You have an obligation to ensure your personal details are up to date and complete. This includes your address, contact details, emergency contact and qualifications. This also includes your bank account details for payment and expense reimbursements.

You can update some of your information directly by logging into the relevant information system, for example via NEO. Otherwise you can contact your supervisor in the first instance to request a correction to information they hold.

To request other changes:

• contact the People Unit Client Services for changes to your centrally held employee information
• contact Payroll in the Finance Unit to request changes to payroll or expense related information
• you will need to write to the Director People if you wish to request any information be removed from your record. For example, adverse reports.

Certain changes may require supporting evidence to be provided or sighted before a change can be made.

Requests to change information may not always be accepted. If a request is rejected you will be advised in writing of why and informed of your appeal rights. You can have a note added to information that you consider to be inaccurate, incomplete, or out of date.

Use of contracted service providers by UTS

UTS engages third parties to assist the university to provide systems and services. Some systems and services are relevant to your employment or engagement with UTS. For example, payroll, expense claims, travel, insurance, workers compensation, ongoing recruitment and surveys.

Your personal information may be accessed or held by parties who are under contract to provide systems and services to UTS. To provide systems and services to UTS, some contracted parties may also access or hold information outside NSW or overseas. UTS requires contracted parties to have compliant privacy policies and processes in place to protect your information. These parties are only allowed to use your information to assist UTS in providing the required services.

Records retention

Your staff records will be retained by UTS in line with the university’s records management policy. This covers how long records are kept and procedures for authorising the destruction of records.

Employee privacy contacts

People Unit Client Services

If you have any questions about this notice, or how your staff information is managed, contact the People Unit Client Services.

Email: HRclientservices@uts.edu.au
Phone: +61 2 9514 1060

UTS Payroll

If you have any questions relating to your payroll information, contact UTS Payroll.

Email: payroll@uts.edu.au
Phone: +61 2 9514 4466

Privacy at UTS

You can find further information about privacy at Privacy at UTS.