1. Introduction
Welcome to Hire4Europe ("we," "us," or "our"). We are committed to protecting your personal data and respecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our job recruitment platform.
This policy applies to all users of our platform, including job seekers, employers, and visitors. By using Hire4Europe, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.
Your Privacy Matters
We are fully compliant with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other applicable data protection laws. Your personal data is processed lawfully, fairly, and transparently.
2. Data Controller
Hire4Europe is the data controller responsible for your personal data. Our contact details are provided in the Contact Us section at the end of this policy.
We have appointed a Data Protection Officer (DPO) who is responsible for overseeing questions in relation to this privacy policy. If you have any questions about this privacy policy, including any requests to exercise your legal rights, please contact our DPO using the details set out below.
3. What Data We Collect
3.1 For Job Seekers
When you register as a job seeker or apply for jobs, we may collect:
- Personal Information: First name, last name, date of birth, email address, phone number
- Professional Information: CV/Resume, work experience, education history, skills, qualifications, certifications
- Location Data: Country, city, address (if provided)
- Account Information: Username, password (encrypted), profile preferences
- Job Search Data: Job alerts preferences, saved jobs, application history
- Communications: Messages sent through our platform, email correspondence
- Technical Data: IP address, browser type, device information, usage data
3.2 For Employers
When you register as an employer or post jobs, we may collect:
- Company Information: Company name, registration number, VAT number, business address
- Administrator Information: Name, email, phone number, position
- Account Information: Username, password (encrypted), company profile
- Job Postings: Job descriptions, requirements, salary information, location
- Recruitment Data: Candidate evaluations, interview notes, hiring decisions
- Payment Information: Billing details (processed by secure third-party payment providers)
3.3 For All Users
- Usage Data: Pages visited, features used, time spent on platform, search queries
- Communication Preferences: Email preferences, notification settings
- Device Information: Device type, operating system, browser version
4. How We Use Your Data
4.1 For Job Seekers
- To create and manage your account
- To match you with relevant job opportunities
- To process your job applications
- To send you job alerts based on your preferences
- To enable communication with potential employers
- To improve our job matching algorithms
- To send you platform updates and notifications
4.2 For Employers
- To create and manage your company account
- To publish and manage your job postings
- To match you with relevant candidates
- To enable communication with job applicants
- To process payments for premium services
- To provide analytics and insights on your recruitment campaigns
- To comply with legal obligations
4.3 For All Users
- To provide, operate, and maintain our platform
- To improve, personalize, and expand our services
- To understand and analyze how you use our platform
- To develop new products, services, features, and functionality
- To prevent fraud and maintain platform security
- To comply with legal obligations and enforce our terms
5. Legal Basis for Processing
Under GDPR, we process your personal data on the following legal bases:
- Consent: You have given clear consent for us to process your personal data for specific purposes (e.g., job alerts, marketing communications)
- Contract: Processing is necessary for the performance of a contract with you (e.g., providing recruitment services)
- Legal Obligation: Processing is necessary to comply with legal obligations (e.g., tax, employment law)
- Legitimate Interests: Processing is necessary for our legitimate interests or those of a third party, except where overridden by your rights (e.g., fraud prevention, platform improvement)
6. Data Sharing and Third Parties
6.1 When We Share Your Data
For Job Seekers:
- Your profile and application data are shared with employers when you apply for jobs
- Your public profile information may be visible to employers searching for candidates
- We may share anonymized, aggregated data with partners for analytics purposes
For Employers:
- Your company information is displayed on job postings
- Your contact details may be shared with job applicants
6.2 Third-Party Service Providers
We may share data with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in:
- Email delivery and communications
- Payment processing
- Data analytics and platform improvements
- Cloud hosting and storage
- Customer support services
All third-party providers are contractually bound to protect your data and use it only for specified purposes.
6.3 Legal Requirements
We may disclose your information when required by law or to:
- Comply with legal processes or government requests
- Enforce our Terms of Service
- Protect our rights, privacy, safety, or property
- Prevent fraud or security issues
7. Data Retention
We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes set out in this policy:
7.1 Job Seeker Data
- Active accounts: Data is retained while your account is active
- Inactive accounts: If you don't log in for 24 months, we may delete your account and data after notifying you
- Job applications: Application data is retained for 12 months after application, unless you request earlier deletion
- Deleted accounts: Data is permanently deleted within 30 days of account deletion
7.2 Employer Data
- Active accounts: Data is retained while your account is active
- Job postings: Archived job postings are retained for 24 months for analytics purposes
- Recruitment data: Candidate evaluations are retained according to employment laws (typically 6-12 months)
7.3 Legal Retention
Some data may be retained longer if required by law (e.g., financial records for 7 years for tax purposes).
8. Your Rights Under GDPR
You have the following rights regarding your personal data:
- Right to Access: You can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
- Right to Rectification: You can request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data
- Right to Erasure (Right to be Forgotten): You can request deletion of your personal data
- Right to Restrict Processing: You can request that we limit how we use your data
- Right to Data Portability: You can request your data in a machine-readable format
- Right to Object: You can object to certain types of processing (e.g., marketing)
- Right to Withdraw Consent: You can withdraw consent at any time (where consent is the legal basis)
- Right to Lodge a Complaint: You can file a complaint with your local data protection authority
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details in the Contact Us section. We will respond within 30 days.
9. Cookies and Tracking
9.1 What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit our website. They help us provide you with a better experience.
9.2 Types of Cookies We Use
- Essential Cookies: Required for the platform to function (e.g., login sessions, security)
- Performance Cookies: Help us understand how users interact with our platform
- Functionality Cookies: Remember your preferences and settings
- Analytics Cookies: Help us improve our services by tracking usage patterns
9.3 Managing Cookies
You can control cookies through your browser settings. However, disabling certain cookies may affect platform functionality.
10. Data Security
We implement robust security measures to protect your personal data:
- Encryption: All data is encrypted in transit (SSL/TLS) and at rest
- Access Controls: Role-based access ensures only authorized personnel can access data
- Password Security: Passwords are hashed using industry-standard algorithms
- Regular Audits: We conduct regular security audits and vulnerability assessments
- Secure Infrastructure: Our servers are hosted in secure, GDPR-compliant data centers
- Incident Response: We have procedures in place to respond to data breaches promptly
While we strive to protect your data, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security but continuously work to improve our protections.
11. International Data Transfers
Hire4Europe operates primarily within the European Union. If we transfer data outside the EU/EEA, we ensure adequate protection through:
- EU-approved Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs)
- Adequacy decisions by the European Commission
- Appropriate safeguards as required by GDPR
12. Children's Privacy
Our platform is not intended for users under 16 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal data, please contact us immediately, and we will delete such information.
13. Automated Decision-Making
We may use automated systems (including AI) to:
- Match candidates with relevant job opportunities
- Recommend jobs based on your profile and preferences
- Filter and rank candidates for employers
Your Rights: You have the right to request human review of any automated decision that significantly affects you. You can also request an explanation of how the decision was made.
14. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We will notify you of any material changes by:
- Posting the new policy on this page with an updated "Last Updated" date
- Sending an email notification (for significant changes)
- Displaying a notice on our platform
We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your data.
