Last updated: January 18, 2025

At Matthew’s Recruitment Agency Ltd., we are committed to helping people find jobs and assisting employers in finding excellent candidates. We take your privacy seriously and handle your personal information in accordance with this privacy notice and applicable data protection laws and regulations. This notice outlines your rights, our responsibilities, and explains how, why, and when we process your personal data that we collect from you when you access or use our website or interact with us by phone, in person, or via other means.

1. Why do we process your information?

We process your personal data to operate as an employment agency for temporary, contract, and permanent recruitment services. Legally, we are required to ensure that candidates we place are suitable for the roles, and that the roles are suitable for the candidates. We also have a duty of care to act in the best interests of our clients, which requires us to collect and process relevant information. Additionally, we process other data to ensure we provide services that are legally compliant, fair, and continuously improving while preventing human rights violations.

2. Who will we share information with?

We share job applicant information with client organizations to enable them to assess candidates for job opportunities. We have contracts in place ensuring client organizations treat this information as confidential.

To perform our recruitment services, we may share client contact details (such as name, title, and contact info) with workers, for example, when arranging interviews with job applicants.

We may also share information with third parties, such as government regulators, independent social compliance auditors, or clients, as required to ensure we are operating in compliance with legal and ethical standards.

If we need to share your data with others not covered in this privacy notice (e.g., sharing testimonials with potential clients), we will do so only where we have a legitimate reason and after seeking your consent.

3. Collection, Use, and Retention of Your Information

Since we collect information from Agency Workers and Affiliates, the following separate sections are designed to help you easily find the information that is relevant for you. Each section has the details of the types of information we collect, how we use it, and the duration for which we will retain it.

3.1 AGENCY WORKERS

Agency Workers are workers we supply to work with our client companies.

3.1.1 What information do we collect?

We collect personal data from you to fulfill our contractual obligations, comply with legal requirements, and serve our legitimate interests in offering employment services and providing staff to our clients.

This will include:

• Your name and contact details
• Your right to work status
• Your skills, work experience, and qualifications
• Details about the type of work you are seeking
• Whether you need any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process
• Your National Insurance number and bank details for payment purposes
• Your next of kin
• Reference details
• Health information relevant to the job you’re applying for
• Any unspent criminal convictions
• Details about any reasonable adjustments needed for you to undertake specific roles
• When we need to perform pre-employment assessments as part of the recruitment process your results will be stored for future reference

3.1.2 How do we use it?

The information we collect will only be used to process your job application or to meet legal or regulatory requirements if needed. The details we request help us assess your suitability for the role. While you are not obligated to provide the requested information, not doing so may impact our ability to offer you work.

3.1.3 How long do we keep it?

We will retain your information for as long as you wish to receive our communications. After that, we will keep it for a longer period if required to fulfill our business, legal, or regulatory obligations. As a standard practice, if you are a candidate, we will store your information as long as you are actively engaging with us to find employment opportunities. If you cease active engagement with us:

• For permanent or fixed-term candidates, we will retain your data for two years after our last meaningful contact
• For temporary or contracting candidates, we will retain your data for two years after our last meaningful contact, (or, the company you are working for or with)
• For contractors who have completed an assignment, we will keep assignment details for six years after the assignment ends, in compliance with accounting and tax laws, and to assist with any HMRC queries regarding your tax status.

Once the retention period expires or consent is withdrawn, we will securely delete or anonymize your information.

3.2 AFFILIATES

This refers to individuals from suppliers, support teams, clients, and other organizations we work with to support our employment agency business activities.

3.2.1 What information do we collect?

We collect personal data to meet our legal obligations and when it is in our legitimate interests as an employment agency. Individuals within the companies we collaborate with also have the right to have their personal information protected. We will only share data when permitted by law and relevant to our business needs, such as sharing your name, job title, and contact details to arrange an interview. Furthermore, we may share professional information that is publicly available, like details from company websites, LinkedIn profiles, and similar sources. We are dedicated to safeguarding personal data and ensuring compliance with privacy regulations in all instances of data sharing.

3.2.2 How do we use it?

The information we request will only be used for purposes related to the legitimate activities of our employment agency business.

3.2.3 How long do we keep it?

We are committed to ensuring that Affiliate data is retained responsibly and in compliance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements. Our data retention policy is outlined as follows:

Affiliate Contact Information: We will retain Affiliate contact details for the duration of the Affiliate relationship and for up to 2 years after the relationship ends, to facilitate any follow-up or business needs that may arise.

Contractual or Financial Data: Contracts, agreements, and other financial records (such as invoices and payments) will be retained for at least 6 years, in line with legal obligations for accounting, tax, and auditing purposes.

After the relevant retention period has expired, all client data will be securely deleted or anonymized to ensure privacy and compliance with data protection standards.

4. Lawful Basis for processing

4.1 Registration

Lawful basis for processing: Contract

Matthew’s Recruitment Agency Ltd. is contractually obligated to help applicants secure employment by offering job application services, which includes forwarding applicant information to potential employers during the recruitment process. To meet this requirement, applicants must register with us and provide necessary details, such as their name and contact information. Likewise, clients must register by providing their own key details, including name and contact information. This information is vital for us to effectively submit job applications on behalf of candidates and to ensure efficient collaboration with employers.

Purpose of processing: To allow job applicants to apply for positions and enable Matthew’s Recruitment Agency staff to receive and process applications, while also helping clients fill open job opportunities and meet their staffing requirements.

4.2 Quick Upload CV

Lawful basis for processing: Contract

Matthew’s Recruitment Agency Ltd. is contractually obligated to assist applicants in securing employment by offering job application services, which includes forwarding applicant details to potential employers during the recruitment process. To fulfill this duty, candidates may upload their Curriculum Vitae (CV), which includes essential information such as name, contact details, and work experience. Submitting the CV/resume to us enhances job opportunities, streamlines the hiring process, and connects candidates with prospective employers.

Purpose of processing: To enable job applicants to apply for jobs and allow Matthew’s Recruitment Agency staff to receive and process job applications.

4.3 Contact Form

Lawful basis for processing: Legitimate interests

It is important for both the job applicant and Matthew’s Recruitment Agency that communications are securely received. To ensure the integrity of communications, we must keep a copy of each message we receive through the Contact Form. This allows us to retrieve the information in case of an email failure or delivery issue. By retaining a backup, we can ensure that the communication reaches its intended recipient and address any potential problems quickly, safeguarding the applicant’s details and ensuring a smooth process throughout our correspondence.

Purpose of processing: To enable message retrieval should there be a failure with email.

5. Your rights under GDPR

Under the UK GDPR and applicable data protection laws, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:

5.1 Right to be Informed:

This privacy policy provides transparency about how we process your personal data.

5.2 Right of Access:

You have the right to obtain a copy of the personal data we hold about you. To request this, please email info@matthewsrecruitmentagency.uk. We will provide the requested data free of charge within one month.

5.3 Right to Rectification:

If the information we hold about you is incorrect or incomplete, you can request that we correct or update it. Please email info@matthewsrecruitmentagency.uk with your request, and we will process it free of charge within one month.

5.4 Right to Erasure:

You may request that we delete any or all of the personal data we hold about you. To do so, email info@matthewsrecruitmentagency.uk. We will delete the data free of charge within one month unless the data is necessary for services we are contractually required to provide. If we are unable to fulfil your request, we will inform you of the reasons.

5.5 Right to Restrict Processing:

If you wish to restrict how we process your personal data, please email info@matthewsrecruitmentagency.uk. We will restrict processing free of charge within one month, except where the data is necessary for services we are contractually obligated to provide. If we are unable to restrict processing, we will inform you.

5.6 Right to Data Portability:

You can request a copy of your data in a commonly used, machine-readable format, which will be provided free of charge within one month. Please email info@matthewsrecruitmentagency.uk for this request.

5.7 Right to Object:

If you wish to object to any processing of your personal data, email us at info@matthewsrecruitmentagency.uk. We will cease further processing of your data immediately, free of charge.

5.8 Rights Related to Automated Decision-Making, Including Profiling:

This website does not use automated decision-making or profiling. If this changes in the future, we will notify you accordingly.

6. Safeguarding measures

Matthew’s Recruitment Agency Ltd. takes your privacy and security seriously. We implement reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your personal data, including:

• Strong password-protected entries
• Restricted access to authorized personnel only
• Malware and anti-virus protection systems
• Encryption and secure storage systems (if applicable)

We also regularly assess and update our security practices to protect your data from unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction.

7. Lodging a complaint

If you believe that we have not handled your personal data appropriately or wish to lodge a complaint, you have the right to file a complaint with the supervisory authority. In the UK, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is the relevant authority. You can find more information and lodge a complaint via their website: www.ico.org.uk.

8. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time to reflect changes in the law, our practices, or how we process your data. Please review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we are protecting your data.

9. Contact information

If you have any questions or concerns about how we process your personal data, or if you would like to exercise any of your rights outlined in this privacy policy, please contact us at:

Email: info@matthewsrecruitmentagency.uk
Address: 67a, Beauvale Road, Nottingham, NG2 2EW
Tel: +44 01159195627

At Matthew’s Recruitment Agency Ltd. , we are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring your personal data is handled securely and responsibly. Thank you for trusting us with your information.