HRASM Website Privacy Policy
Overview
Welcome to online home of the Human Resources Association of Southern Maryland (HRASM). HRASM is a local resource for HR professionals in the tri-county area of St. Mary’s, Calvert, and Charles Counties. Our website is available to all visitors, although some content and features are restricted to HRASM members.
Throughout HRASM’s website, there are forms for visitors to apply for or renew membership and instructions for registering for events and programs. These forms may ask for contact information (such as your phone number or e-mail address), unique identifiers (usually your HRASM username and password), or demographic information (for example, your age, location, PHR/SPHR designation, etc.). Contact information from these forms is used to provide the services or memberships that you request. Unique identifiers (specifically, your HRASM username and password) are collected from website visitors to verify the user's identity for access to restricted content or features on the site.
This Online Privacy Policy discloses HRASM’s privacy practices and contains detailed information about the following:
- What information of yours does the HRASM website collect?
- What are "cookies" and how does HRASM use them?
- What organization collects the information and who has access to it?
- How does HRASM use the information it collects?
- How can you modify your HRASM member information?
- What is the opt-out policy for HRASM’s website?
- What types of security procedures are in place to protect against the loss, misuse or alteration of your information?
- How does HRASM use bulletin boards, discussion lists, and moderated chats?
All products and services on HRASM website are made available subject to this Privacy Policy. By using the products and services, you agree, without limitation or qualification, to be bound by this Privacy Policy.
Questions regarding this statement should be directed to:
HRASM
P.O. Box 475
California, MD 20619
HRASM will update this policy from time to time, so please check back periodically.
Frequently-Asked Questions
1. What information of yours does the HRASM website collect?
Our goal is to become your destination for HR-related information by providing information and services that are most relevant to you in the most convenient way. To achieve this goal, the HRASM website collects information about site visitors.
Information collected online is usually defined as being either anonymous or personally identifiable.
Anonymous information refers to data that cannot be tied back to a specific individual. HRASM collects some information each time a visitor comes to the HRASM website, so we can improve the overall quality of the visitor's online experience. For example, HRASM collects the visitor's IP address, browser, and platform type (e.g., a Netscape browser on a Windows platform). Gathering this data helps us to learn what browsers we need to support. Other anonymous information helps us determine what sections of the HRASM website are most popular and how many visitors come to our site. You do not have to register with the HRASM website before we can collect this anonymous information.
Personally identifiable information refers to data that tells us specifically who you are (e.g., your name and postal address). You are only required to provide such information if you want to take advantage of optional services provided through our website.
HRASM collects personal information in the following ways from different parts of its website:
- HRASM Membership Applications: You are sharing personally identifiable information, including your name and mailing address, with us when you join HRASM or renew your HRASM membership through our website. HRASM members are given a HRASM membership username and password, and this member identification enables members to take advantage of restricted content and features on the HRASM website.
- Other Registration: You may be asked for personal information when registering for specific events or programs.
2. What are "cookies" and how does HRASM use them?
A cookie is a small text file containing a unique identification number that is transferred from a website to the hard drive of your computer. This unique number identifies your web browser-but not you-to HRASM computers whenever you visit the HRASM website. A cookie will not provide personally identifiable information about you, such as your name and address. The use of cookies is now an industry standard, and cookies are currently used on most major websites. Most web browsers are initially set up to accept cookies. If you prefer, you can reset your browser to notify you when you have received a cookie. You can also set your browser to refuse to accept cookies altogether. While HRASM does not require you to use cookies, keep in mind that certain services will not function properly if you set your browser to refuse all cookies.
To help serve you better, HRASM generally uses cookies to:
- Identify return visitors. Cookies let us remember your web browser so we can provide personalized member services. Cookies also allow us to identify HRASM members who are returning to the site, so you will not have to re-enter a username and password the next time you visit.
- Display advertisements. While we use cookies on our website, the cookies received with any banner ads are provided by the outside advertiser. These cookies allow HRASM to manage the delivery of ads and do not collect personally identifiable information for HRASM.
3. What organization collects the information and who has access to it?
Data collected through HRASM’s website is generally collected and maintained solely by HRASM. More specifically:
- Personally identifiable information. When you provide personally identifiable information on the HRASM website to register for an event or program, that information is collected and maintained solely by HRASM, unless specifically stated otherwise at the point of collection. HRASM will inform you at the point of collection if your personal data is being shared with another organization. If you do not want to share your information with that company, you can choose not to use that service.
If you join HRASM or renew your membership through our website, you provide personally identifiable information on the membership application. HRASM does not sell mailing lists (names and mailing addresses) of members to any third-parties. HRASM does not sell member e-mail addresses to third-parties.
- Anonymous information. We disclose to third-party sponsors/advertisers aggregate statistics (i.e., impressions and click-throughs on a company's advertisement). Also, we may share aggregate website statistics with the media or other third parties. No personally identifiable information is disclosed to these sponsors/advertisers or other third parties as part of this process-only information in an aggregate form.
Be aware that HRASM’s sponsors, advertisers, and third-party content providers have links on our site that take you to other websites. For example, when you click on an ad displayed on HRASM’s website, you are linked to another site. Please note also that links to other websites may be provided throughout HRASM’s website for users' information and convenience. HRASM hopes that all third parties involved adhere to our policies regarding the privacy of our users. However, HRASM’s Website Privacy Policy does not cover third-party data collection practices, and the HRASM website does not assume any responsibility for any actions of third parties.
4. How does HRASM use the information it collects?
HRASM collects information to provide you with the services you request and to improve our website.
If you join HRASM or renew your HRASM membership through our website, we use the personally identifiable information you provide in the membership application to send you HRASM publications, information about member benefits, special offers, education resources and other information that HRASM believes is relevant and useful to its members. HRASM does not sell mailing lists of members. HRASM also does not sell member e-mail addresses to third-parties.
As mentioned above, HRASM uses the aggregate, anonymous data collected to let our sponsors/advertisers know the number of impressions or views and the number of "click throughs" on their advertisement(s). HRASM also uses this aggregate, anonymous data to perform statistical analyses of the collective characteristics and behavior of our site visitors; to measure user interests regarding specific areas of the HRASM website; and to analyze how and where best to use our resources. Without such data, we would not know which parts of the HRASM website are the most popular, and we would not be able to change and update the content and services appropriately.
HRASM may be required by law enforcement or judicial authorities to provide information on individual users to the appropriate governmental authorities. In matters involving a danger to personal or public safety, HRASM may voluntarily provide information to appropriate governmental authorities.
5. How can HRASM members modify their personal information?
HRASM members have the following options for changing and modifying information previously provided.
E-mail: hrasmsomd@yahoo.com
Visit: http://hrasmonline.shrm.org
Send mail to the following postal address: HRASM, P.O. Box 475, California, MD 20619.
6. What is the opt-out policy for the HRASM website?
HRASM provides members and customers the opportunity to opt-out of receiving communications from us and our partners. If you no longer wish to receive communications, you have the following options:
You can send an e-mail to: hrasmsomd@yahoo.com
You can send mail to the following postal address: HRASM, P.O. Box 475, California, MD 20619
7. What kinds of security procedures are in place to protect against the loss, misuse or alteration of your information?
The HRASM website has security measures, such as firewalls, in place to protect against the loss, misuse and alteration of your user data under our control. While we cannot guarantee that loss, misuse or alteration to data will not occur, we take reasonable precautions to prevent such unfortunate occurrences.
You are ultimately responsible for the security of your HRASM username and password. You may not share your HRASM username and password with colleagues or friends so they can access content or features on the HRASM website that are restricted to HRASM members only. You should log out of your browser at the end of each computer session to ensure that others cannot access your personal information and correspondence, especially if you share a computer with someone else or are using a computer in a public place like a library or Internet cafe.
8. How does the HRASM website use bulletin boards, discussion lists, and moderated chats?
This site makes bulletin boards and discussion lists available to its members. Any information that is disclosed in these areas becomes public information, and you should exercise caution when deciding to disclose your personal information. Although users may post messages that will appear on the message boards anonymously, HRASM does retain a record of who posts all notes.
Privacy Policy Effective February 2009.