Privacy Policy

PREAMBLE
These guidelines have been developed from a review of the implications of the private sector provisions in the Privacy Amendment (Private Sector) Act 2000, the National Privacy Principles (Privacy Act 1988) together with the Code of Ethics of the Australian Psychological Society and specifically the APS’s ‘Guidelines for the use of psychological tests’. In particular, the Policy applies to the use of Psychological Assessment and interview appraisal as part of a recruitment or human resources development activity.

WHAT HAPPENS TO THE INFORMATION COLLECTED DURING AN ASSESSMENT
All information gathered by Compass Consulting during the assessment or recruitment process will remain confidential and secure except when:
  1. It has been subpoenaed by a court (for example, the Family Court);
  2. Failure to disclose the information would place you or another person at risk; or
  3. Individual approval has been obtained to:
    1. Provide a report to a nominated organisation; or
    2. Discuss the material with another person.
The information collected contributes to an assessment report. Assessment reports are managed as confidential documents, and are accessed only by the staff of the client organisation who have a need to know. These individuals are professionals familiar with the use of such reports and their use within the context of other information collected in the process of recruiting or making human resource decisions.

This consultancy practice (Compass Consulting) holds all results and reports generated by the assessment process (hard copy and electronic). The assessment data is used to prepare a report that is then provided “in confidence” to the designated representative of the client organisation. The client organisation treats any report as confidential, it is retained in a secure location and distribution is restricted to those individuals involved in making decisions.

Sometimes the information collected may be used in technical research to review how the assessment process is functioning. When that research is conducted, the information is treated anonymously and grouped with other data so that an individual’s information cannot be recognised or reconstructed.

HOW THE INFORMATION IS MANAGED
The only information used in preparing the assessment report is information supplied by the assessee. That can include a resume in addition to data collected during the assessment. Client organisations may provide a position description, candidate specification, organisation chart and/or briefing on points of interest to them. Such documents are used to provide context to the assessment documents. Some of this information may be provided by a recruitment consultant who is managing aspects of the recruitment assignment on behalf of a client company.
Clients are familiar with the need to secure assessment reports and ensure they are protected from unauthorised access or disclosure. The assessing psychologist holds assessment information for up to five years, but may destroy it thereafter if it is unlikely that the assessee will return for re-assessment or if the data is not needed for research purposes. Similarly, most client organisations follow policies of holding assessment reports for as long as the assessee is of interest to them, which could be a matter of days for an unsuccessful candidate or years for a long-term employee.

HOW TO ACCESS INFORMATION
The assessee has a right to access to their information from Compass Consulting. In determining the most appropriate method of providing a candidate access to psychological reports and information, the following should be considered:
  • The information is sensitive and at times complex, necessitating explanation and an appropriate method of presentation within a counselling context.
  • Psychologists have a ‘duty of care’ in the relationship they have with a person who consents to undertake an assessment. Hence there is a professional obligation to present the information in a way that is appropriate to the individual’s needs.
  • The logistics and practicality of providing feedback to ‘remote’ candidates will often mean telephone feedback is the most appropriate form.
  • There is a commercial arrangement between Compass Consulting and the client organisation. The extent of feedback provided may also depend upon the nature of this ‘fee for service’ arrangement. We may seek payment for our costs of supplying you with information beyond verbal feedback.
  • The feedback will be provided by the psychologist retaining and interpreting the information rather than another party (including Compass Consulting) undertaking the test administration process only.
FURTHER ADVICE
Should you require further advice on any of the above matters, a request should be sent to:
Peter Macqueen
Principal
Compass Consulting
PO Box 1191
TOOWONG  QLD  4066
AUSTRALIA
Further information can be found at www.privacy.gov.au.

In This Section

Peter Macqueen
Principal and Co-founder