Vérifix Connect: Privacy Policy

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: This Privacy Policy is provided for informational purposes only and is a general template. It does not constitute legal advice. It is imperative that you consult with a qualified legal professional to draft, review, and finalize your specific Privacy Policy to ensure full compliance with all applicable data protection laws and regulations in your jurisdiction (e.g., India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, GDPR if applicable to international users, etc.) and to adequately protect your business interests.

At Vérifix Connect, we are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal data with transparency and care. This Privacy Policy explains how Vérifix Connect ("we," "us," or "our") collects, uses, shares, and protects your information when you use our website, services, and platforms (collectively, "Services").

By using our Services, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.

1. Information We Collect

We collect various types of information to provide and improve our Services to you.

1. Information You Provide Directly:

   • Contact Information: Name, email address, phone number, LinkedIn profile URL.

   • Professional Background (for Experts & Candidates): Current and past job titles, companies, years of experience, industry expertise, functional expertise, niche domain expertise, consultation focus, desired rates, availability, and unique value proposition.

   • Career Development Information (for Career Catalyst Participants): Career goals, assessment results, portfolio details, resume information, interview performance data.

   • Inquiry Information (for Clients): Company name, role requirements, project details, budget, and any other information you provide when submitting a candidate request.

   • Communications: Any information you provide when you contact us for support, feedback, or inquiries.

2. Information We Collect Automatically (Usage Data):

   • Device Information: IP address, browser type, operating system, unique device identifiers.

   • Usage Details: Pages visited, time spent on pages, links clicked, referring URL, search queries, and other interactions with our Services.

   • Cookies & Tracking Technologies: We use cookies and similar tracking technologies (like web beacons and pixels) to track activity on our Services and hold certain information. This helps us understand user behavior, improve our Services, and deliver relevant content.

3. Information from Third Parties:

   • We may receive information about you from third-party sources, such as public databases, joint marketing partners, and social media platforms, to supplement the information you provide. This helps us verify information, enhance our profiles, and identify potential experts or candidates.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information for various purposes, primarily to provide, maintain, and improve our Services, and to communicate with you.

1. To Provide and Manage Services:

   • To process your applications (as an expert or candidate).

   • To match clients with suitable experts and candidates with relevant opportunities.

   • To facilitate expert consultations and career development programs.

   • To manage your account and provide customer support.

   • To process payments and manage billing.

2. To Improve and Personalize Services:

   • To analyze usage patterns and improve the functionality and user experience of our website and platforms.

   • To develop new features and services.

   • To personalize your experience, such as recommending relevant job postings or expert profiles.

3. For Communication:

   • To send you service-related updates, notifications, and administrative messages (e.g., account confirmations, security alerts).

   • To send you marketing and promotional communications about our Services, special offers, and events (you can opt-out at any time).

   • To respond to your inquiries and provide support.

4. For Security and Fraud Prevention:

   • To protect our Services, users, and experts from fraud, unauthorized access, and other security threats.

   • To verify identities and ensure compliance with our Terms & Conditions.

5. For Legal Compliance:

   • To comply with applicable laws, regulations, legal processes, and governmental requests.

   • To enforce our Terms & Conditions and other policies.

3. How We Share Your Information

We may share your information with third parties in the following circumstances:

1. With Clients (for Experts): If you are an expert, we share relevant portions of your professional profile and expertise details with clients seeking consultations, to facilitate matching and engagement.

2. With Hiring Companies/HR Professionals (for Candidates): If you are a candidate, we share your verified profile and relevant details with our network of hiring companies and HR professionals to connect you with job opportunities.

3. With Service Providers: We engage third-party companies and individuals to perform services on our behalf (e.g., payment processing, data analytics, IT services, marketing assistance). These service providers have access to your information only to perform these tasks and are obligated not to disclose or use it for any other purpose.

4. For Legal Reasons: We may disclose your information if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities (e.g., a court order or government agency).

5. Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, asset sale, or other business transaction, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you via email and/or a prominent notice on our website of any such change in ownership or control of your personal information.

6. With Your Consent: We may share your information with third parties when we have your explicit consent to do so.

4. Data Security

We implement reasonable technical and organizational measures designed to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, use, alteration, or destruction. However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your personal data, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.

5. Your Data Rights

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the following rights regarding your personal data:

1. Right to Access: You have the right to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.

2. Right to Rectification: You have the right to request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete personal data.

3. Right to Erasure ("Right to be Forgotten"): You have the right to request the deletion of your personal data under certain conditions.

4. Right to Restrict Processing: You have the right to request that we restrict the processing of your personal data under certain conditions.

5. Right to Data Portability: You have the right to receive your personal data in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format.

6. Right to Object: You have the right to object to our processing of your personal data under certain conditions.

7. Right to Withdraw Consent: If we are relying on your consent to process your personal data, you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details provided in the "Contact Us" section below. We will respond to your request within a reasonable timeframe as required by applicable law.

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, including for the purposes of satisfying any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. When your personal data is no longer required, we will securely delete or anonymize it.

7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies (like web beacons and pixels) to track activity on our Services and hold certain information. Cookies are small data files placed on your device. You can instruct your browser to refuse all cookies or to indicate when a cookie is being sent. However, if you do not accept cookies, you may not be able to use some portions of our Services.

8. Third-Party Links

Our Services may contain links to other websites that are not operated by us. If you click on a third-party link, you will be directed to that third party's site. We strongly advise you to review the Privacy Policy of every site you visit. We have no control over and assume no responsibility for the content, privacy policies, or practices of any third-party sites or services.

9. Children's Privacy

Our Services are not intended for individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personally identifiable information from anyone under the age of 18. If you are a parent or guardian and you are aware that your child has provided us with personal data, please contact us. If we become aware that we have collected personal data from children without verification of parental consent, we take steps to remove that information from our servers.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update our Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last Updated" date at the top. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes. Changes to this Privacy Policy are effective when they are posted on this page.

11. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

• By email: verifix.connect@gmail.com