About Us - ERB Personal Data Privacy Policy

The Employees Retraining Board (ERB) respects personal data privacy, and the protection of privacy in relation to person data is the concern of every staff in the ERB. As a data user, we are fully committed to implement and comply with the data protection principles and all relevant provisions of Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance.

• personal data will only be collected for lawful purposes, directly related to a function or activity of the ERB, by lawful and fair means. The collection will only be sufficient for in relation to those purposes.
• all practicable steps will be taken to ensure that personal data are accurate, retained only for as long as necessary, and are protected against unauthorised or accidental access.
• the use, including disclosure or transfer, of the data shall be for the purpose for which it was collected or for a directly related purpose, unless prescribed consent from the data subject is obtained, or an exemption under Part VIII of the Ordinance is applicable.

The ERB holds personal data in the form of the following five types of records -

• Personal data of retrainees: Personal data are collected from retrainees (including applicants) who have applied for retraining courses, retraining allowance or exemption from course fees, and those who have participated in skills assessments and have been arranged placement services provided by the Board. It also includes personal data in relation to their self-employment and business start-up collected from retrainees who have attended self-employment courses.
• Personal data of employers: Personal data are collected from employers through marketing and promotional activities organised by the ERB, and from those who have made use of job referral services, and co-organised retraining courses with the Board.
• Employment-related records on serving and former staff: Personnel records for all staff including personal and family particulars, employment history, remuneration packages, terms and conditions of service, performance appraisal, as well as conduct and discipline. It also includes personal data collected from job applicants.
• Records on course instructors and assessors: These included data collected from instructors and assessors of retraining courses appointed by Training Bodies under the Board, as well as part-time assessors appointed by the Board to conduct practical skills assessments.
• Other Records, including personal data collected from the public through marketing and promotional activities organised by the ERB. In response to the public enquiries and complaints, personal data are collected during the course of investigation.

In general terms, the Board collects personal data for the following purposes -

• Personal data of retrainees are kept for vetting applications for retraining courses, class arrangements, disbursement of retraining allowances, handling applications for exemption from course fees, provision of placement and follow-up services, conduct of skills assessments, processing applications under the Special Incentive Allowance Scheme, and conduct of placement audit surveys and opinion surveys. The data may be transferred for the above purposes to Training Bodies under the ERB, other relevant government departments including their authorised consultants, as well as independent research institutes.
• Personal data of employers are kept for providing job referral services for employers, promotion of retraining courses and services, as well as processing applications from employers for organising retraining courses with the Board.
• Employment-related records on serving and former staff are kept for human resource management purposes, relating to such matters as employees' appointment, termination, performance appraisal and discipline.
• Records on course instructors and assessors are kept for ensuring that the qualifications of course instructors and assessors are up to the requirements of the Board, course evaluation and audit, as well as statistical purposes.
• Other Records are kept for various purposes which vary according to the nature of record, such as administration work in relation to a function or an activity of the Board, seeking advice on policy or operational matters, participating in activities and services provided by the ERB, and handling of public enquiries.

Human Resources and Administration Section of the Executive Office is responsible for monitoring and supervising as well as liaison with other departments on matters of policy and devise of internal guidelines to comply with the Ordinance within the ERB.

A data subject, or a relevant person acting on his/her behalf, can request access to and obtain a copy of personal data held in respect of his/her, and also have that personal data corrected if it is found to be inaccurate.

For retrainees and applicants, data access and correction request for retrainees and course applications may be addressed to Manager (Course Administration). Others may be addressed to Manager (Human Resources and Administration).

You can find out more about the operation of the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance at the website of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data (www.pco.org.hk).