The Provisions of the Privacy Act require
compliance in 10 areas: We have listed those areas below, as well as
information on how VACATIONS AWAY INC. complies with each requirement.
1. Be accountable
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VACATIONS AWAY INC. will comply with all 10 principles of the Privacy Act
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MICHELLE LORAN, Manager, is responsible for VACATIONS AWAY INC. compliance with the Act
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VACATIONS AWAY INC. will protect all personal information held by the Company
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VACATIONS AWAY INC. makes every reasonable
attempt to correct client information and keep both public and private
records in our database and in our paper back-up files, up to date.
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2. Identify the Purpose
Why do we collect it?
VACATIONS AWAY INC. collects relevant personal information
when you ask us to provide you with information or travel related
services (such as air, ground and sea transportation, hotel and other
accommodation, tours, meals, services and insurance products) that are
sold or reserved through us. We use and disclose the personal
information in order to provide you with the requested information or
Travel Services. In particular your personal information may be used:
- to furnish you with travel related information by way of personalized communication, regular newsletters or travel alerts;
- to identify you and your preferences;
- to research and suggest Travel Services to meet your communicated needs;
- to make airline, hotel, car, tour and other reservations on your behalf;
- to obtain travel insurance policies on your behalf;
- to obtain credit card or other financial approval for payment;
- to compile statistics and conduct market research;
- to compile reports for the suppliers of your Travel Services and for regulatory and industry agencies;
- to comply with the law;
Your personal information will not be used for a purpose other
than those mentioned above, without obtaining additional consent from
you.
How do we collect it?
Generally, information is conveyed to VACATIONS AWAY INC.:
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Verbally--over the telephone, in person at VACATIONS AWAY INC. functions, and during office visits
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Electronically-via email
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Written-information via forms, written correspondence and faxes
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3. Obtain Consent
What is consent?
VACATIONS
AWAY INC. considers consent to be an expression of permission to
collect and use information for the purpose of customer service and to
facilitate booking in a timely manner.
We obtain consent by:
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Written permission via mail, email or fax
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Verbal permission with a dated notation in the client’s file, along with the initials of the staff who recorded the information
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Third party consents, as long as the third
party is well known to VACATIONS AWAY INC. and/ or is in a reasonable
position to give such consent (eg. The Office manager correcting the
information on a client’s file)
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What do we use your personal information for?
To
maintain the accuracy of client records, to avoid asking for the same
information repeatedly, to better communicate with our client’s, to
mail information to client’s who have specifically requested VACATIONS
AWAY INC. information.
Where do we keep your personal information?
Information at VACATIONS AWAY INC. is kept:
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In the database, on the computer, and paper records are kept in file cabinets
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How is your personal information secured?
VACATIONS AWAY INC. computers are backed up regularly; with back up disks kept in the on-site safe.
The office is secured in off-hours.
Who has access to your personal information, or uses it?
Only employees of VACATIONS AWAY INC. have access to client records.
To whom is your personal information disclosed?
Information
is used in the office and by VACATIONS AWAY INC. employees to service
the client. VACATIONS AWAY INC. does not disclose information without
the express permission of the client.
How long do we keep your personal information?
Your personal information is retained only so long as we need
it to provide information, Travel Services and other services to you,
and for a reasonable length of time thereafter in order to meet any
Identified Purpose or other legal or business purpose.
4. Limit Collection
In
order to make our database as efficient as possible with regard to
client information, VACATIONS AWAY INC. maintains one single database
for all client information. We do not collect information that is
extraneous to the efficient operation of VACATIONS AWAY INC., nor do we
collect information on behalf of third parties other than information
required to complete a booking.
5. Limit use, disclosure and retention
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VACATIONS AWAY INC. only collects
information for the purpose of maintaining client files, for the
purpose of travel bookings and related activities.
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6. Be Accurate
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VACATIONS AWAY INC. endeavors to keep client
records as up-to-date as possible, through regular communication with
clients via email, telephone, fax and client bookings.
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A VACATIONS AWAY INC. employee can retrieve
personal client information from the database in order to verify the
accuracy of the information, in consultation with a client.
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7. Use Appropriate Safeguards
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VACATIONS AWAY INC. employees are made
aware, verbally and in writing (VACATIONS AWAY INC. POLICY MANUAL) of
VACATIONS AWAY INC. Privacy Policy with regard to compliance of the
Privacy Act
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Organizational Controls: VACATIONS AWAY INC.
employees are vigilant with regard to the access of client files. Staff
training includes awareness of the provisions of the Privacy Act, as
well as this policy document.
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