Privacy Policy for Employment Applicants at MKC

Last Updated: May 2025

Mid Kansas Cooperative (referred to as "MKC," "we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting the privacy of individuals who apply for employment with us. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and disclose your personal information during the application process.

1. Information We Collect

We may collect the following categories of personal information from you as part of your application:

• Contact Information: Your name, address, email address, phone number, and other contact details.
• Application Information: Your resume, cover letter, employment history, education details, professional qualifications, skills, and any other information you choose to provide in your application materials.
• Work Authorization Status: Your work authorization to perform work in the United States.
• Background Check Information: If applicable and permitted by law, we may collect information related to background checks, including criminal history, credit history, and reference checks. We will notify you separately and obtain your consent where required before conducting such checks.
• Interview Information: Notes and assessments made during interviews.
• Online Application Data: When you apply through our careers page or a third-party platform, we may collect information about your use of the platform, including your IP address, browser type, and browsing activity.
• Self-Identification Information: In some cases, we may ask for voluntary self-identification information such as gender, race, ethnicity, or disability status for equal employment opportunity monitoring and reporting purposes, as required or permitted by law. Providing this information is strictly voluntary.
• References: Contact information for your professional references.
• Personal Social Media Information: Information from social media sites if you choose to link your application to a social media; and 
• Additional Information: Any other information you elect to provide to us (e.g., employment preferences, willingness to relocate, and desired salary). 

2. How We Use Your Information

We may use your personal information for the following purposes related to your application:

• Recruitment and Evaluation: To assess your qualifications, skills, and experience for job openings at MKC.
• Communication: To communicate with you about your application status, schedule interviews, and provide updates.
• Background Checks: To conduct criminal history, background, and employment checks, if we offer you a position.  
• Record Keeping: To maintain records of the recruitment process and hiring decisions.
• Compliance with Laws and Regulations: To comply with applicable legal and regulatory requirements, including equal employment opportunity laws.
• Improving Our Recruitment Process: To analyze application data and improve our recruitment and hiring practices.

3. How We May Share Your Information

We may share your personal information with the following categories of recipients:

• MKC Employees: Including hiring managers, HR personnel, and interview teams who have a need to know the information for recruitment purposes.
• Service Providers: Third-party service providers who assist us with recruitment, background checks, HR technology, and other related services. We have contracts with these providers that require them to protect your personal information.
• Legal Authorities: When required by law, legal process, or governmental request.
• Affiliates and Subsidiaries: Within our corporate group for internal recruitment purposes.

4. Data Retention

We will retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, including for legal and regulatory compliance, and for potential future consideration for other roles at MKC, unless you request otherwise or as required by law.   

5. Your Rights

Depending on your location and applicable laws, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information, which may include the right to:   

• Access: Request access to the personal information we hold about you.
• Correction: Request the correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal information.
• Erasure: Request the deletion of your personal information under certain circumstances. 
• Restriction of Processing: Request the restriction of the processing of your personal information under certain circumstances.
• Data Portability: Request to receive your personal information in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format and to transmit that data to another controller.   
• Withdraw Consent: If we are processing your personal information based on your consent, you have the right to withdraw your consent at any time.   
• Lodge a Complaint: Lodge a complaint with a relevant data protection authority if you believe our processing of your personal information infringes applicable laws.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the contact information provided below. We may require you to verify your identity before responding to your request.   

6. Security

We take reasonable measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. However, no method of transmission over the internet or method of electronic storage is completely secure.  If you have reason to believe that your interaction with us is no longer secure, please immediately notify us of the problem by contacting us at hr@mkcoop.com.

7. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will post any changes on our careers page and update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.   

8. Accuracy of Information You Provide

You are responsible for the information you provide to Paylocity and ensuring that it is honest, truthful, accurate, and not misleading in any way. 

9. Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data practices regarding employment applicants, please contact us at: hr@mkcoop.com

By submitting your application, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.