WSU Human Resources Privacy Notice

Wichita State University (WSU) is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of the personal information entrusted to us. We aim to help you understand what type of personal information WSU collects, uses, and discloses. While this document may not include all data systems or uses of data at any given time, it is reviewed and updated as necessary. Please visit WSU Policy 19.20 / Data Sensitivity Classification for more information on the definition of personal information and details on how personally identifiable information is defined at WSU.

Purpose

This privacy notice describes the collection, use, and disclosure of your personal information by Human Resources (HR) in order to manage and facilitate various aspects of the employment relationship and the employment lifecycle.

This notice does not cover how your personal information is collected, used, or disclosed by other departments or areas of the university, nor does it cover data classified as FERPA data. For more information on WSU’s management of personal data under FERPA, please reference this website: Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. It also does not cover how your personal information may be used by third parties who integrate with systems or services used by this department. For more information on third party data management, please visit the privacy notices or policies located on their websites. WSU is not responsible for the availability, content, or privacy practices of non-university sites.

Systems Pertaining to this Notice

This privacy notice only references personal information in Human Resource managed systems that are accessed and used by them for their legitimate business purposes. The types of WSU systems accessed in HR include:

  1. Recruitment and Hiring: Evaluating qualifications, conducting background checks, and managing applications.
  2. Onboarding: Facilitating orientation, training, and setting up payroll and benefits.
  3. Employee Record & Performance Assessment: Monitoring job performance, providing feedback, position information such as FTE, department, and exemption status. Managing job changes such as promotions, lateral movement or demotions along with recognition, awards, citations or disciplinary actions.
  4. Employee Development: Identifying training needs, career development opportunities, and succession planning.
  5. Compliance: Ensuring adherence to labor laws, workplace safety regulations, and company policies.
  6. Payroll and Benefits Administration: Managing salary, bonuses, health insurance, retirement plans, and other employee benefits.
  7. Employee Relations: Addressing grievances, fostering a positive work environment, and managing conflict resolution.

Information Collected by Systems or Services

The following types of personal information are examples of data that may be collected by the WSU systems or services referenced above through work-related functions completed by HR.

  1. Recruitment and Hiring:
    1. Personal Information: Name, address, phone number, email address
    2. Professional Information: Resume, cover letter, employment history, references
    3. Background Checks: Criminal records, credit history, education verification
  2. Onboarding:
    1. Identification: Social Security number, driver's license, passport, date of birth
    2. Employment Forms: W-4, I-9, direct deposit information
    3. Training Records: Certifications, training completion dates
  3. Employee Record and Performance Assessment:
    1. Job Performance Data: Performance reviews, feedback, goals, objectives
    2. Attendance Records: Time sheets, leave requests, attendance logs
    3. Disciplinary Records: Corrective actions and performance improvement plans
    4. Position Information: Position title, FTE, exemption status, job changes (such as promotions, demotions)
    5. Other: Recognition, awards, citations
  4. Employee Development:
    1. Training Needs: Skills assessments, training program enrollments
    2. Career Development: Career aspirations, development plans, mentorship records
    3. Succession Planning: Potential for promotion, leadership assessments
  5. Compliance:
    1. Legal Compliance: Records of compliance with labor laws and compensation, wage history
    2. Benefits Information: Health insurance, retirement plans, dependent information
    3. Tax Information: Tax withholding, tax forms
  6. Employee Relations:
    1. Grievance Records: Complaints, resolutions, mediation records
    2. Conflict Resolution: Records of conflicts and their resolutions.

How Human Resources Collects this Information

  1. Integrations: Through integration of these systems with other WSU systems and services. 
  2. Directly: Personal information input into emails or provided during incident response or reporting requests.
  3. Automatically: Data is automatically generated and logged when individuals interact with WSU’s web-based systems and services.

How Human Resources Uses this Information 

This information is only accessed by individuals from HR when there is a legitimate business need to do so as described in this section and the next section. In the case where use is necessary, the principle of data minimization is applied which stipulates accessing only the data required to fulfill the legitimate business need.

  1. Recruitment and Hiring:
    1. Screening Candidates: Reviewing resumes and applications to match qualifications with job requirements.
    2. Conducting Interviews: Using contact information to schedule interviews and communicate with candidates.
    3. Background Checks: Verifying education, employment history, and conducting criminal record checks to ensure candidate suitability.
  2. Onboarding:
    1. Setting Up Payroll: Using identification and direct deposit information to establish payroll accounts.
    2. Training and Orientation: Tracking training completion and certifications to ensure new hires are properly onboarded.
    3. Benefits Enrollment: Collecting employee and dependent information to enroll employees in health insurance and other benefits.
  3. Employee Record and Performance Assessment:
    1. Evaluating Performance: Using job performance data to conduct reviews and provide feedback.
    2. Tracking Attendance: Monitoring time sheets and leave requests to manage attendance and punctuality.
    3. Managing Disciplinary Actions: Documenting corrective action and performance improvement plans to address issues.
    4. Position Information: Assisting with management of the employees work history. 
    5. Other: Documenting key recognition activities. 
  4. Employee Development:
    1. Identifying Training Needs: Assessing skills and enrolling employees in relevant training programs.
    2. Career Planning: Using career aspirations and development plans to guide career growth and succession planning.
    3. Mentorship Programs: Matching employees with mentors based on development needs and goals.
  5. Compliance:
    1. Ensuring Legal Compliance: Maintaining records to demonstrate adherence to labor laws and workplace safety regulations.
    2. Policy Enforcement: Documenting adherence to company policies and procedures to ensure consistent application.
    3. Investigating Incidents: Using incident reports to investigate and resolve workplace issues.
  6. Payroll and Benefits Administration:
    1. Processing Compensation: Using salary and wage history to manage payroll and other types of additional compensation.
    2. Administering Benefits: Managing health insurance, retirement plans, and other benefits based on employee data.
    3. Handling Tax Information: Using tax forms and withholding information to ensure accurate tax reporting.
  7. Employee Relations:
    1. Addressing Grievances: Using complaint records to investigate and resolve employee grievances.
    2. Fostering Engagement: Analyzing survey and feedback data to improve employee engagement and satisfaction.
    3. Resolving Conflicts: Documenting conflicts and resolutions to manage workplace harmony.

HR's use of personal data is essential for efficient and compliant management of the employment relationship and process, ensuring a positive and productive work environment. 

When Human Resources Shares this Information

  1. With Service Providers: We share information with service providers who support or provide services to Human Resources at WSU.  These providers meet WSU’s or the State of Kansas data security requirements and use your personal information only in the ways agreed upon contractually. Examples include but are not limited to: State of Kansas, Administrators of Employee Benefits, Employment and Income Verification, Loan Forgiveness Applications/Verifications, and WSU Retiree Association. 
  2. For Legal or Safety Obligations: Personal information may be shared to comply with legal requirements or to protect the safety, property, or rights of the university, its community members, and guests. Depending on the type of request, the approval of the Data Management Committee and/or legal counsel may be required.
  3. With Consent: Information may be shared for any purpose for which WSU HR has obtained your consent.

Privacy Contact

For more information or to report a privacy concern, please reach out to the Chief Privacy Officer via email at privacy@wichita.edu or by phone at 316-978-4HIP (4447).