Privacy Statement
Thank you for visiting our website. The South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (LLR), its divisions, boards, panels, and commissions value consumer privacy and collect only personal information that is required to fulfill their legitimate public purpose.
NOTICE CONCERNING PERSONAL PRIVACY
The Family Privacy Protection Act of 2002 prohibits persons or private entities from using any personal information obtained from LLR's website for commercial solicitation purposes. A person knowingly violating this prohibition is guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to penalties.
Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 (COPPA), 15 U.S.C. § 6501, et seq.: Our website is not geared towards children under 13 years of age. Younger visitors should always check with their parents or guardians before entering information on any website, and we encourage families to discuss their household guidelines regarding the online sharing of personal information.
OVERVIEW
In general, the policies of LLR governing the collection and dissemination of personally identifiable information follow the same rules that would apply to an in-person visit to a government office and are governed by the same state and federal laws that cover such visits.
PURPOSE
The purpose of the statement is to inform users of this site about the collection and use of personally identifiable information. Nothing herein should be construed as creating any new or different rights than those available under existing state and federal laws.
DEFINITION OF PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION
For the purposes of this statement, "personally identifiable information" means information relating to an identified or identifiable individual who is the subject of the information. This includes information such as names, home addresses, telephone numbers, social security numbers, and credit card numbers.
PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION NOT ROUTINELY COLLECTED
Users are not required to provide personal information simply to visit LLR's website or to download information. Government agencies may request personally identifiable information in order to provide requested specialized services, but such information is handled as it would be on an in-person visit to a government office.
PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION THAT MAY BE SUBJECT TO PUBLIC DISCLOSURE
In South Carolina, laws exist to ensure that government is open and that the public has a right to access appropriate records and information possessed by a government agency. At the same time, there are exceptions to the public's right to access certain records in order to preserve the privacy of individuals. Such exemptions are authorized by both state and federal laws. Information collected by LLR, like information collected during an in-person visit to a government office, may be subject to inspection and copying by the public, unless such an exemption in law exists. In the event that there is a conflict between this Privacy Statement and a state or federal law governing the disclosure of public records, the applicable state or federal law shall control.
USE, COLLECTION AND RETENTION OF PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION
This agency collects only personal information necessary to fulfill legitimate public purposes that are consistent with the statutory charges or mandates of the government programs or activities.
LLR collects, retains, and uses personal information about constituents only when they choose to subscribe to an LLR service. LLR collects, retains and uses personal information only where it is lawful and is essential to administer and to provide products, services, and other opportunities requested by an individual.
LLR complies with statutory and regulatory requirements pertaining to the retention, modification, and disposal of public records, including personally identifiable information.
The IP (Internet Protocol) addresses of computers used to visit LLR's website are noted as part of the statistical analysis used to better design government services and improve access to them. However, LLR does not attempt to gain personally identifiable information on individual users or to associate individual users with IP addresses.
USE OF COOKIES
Some LLR web applications create "cookies" to hold user information. These "cookies" are then sent to, and stored on, the user's computer. Any LLR application or web page that uses "cookies" will identify itself as such. This information is handled in the same way as other personally identifiable information obtained by LLR. No user information will be gathered through the use of "cookies" except that which is required to run the specific application(s) being accessed by the user.
USE OF CONSTITUENT E-MAIL ADDRESSES
With few exceptions, e-mail addresses obtained as a result of requests to LLR websites may be releasable under the current laws. The information collected is subject to the access and confidentiality provisions of the state's Freedom of Information Act and other applicable sections of the South Carolina Code of Laws and/or federal law. E-mail addresses obtained as a result of requests to our websites will not be sold or given to any organization for marketing purposes.
DATA SECURITY AND QUALITY
The South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation has instituted security measures to protect the information and systems that we maintain. These measures are designed to ensure that this service remains available to all users by blocking unauthorized access to our systems and preventing corruption of data, thus providing reasonable protection of personal information in our possession. Any third parties responsible for this information are committed to the same principles, and also are required by contract to follow the same policies and guidelines as the State of South Carolina in protecting this information. Unless otherwise prohibited by state or federal law, rule, or regulation, individuals will be given the ability to access and correct personally identifiable information maintained by LLR that may be in error.
LINKS TO OTHER SITES
LLR's website contains links to various websites. This includes websites of other governmental agencies, national organizations, or beneficial resources that may assist with services we provide. Many of these sites may not be subject to the South Carolina Code of Laws, or may operate under different privacy standards. Visitors to those websites are advised to check the privacy statements of those sites and be cautious about providing personally identifiable information without a clear understanding of how the information will be used. LLR is not responsible for the content of any off-site websites, and a link to a page does not constitute an endorsement.
LIMITING ACCESS TO PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION
LLR has taken steps to limit access to personally identifiable information to LLR support staff who require access in order to perform their assigned duties. LLR has notified and instructed its staff members of their responsibilities concerning the protection of personally identifiable information.
DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY
With respect to any information found on this website, neither the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation nor any of its employees makes any warranty, express or implied, including warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights.
CHANGES TO THIS STATEMENT
The South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation may change this privacy statement from time to time. Changes will be posted to the LLR website. Continued use of the website constitutes acceptance of and agreement to the modified privacy statement.
CONTACT US
To report privacy concerns or to inquire about information presented in this Privacy Statement, you may contact the Privacy Officer for LLR at privacy.office@llr.sc.gov or 803-896-4472.