Privacy Policy
Introduction
Thank you for visiting the New York State Secure Choice Savings Program (the “Program”) website. This website is designed to make it easier and more efficient for individuals, employers and savers to obtain information about and interact with the Program. The New York Secure Choice Savings Program Board (the “Board”) and its service providers recognize that it is important for individuals, employers and savers to be confident that their privacy is protected when they visit the Program’s website.
Consistent with the provisions of the Internet Security and Privacy Act, the Freedom of Information Law, and the Personal Privacy Protection Law, this policy describes the Program’s privacy practices regarding information collected from users of this website. This policy describes what information is collected and how that information is used. Because this privacy policy only applies to this website, you should examine the privacy policy of any website that you access using this website.
For purposes of this policy, “personal information” means any information concerning a natural person which, because of name, number, symbol, mark, or other identifier, can be used to identify that natural person. The Program does not collect any personal information about you during your visit to this website unless you or your employer provide that information voluntarily; for example, by sending such information in an email or by providing it in connection with an online transaction.
Use of this website
Your access or use of the Program website constitutes your agreement to this policy and the terms as set forth herein. You agree not to use this website for any purpose that is unlawful or prohibited by the terms on this website. You may not use this website in any manner which could damage, disable, overburden, or impair the website or interfere with any other party’s use and enjoyment of the website. Your access to this website may be terminated immediately and without notice if you fail to comply with any of these terms.
Certain portions of this website are protected and require a login account. Unauthorized use of or access to these areas of this website is prohibited. Users are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of their account information, username, password, or any access code. Users are responsible for all activities (whether or not authorized) occurring under their user login account. You agree to immediately contact the Program in the event of any loss, theft, or unauthorized disclosure or use of any user login, or if you have reason to believe that your access to your account is no longer secure for any reason.
Information collected automatically when you visit this website
When visiting this website, the Program automatically collects and stores the following information about your visit:
The Internet Protocol (IP) address and domain name used, but not the email address. The Internet Protocol address is a numerical identifier assigned either to your Internet service provider or directly to your computer;
The type of browser and operating system used;
The date and time you visited this site;
The webpages or services you accessed at this site;
Any form, publication or document which you downloaded; and
Depending on how you access the Program’s site, the Program may also, on occasion, capture the website you visited prior to coming to the Program’s website.
None of the foregoing information is deemed to constitute personal information.
The information that is collected automatically is used to improve this website's content and to help the Program understand how users are interacting with the website. This information is collected for statistical analysis, to determine what information is of most and least interest to our users, and to improve the utility of the material available on the website. The information is not collected for commercial marketing purposes and the Program and its service providers are not authorized to sell or otherwise disclose the information collected from the website for commercial marketing purposes.
The Program uses Google Analytics measurement software to collect the information listed above, which is gathered for the purpose of improving our website and applications. For further information on how Google Analytics collects and processes data, refer to www.google.com/policies/privacy/partners/.
Cookies
The use of cookies is a standard practice among Internet websites. The Program website uses cookies. Cookies are small files stored on your computer by your Web browser to provide a means of distinguishing among users of the website. The cookies the Program utilizes do not contain personal information and do not compromise your privacy or security.
The software and hardware you use to access the website allows you to refuse new cookies or delete existing cookies. Refusing or deleting cookies may limit your ability to take advantage of some features of this website.
Information collected when you send the Program an email or conduct an online transaction through this website
During your visit to this website, you may send an email to the Program or its service providers. Your email address and the contents of your message will be collected. Your email address and the information included in your message may be used to respond to you, to address issues you identify, to improve this website, to forward your message to another entity if appropriate, and/or to communicate with you regarding general information and Program services. Your email address is not collected for commercial purposes and the Program and its service providers are not authorized to sell or otherwise disclose your email address for commercial purposes.
During your visit to this website you may conduct an online transaction. This includes, for example, setting up your account, accessing information about your account, filling out an online survey or utilizing any of the Program’s online services. The information, including personal information, provided by you or your employer in conducting the transaction is used by the Program and its service providers to operate and administer the Program, which include the provision of services and information. The information collected by the Program may, to the extent permitted by law, be disclosed by the Program for those purposes that may be reasonably ascertained from the nature and terms of the transaction in connection with which the information was submitted.
The Program does not knowingly collect personal information from children or create profiles of children through this website. Users are cautioned, however, that the collection of personal information submitted in an email will be treated as though it was submitted by an adult, and may, unless exempted from access by federal or State law, be subject to public access. The Program strongly encourages parents and teachers to be involved in children’s Internet activities and to provide guidance whenever children are asked to provide personal information online.
Information and choice
As noted above, the Program does not collect any personal information about you during your visit to this website unless you or your employer provide that information voluntarily by sending an email or conducting an online transaction. This includes, for example, setting up your account, accessing information about your account, filling out an online survey or utilizing any of the Program’s online services. As a general matter, you may choose not to send an email, not to fill out a survey and/or not to utilize the Program’s online services. While your choice not to participate may limit your ability to receive specific services through this website, it will not usually prevent you from requesting services from the Program by other means (e.g., by telephone or United States mail or similar delivery service) and will not normally have an impact on your ability to take advantage of other features of the website, including browsing or downloading publicly available information.
Disclosure of information collected through this website
The collection of information through this website and the disclosure of that information are subject to the provisions of the Internet Security and Privacy Act. The Program will only collect personal information through this website or disclose personal information collected through this website if the user has consented to the collection or disclosure of such personal information. The voluntary disclosure of personal information to the Program by the user, whether solicited or unsolicited, constitutes consent to the collection and disclosure of the information by the Program for the purposes for which the user disclosed the information to the Program, as was reasonably ascertainable from the nature and terms of the disclosure.
However, the Program may collect or disclose personal information without user consent if the collection or disclosure is: (1) necessary to perform the statutory duties of the Board, or necessary for the Board or its service providers to operate a program authorized by law, or authorized by state or federal statute or regulation; (2) made pursuant to a court order or by law; (3) for the purpose of validating the identity of the user; or (4) of information to be used solely for statistical purposes that is in a form that cannot be used to identify any particular person.
Further, the disclosure of information, including personal information, collected through this website is subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Law and the Personal Privacy Protection Law.
The Program may disclose personal information to federal or state law enforcement authorities to enforce the Program’s rights against unauthorized access or attempted unauthorized access to the Program’s information technology assets.
Use of email
The Program will regard provision of an email address by a site user, employer or saver (whether via electronic or paper submission), to constitute consent to communicate electronically. The Program may use the email address to communicate general information and/or notice of the Program’s services. The Program will never request that you provide sensitive personal information, such as social security numbers, Taxpayer ID numbers, bank account numbers, PINs, user names, or passwords via email. An email from the Program will be general in nature and if sensitive personal information needs to be communicated, the Program will alert you to sign on to the secure portal area of the Program website to access your secure account to receive or provide such information.
Retention of information collected through this website
The information collected through this website is retained by the Program for the time period necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, to provide Program services, to maintain user accounts, and in accordance with the applicable records retention and disposition requirements of New York law.
Access to and correction of personal information collected through this website
You may access and correct your personal information by logging in to your online account through the secure portal on the website and making the updates, or by contacting the Program by other means provided for on the website. Any user may submit a request to the Program to determine whether personal information pertaining to that user has been collected through this website. Any such request shall be made in writing to the address below and must be accompanied by reasonable proof of identity of the user. Reasonable proof of identity may include verification of a signature, inclusion of an identifier generally known only to the user, or similar appropriate identification. A request for access to and/or correction of personal information may be sent to:
NYS TAX DEPARTMENT
PRIVACY COMPLIANCE OFFICER -
RECORDS ACCESS OFFICESECURE CHOICE SAVINGS PROGRAM
W A HARRIMAN CAMPUS
ALBANY NY 12227 -0911
The Program shall, within five (5) business days after the day of the receipt of a proper request: (i) provide access to the personal information; (ii) deny access in writing, explaining the reasons therefore; or (iii) acknowledge the receipt of the request in writing, stating the approximate date when the request will be granted or denied, which date shall not be more than thirty (30) days from the date of the acknowledgment.
In the event that the Program has collected personal information pertaining to a user through the website and that information is to be provided to the user pursuant to the user’s request, the Program shall inform the user of his or her right to request that the personal information be amended or corrected under the procedures set forth in section 95 of the Public Officers Law.
Confidentiality and integrity of personal information collected through this website
The Program is committed to protecting personal information collected through this website against unauthorized access, use or disclosure. Consequently, the Program limits access to personal information collected through this website to only those employees or service providers who need access to the information in the performance of their official duties. Employees and service providers who have access to this information follow appropriate procedures in connection with any disclosures of personal information.
In addition, the Program and its service providers have implemented administrative, technical and physical safeguards to protect the integrity of its information technology assets including, but not limited to, authentication, monitoring, auditing, and encryption. These security procedures have been integrated into the design, implementation, and day-to-day operations of this website as part of our continuing commitment to the security of electronic content as well as the electronic transmission of information.
For website security purposes and to maintain the availability of the website for all users, the Program’s website employs software to monitor traffic through automated and other solutions intended to identify unauthorized attempts to upload or change information or otherwise damage this website.
Disclaimer
The New York Secure Choice Savings Program Board attempts to provide information on this website that is accurate and current. However, the Board makes no express or implied warranty regarding such information or data provided, and hereby expressly disclaims all legal liability and responsibility based on reliance on any information or data that is available through this website. While every effort is made to provide useful information, the Board does not warrant this information to be authoritative, complete, factual, timely or accurate. In no event shall the Board be liable for any errors or omissions with respect to any information on this site.
The information provided in this privacy policy and contained on this site should not be construed as giving business, legal, or other advice, or warranting as fail proof, the accuracy or security of information provided via this website. The Board hereby disclaims all warranties, express or implied, including, but not limited to, any implied warranties of uninterrupted use, merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and/or non-infringement. The Board shall have no liability for any incidental, consequential, direct, indirect, special or other damages suffered by any party (regardless of whether or not such parties have been advised of the possibility of such damages) resulting from use or the inability to use this website.
Third-party sites
This website provides links to other websites for convenience and informational purposes only. The New York Secure Choice Savings Program Board is not responsible for the content of external websites linked to or referenced on this website, and makes no endorsement of, nor makes any warranty, express or implied, regarding the content of these external websites. The Board does not endorse or warranty, and is not responsible for, the privacy and security practices of any other website, including those of any third party service providers to these sites. Users should be aware that when they select a link on this website, they may be leaving the Program’s website. Your use of a third-party site is at your sole risk and, as set forth above, without warranties or legal liability of any kind on the part of the Board.
Changes in our policy
The Board reserves the right to modify or change its policies or any portion of the Program website at any time without prior notice to you, and any such modification or change shall be effective upon posting. Please review our policies periodically for any changes or updates that may affect you as a visitor to our website. Your access or use of the Program website constitutes your agreement to the policies and such changes.