This Privacy and Security Statement (“Statement”) explains how we handle information we learn about any entity or individual (the “User” or “You”) who accesses or uses the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) website (the "Site").
Your privacy is important to us. L&I is required to safeguard Users' privacy under Executive Order 00-03 concerning public records privacy protections and through state law (Revised Code of Washington Titles 51 and 7).
For information on L&I's privacy policy regarding Personal Information gathered about You in other ways than through this Site, go to the L&I publication Your Privacy Is Important to Us (F101-055-000). Personal Information is information about a natural person that is readily identifiable to that specific individual. Personal Information includes such things as an individual’s name, address, and phone number. A domain name or Internet Protocol address is not considered Personal Information.
Information Collected and Stored Automatically
When You access non-secure websites, no information that identifies You personally is automatically collected. As with any website, site management and system administrative information can be collected each time You visit, including:
- The date and time You visited.
- The name of the domain You used to access the internet (such as companyxxx.com, aol.com, universityxxx.edu) and the IP address from which You access our Site.
- The pages You visited.
- The type of browser and operating system used to access our Site.
- The address of the website You came from if You linked to our Site from another website.
This information is used for statistical purposes and to help us make our Site more useful — to learn about the number of visitors to our Site, which information is most useful to them, and the types of technology they use.
If You Send Us Personal Information Through This Site
You do not have to give us Personal Information to visit our Site.
Personal Information is information about a natural person that is readily identifiable to that specific individual. Personal Information includes such things as an individual's name, address, and phone number. A domain name or internet protocol address is not considered Personal Information.
If You choose to provide us with Personal Information about Yourself through an email message, form, survey, and so forth, we will only keep the information as long as needed to respond to Your question or to fulfill the stated purpose of the communication.
Any Personal Information You provide us may be subject to public disclosure under Chapter 42.56 RCW, protected by state law or the federal Privacy Act of 1974.
Any Personal Information provided by or collected from You will not be given to any private organization or otherwise sold or made available for commercial purposes.
This Site is a general audience website. We do not knowingly collect any Personal Information from children. Collected Personal Information requested from or volunteered by children online or by email is treated the same as information given by an adult. This information may be subject to public access.
User’s Choice
You may decline participation in any activity that asks for personal (or any) information, such as surveys, email, or interactive applications. Your choice to "opt out" (not participate) will not affect Your ability to use any other areas of the Site.
Information Considered Public Information
Because the content on this Site is considered public information — except Secure Services, online business transactions that have been encrypted or otherwise protected from unauthorized access — it may be copied, downloaded, or distributed. We request that You give appropriate byline/photo/image credits.
Using lists of individuals or directory information (including address, phone, or email) provided on this Site for commercial purposes is prohibited under RCW 42.56.070 (9), as broadly defined by the Office of the Attorney General of the state of Washington.
Public Access to Information
In Washington State, laws exist to ensure that government is open and the public has a right to access appropriate records and information possessed by state government. At the same time, there are exceptions to the public's right to access public records that serve various needs including the privacy of individuals. Both state and federal laws provide exceptions.
All of the information collected at this Site is considered public information (except Secure Services) and may be subject to inspection and copying by members of the public. See RCW42.56.070 (9) for more information about the inspection of public records. See exemptions allowed under state public disclosure law for certain L&I records.
You can access Your Personal Information collected from this Site, if any, by contacting L&I's privacy officer at:
PO Box 44001
Tumwater WA 98504-4829
Call 360-902-4203 during regular business hours.
Fax: 360-902-4202
Email: PrivacyOfficer@Lni.wa.gov
Correction of Personally Identifiable Information Collected Through This Site
If You find factual errors in Your personally identifiable information collected through this Site, You may correct them by sending us a request that credibly shows the error. We will take reasonable steps to verify Your identity before making corrections.
Links to Other Websites
This Site contains links to other websites operated by other government agencies, non-profit organizations, and private businesses. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or the accuracy of the information on those other websites.
When You access those websites through a link from our Site, You are subject to the privacy policy of the new website. We encourage You to be aware of and read the privacy statements of every website that collects personally identifiable information. This Statement applies solely to information collected by L&I through this Site.
Security
L&I takes every reasonable precaution to protect and secure the site and the privacy of our citizens. Technology is used to secure the site and monitor network traffic to identify unauthorized attempts to access, modify, or otherwise cause damage to it.
Unauthorized Modification Is Strictly Prohibited
Unauthorized attempts to upload or change information, or otherwise modify or cause damage to this Site are strictly prohibited and may be punishable under both state and federal laws, including the federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Act of 1986 and the National Information Infrastructure Protection Act. Intrusion detection and other software security tools may collect data regarding unauthorized activity, and that data may be used or made available to conduct investigations.
Cookies
L&I may sometimes employ the use of "cookies" to make our websites easier to use and to track site usage and statistics. Cookies are passive files that are delivered to You, stored on Your computer hard drive, and returned in certain situations to the same server that provided the information. Cookies cannot read information from Your hard drive. They can only store data that is provided by the server or generated by Your explicit actions while visiting a website. Personal Information about You is not stored in cookies and is not used by L&I to access Your computer. Cookies created on Your computer by using this Site do not compromise Your privacy or security.
Several of the most recent versions of browser software can notify You before a website places a cookie on Your computer. You may have the option of allowing cookies based on Your preference. The use of cookies is optional; they may be deleted or rejected by Users, and the Site will still be available — but possibly with greater inconvenience. L&I's use of cookie technology does not pose a security or privacy threat to Users.
L&I Applications Requiring a Sign In ID and Password (or Digital Certificate) To Access
You may access Secure Services to engage in electronic commerce with L&I over the internet. These services typically require a login process that includes use of a username, password, pin number, and/or other methods of authentication to access the system, such as a digital certificate. Protections are built into these systems to ensure security for the User and to safeguard data, as well as to provide reasonable protection of private information in our possession. Sign In information, such as a username and password, is secure and will not be disclosed to the public. Information provided to L&I via Secure Services is disclosable only to the extent allowed by law.
Nondisclosure of Certain Information
L&I may request that You provide certain personal or private information to process a transaction or to complete the service You are seeking or providing L&I. You may choose to withhold this information, but if You choose withhold it, we will be unable to complete the transaction or perform the service, and You will have to conduct Your business with us either in person, by telephone, or by postal mail.
Children
Collection of Personal Information requested or volunteered by children will be treated the same as information given by an adult. This information is subject to public disclosure. We encourage all children to obtain parental permission before offering any Personal Information to this Site or any website.
Disclaimer
L&I does not warrant the accuracy, reliability, or timeliness of any information published on the Site, nor endorses any content, viewpoint, product, or service linked from this system, and shall not be held liable for any losses caused by reliance on the accuracy, reliability, or timeliness of such information. Portions of such information may be incorrect or not current. Any person or entity that relies on any information obtained from the Site does so at their own risk.
Reference in this Site to any specific commercial products, processes, or services, or the use of any trade, firm, or corporation name is for the information and convenience of visitors to this Site, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by L&I, its officers, employees, or agents.
L&I reserves the right to revise and update this Statement at any time by posting the revised Statement at the L&I home page.
Questions? Contact Us
If You have any questions concerning this Statement, please contact the L&I E-Government product manager in Web & Communication Services at 360-902-6623 or via email at Shannon.Steketee@Lni.wa.gov.
This Privacy and Security Statement last updated November 2019.