Web Site Privacy Policy

Overview

Welcome to this American Payroll Association Web site, owned and produced by the American Payroll Association (APA). Our Web sites are available to all visitors, although some content and features are restricted to APA members.

APA Web sites may contain forms for visitors to request information, products, and services. These forms may ask for contact information (such as your phone number or e-mail address), unique identifiers (usually your APA member ID number, if one is available), financial information (for example, your credit card number), or demographic information (for example, your age or location). Contact information from these forms is used to provide the products, services, or memberships that you request. Forms on our site that request financial information do so in order to bill you for products or services ordered. Unique identifiers (specifically, your APA member ID number) are collected from Web site visitors to verify the user's identity for access to restricted content or features on the site.

All products and services on APA Web sites are made available subject to this Privacy Policy. By using the products and services, you agree, without limitation or qualification, to be bound by this Privacy Policy.

Questions regarding this statement should be directed to:

American Payroll Association
660 North Main Avenue, Suite 100

San Antonio TX 78205-1217
info@americanpayroll.org

APA will update this policy from time to time, so please check back periodically. If at any point we decide to use personally identifiable information in a manner different from that stated at the time it was collected, we will post such changes prior to implementing them.

What information of yours do APA Web sites collect?

Our goal is to become your destination for payroll-related information by providing information, services, and product offerings that are most relevant to you in the most convenient way. To achieve this goal, APA collects information about site visitors. Information collected online is usually defined as being either anonymous or personally identifiable.

Anonymous information refers to data that cannot be tied back to a specific individual. APA collects some information each time a visitor comes to an APA Web site, so we can improve the overall quality of the visitor's online experience. For example, APA collects the visitor's IP address, browser, and platform type (e.g., an Internet Explorer browser on a Windows platform). Gathering this data helps us to learn what browsers we need to support. Other anonymous information helps us determine what sections of APA Web sites are most popular and how many visitors come to our sites. You do not have to log in to the site before we can collect this anonymous information.

Personally identifiable information refers to data that tells us specifically who you are (e.g., your name and postal address). APA collects personal information in the following ways from different parts of its Web sites:

APA Membership Applications: You are sharing personally identifiable information, including your name and mailing address, with us when you join APA or renew your APA membership through our Web sites. APA members are given an APA membership number, and this member ID and password enables members to take advantage of restricted content and features on APA Web sites.

Other Registration: You may be asked for personal information when registering for specific services. For example, if you subscribe to the APA Payroll Listserv, you will be asked to provide your e-mail address.

Online Purchases: We also ask for personal information when you make a purchase using the APA Web store. The number and variety of useful services on APA Web sites that may require collection of personally identifiable information will continue to grow in the future.

What are "cookies" and how does APA use them?

A cookie is a small text file containing a unique identification number that is transferred from a website to the hard drive of your computer. This unique number identifies your Web browser -- but not you -- to APA computers whenever you visit APA Web sites. A cookie will not provide personally identifiable information about you, such as your name and address. The use of cookies is now an industry standard, and cookies are currently used on most major Web sites.

Most Web browsers are initially set up to accept cookies. If you prefer, you can reset your browser to notify you when you have received a cookie. You can also set your browser to refuse to accept cookies altogether. While APA does not require you to use cookies, keep in mind that certain services will not function properly if you set your browser to refuse all cookies.

To help serve you better, APA generally uses cookies to identify return visitors. Cookies let us remember your Web browser so we can provide personalized member and customer services.

What organization collects the information and who has access to it?

Data collected through APA Web sites is generally collected and maintained solely by APA. More specifically:

Personally identifiable information. When you provide personally identifiable information on an APA Web site to register for a service or buy a product, that information is collected and maintained solely by APA, unless specifically stated otherwise at the point of collection. If you join APA or renew your membership through our Web sites, you provide personally identifiable information on the membership application. APA sells mail lists (names and mailing addresses) and e-mail lists of members to selected third parties. You may opt out of mail or e-mail list sales when you complete your online application or any time during your membership -- see below under -- "What is the opt-out policy for APA Web sites?"

Anonymous information. We disclose to third-party sponsors/advertisers aggregate statistics (i.e., impressions and click-throughs on a company's advertisement). Also, we may share aggregate Web site statistics with the media or other third parties. No personally identifiable information is disclosed to these sponsors/advertisers or other third parties as part of this process -- only information in an aggregate form.

Be aware that APA's sponsors, advertisers, and third-party content providers have links on our sites that take you to other Web sites. For example, when you click on an ad displayed on an APA Web site, you may be linked to another site. Please note also that links to other Web sites are provided throughout APA Web sites for users' information and convenience. APA hopes that all third parties involved adhere to our policies regarding the privacy of our users. However, APA's Web Site Privacy Policy does not cover third-party data collection practices, and APA does not assume any responsibility for any actions of third parties.

How does APA use the information it collects?

APA collects information to provide you with the services you request and to improve our Web sites. If you join APA or renew your APA membership through our Web sites, we use the personally identifiable information you provide in the membership application to send you APA publications, information about member benefits, and other information that APA believes is relevant and useful to its members.

As mentioned above, APA uses the aggregate, anonymous data collected to let our sponsors/advertisers know the number of impressions or views and the number of "click throughs" on their advertisements. APA also uses this aggregate, anonymous data to perform statistical analyses of the collective characteristics and behavior of our site visitors; to measure user interests regarding specific areas of the APA Web site; and to analyze how and where best to use our resources. Without such data, we would not know which parts of the site are the most popular, and we would not be able to change and update the content and services appropriately.

APA may be required by law enforcement or judicial authorities to provide information on individual users to the appropriate governmental authorities. In matters involving a danger to personal or public safety, APA may voluntarily provide information to appropriate governmental authorities.

How can APA members modify their personal information?

APA members have the following options for changing and modifying information previously provided.

Log on to the APA website, from any page on the website, and click on "Edit My Profile."

Send mail to the following postal address:

ATTN: Membership Services

American Payroll Association

660 North Main Avenue, Suite 100

San Antonio, TX 78205-1217

Call Membership Services: 210-224-6406

E-mail: apa@americanpayroll.org

What is the opt-out policy for APA Web sites?

APA provides members the opportunity to opt-out of receiving communications from us and from selected third parties with which we exchange mail or e-mail lists. If you no longer wish to receive specific communications or services such as mail, e-mail, faxes, or electronic newsletters, you have the following options:

Log on to the APA website, from any page on the website, and click on "Edit My Profile." Scroll down to identify the communications and services you do or do not wish to receive.

Send mail to the following postal address:

ATTN: Membership Services

American Payroll Association

660 North Main Avenue, Suite 100

San Antonio, TX 78205-1217

Call: 210-224-6406

E-mail: apa@americanpayroll.org

What kinds of security procedures are in place to protect against the loss, misuse or alteration of your information?

This APA Web site has security measures, such as firewalls, in place to attempt to protect against the loss, misuse and alteration of your user data under our control. APA has implemented strict rules for employees who have access either to the databases that store user information or to the servers that host our services. While we cannot guarantee that loss, misuse or alteration to data will not occur, we take many precautions to prevent such unfortunate occurrences. Any other particularly sensitive information, such as your credit card number, collected for a commerce transaction is encrypted prior to transmission.

You are ultimately responsible for the security of your APA member ID and password. You may not share your APA member ID and password with colleagues or friends so they can access content or features on this APA Web site that are restricted to APA members only. You should log out of your browser at the end of each computer session to ensure that others cannot access your personal information and correspondence, especially if you share a computer with someone else or are using a computer in a public place like a library or Internet cafe.