California Employee Privacy Notice

What is the purpose of this document?
This California Employee Privacy Notice (the “Notice”) for Savencia Cheese USA LLC, AFP advanced food products LLC, and Valrhona, Inc. (collectively “Savencia Group”), describes Savencia Group’s collection of Personal Information from job applicants, employees, and contractors, and the business purposes for which this data will be used. This Notice supplements any other privacy notices and is not intended to override them. This includes, but is not limited to, any provisions in the Employee Handbook.

For the purposes of this Notice, “Personal Information” means any information that identifies, relates to, describes, is reasonably capable of being associated with, or could reasonably be linked, directly or indirectly, to any individual or a household.

Categories of Personal Information Collected
Savencia Group collects Personal Information about you during the application process and throughout the scope of your employment with Savencia Group. The categories of Personal Information collected may include the following:

  • Identification data, such as your name, employee/staff ID, date of birth, nationality, Social Security number or equivalent national identification number.
  • Contact details, such as your work and home addresses, telephone numbers, email addresses, and emergency contact details.
  • Characteristics of protected classifications under California or federal law, such as your age, gender, national origin, religion, disability and/or marital status.
  • Biometric Information, such as fingerprints.
  • Family Information, such as the name, relationship, date of birth, contact details, and social security numbers of your family members, and any other information that may be needed for the administration of benefits.
  • Information about your job, such as job title, category and status, work location, department, employment contract, assigned tasks and projects, weekly hours, supervisor’s name, start and end date, and reason for leaving.
  • Job qualifications, such as your education, training, certifications; prior work experience, credit and background check information, and any other information that may be included in your resume or job application.
  • Monitoring information, such as IT systems usage information related to your use of Savencia Group equipment, systems, and other resources, security video, and building access and security information.
  • Communication details, such as email content, business letter content, business documents, and chat content.
  • Performance and disciplinary information, such as performance reviews, evaluations and ratings, information about disciplinary allegations, the disciplinary process and any disciplinary warnings, details of grievances, and any outcome.
  • Information about your compensation and benefits, such as your basic salary, bonus and commission entitlements, insurance benefits (including information about you and your dependents that we provide to the insurer), hours and overtime, tax code, taxes withheld, holiday entitlement, sick time, accrued salary information, and information relating to your retirement accounts.
  • Employment related documents and agreements, such as employment agreements, confidentiality agreements, and proprietary rights agreements.
  • Financial information, such as your bank details (for payroll and travel reimbursement purposes only) and business travel and entertainment data.
  • Health information, as required by law or as needed to manage the employment relationship, including COVID-19 health screening, drug test results, benefits administration, wellness programs, occupational health, disability accommodation, workers’ compensation, and medical leave.
  • Equal opportunity monitoring data, to the extent voluntarily provided, such as race, ethnicity, disability, and military veteran information.
  • Union membership status, as required by law to ensure benefits, terms of employment, and employment policies comply with the Union’s requirements.
  • Termination and post-employment information, such as termination agreements, benefits notices, and unemployment compensations forms.

Business Purpose
Savencia Group uses Personal Information, for all purposes related to the application for employment, and the creation, administration, and termination of your employment relationship with the Savencia Group. These purposes include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Making a decision about your recruitment or appointment.
  • To assess your skills, qualifications, and suitability for the work or role for which you are applying.
  • To carry out background and reference checks, where applicable.
  • To communicate with you about the recruitment process.
  • Determining the terms on which you work for us.
  • Confirming you are legally entitled to work in the United States.
  • To administer compensation, including, but not limited to, time keeping, payment of wages and bonuses and income tax withholding and reimbursement of business expenses.
  • Providing employment benefits to you if applicable, for example, medical insurance, life insurance, and retirement savings plans.
  • Business management and planning, including accounting and auditing.
  • Conducting performance reviews, managing performance and determining performance requirements.
  • Making decisions about salary reviews and compensation.
  • Assessing qualifications for a particular job or task, including decisions about promotions.
  • Gathering evidence for possible grievance or disciplinary hearings.
  • Making decisions about your continued employment or engagement.
  • Making arrangements for the termination of our working relationship.
  • Education, training and development requirements.
  • Dealing with legal disputes involving you, or other employees, workers and contractors, including accidents at work.
  • Ascertaining your fitness to work.
  • To administer leaves of absence as required by law or company policy.
  • Complying with health and safety obligations.
  • To prevent fraud.
  • To monitor your use of our information and communication systems to ensure compliance with our policies.
  • To ensure network, information, and building security, including preventing unauthorised access to our computer and electronic communications systems and preventing malicious software distribution.
  • To conduct data analytics studies to review and better understand employee retention and attrition rates.
  • Equal opportunities monitoring.
  • To exercise the Savencia Group’s rights under applicable law and to support any claim, defense, or declaration in a case or before a jurisdictional and/or administrative authority, arbitration, or mediation panel.
  • To meet legal and regulatory requirements including civil discovery in litigation involving the Savencia Group or affiliated companies.
  • To facilitate administrative functions, including, but not limited to, the management and operation of information technology and communications systems, risk management and insurance functions, budgeting, financial management and reporting, strategic planning, and the maintenance of licenses, permits and authorizations applicable to the Savencia Group’s business operations.