Privacy
What personal information does Stratos collect on its web site?
We use IP addresses to monitor use of our web site. These do not provide us with any information on an identifiable person.
All of the information held on our servers is protected by firewalls.
Who will know if you visit the web site to contact a counsellor?
We hold no personally identifiable data on any individual who visits the web site?
What personal information does Stratos collect?
Stratos retains contact information for key contacts in our customers. This information will not be disclosed to third parties.
Where Stratos provides counselling on behalf of its Australian counterpart organisations we record the employee’s name but no other personal information. The name is provided to our counterpart organisations but they do not reveal it to their customer.
Where an employee attending counselling signs a consent to disclose confidential information to Stratos, we will only disclose that information to those nominated on the consent form.
What personal information do counsellors collect?
Counselling is provided by independent counsellors whose practices are governed by the code of ethics of the professional organisation to which they belong. They keep personal information gathered solely for the purposes of counselling. This information is secured in a combination of computer and paper based files. Counsellors take every step to ensure that this information is not misused, modified, inappropriately accessed, or disclosed. Counsellors will not disclose any personal information to any other party without your written permission unless there is a serious risk that you will harm yourself of others.
The counsellor will be the only person that knows that you have attended counselling unless you have been formally referred to counselling, you have told another person, signed a consent form, or are at risk of harming yourself or others. Stratos Business System for Counsellors is set up so that Stratos staff are do not have access to your name in the counsellor record held on our database.
Where an employer requires the counsellor to record your employee identity number this information will be retained by the counsellor and recorded on the Stratos database but will not be available to your employer.
What statistical information is provided to your employer?
Counsellors collect information on the issues and contributing factors which led an employee to seek counselling. This information is recorded without the employee’s identity in the Stratos Business System for Counsellors. Each counsellor can only access the information for employees that they have seen. Stratos aggregates this data in its feedback to customers. The identity of those who have attended counselling or any other identifying information is not part of this feedback.
Invoicing
There are no names or information which would identify an employee on any invoice for employee assistance programme services.
In a few customers employees do not have direct access to make an appointment with a counsellor and are referred to the programme by a line manager or someone from Human Resources. Invoices to these organisations do not have the employee’s name on them, or any information on the reasons for the use of the programme.
Requesting a copy of your record from a counsellor.
You may request a copy of your personal information held by your counsellor. This request should be made to the counsellor.