Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy (“Policy”) describes how Fortify Work Inc. (“Fortify,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) collects, uses, and discloses personal information in connection with our website at fortifywork.com (the “Site”), related software (the “Software”), and job-search and hiring services (collectively, the “Services”).

This Policy applies to visitors, people seeking work (“Job Seekers”), and employers, recruiters, and company representatives (“Employers”). Your use of our Services is also subject to our Terms of Service. This Policy does not govern educational financing provided by Fortify Education, Inc., or information handled independently by an Employer or another third party. Those services and organizations have their own privacy notices.

Information We Collect About You

We collect information directly from you, from other entities, and automatically through your use of our Site and Services. The information involved depends on the features you use, the requests you make, and what you choose to submit. Some features process information in your browser; entering information into a field does not necessarily mean it has been submitted to Fortify or an Employer.

Information We Collect Directly From You

Job Seekers. When you request job-search assistance or submit information through available features, this may include your name, email address, phone number, ZIP code, preferred work location, trade, specialties, experience, training, licenses, certifications, availability, and job preferences. If you choose to provide a resume, work history, profile, or application materials, we may receive the information included in those materials. Please provide only information relevant to your job search and that you are authorized to share.

Employers. When you request hiring assistance, we may collect your name, business contact information, company name, job-posting link, hiring needs, role details, work location, experience requirements, and desired start date, together with information you choose to submit about your organization or opportunities.

Communications. If you contact us, request information, provide feedback, or seek support, we collect the information you provide, such as your contact details and the contents of your communication. If you supply someone else's information, you must have permission or another lawful basis to do so.

We do not require Social Security numbers, bank account details, government identification documents, or health information to browse jobs or express interest in our marketplace. Please do not include those details in your profile, resume, or ordinary support messages. If a separate service requires additional information, we will explain the request and obtain any consent required by law.

Information We Collect From Other Entities

We may receive job and company information from Employers and publicly available job postings. We may also receive information from a school, training provider, recruiter, or another person when you authorize a referral or sharing, and from service providers assisting with your requests. Any credit check, background check, or other screening that requires separate notice or authorization is not authorized merely by your use of the Site.

Information We Collect Automatically

When you visit our Site, our hosting and security providers may process information such as your IP address, browser and device type, operating system, requested pages and files, referring URL, access times, and approximate location inferred from your IP address. This information helps deliver the Site, identify errors, and protect against misuse. Information included in a page URL may appear in browser history and hosting logs. Our job-search links can carry the preferences and contact information you enter to the next step of the flow.

How and Why We Use Your Information

We use your information, including personal information, for the following purposes, as relevant to your use of the Services:

• Providing the Services. To provide our Site and Services, respond to your requests, maintain job-search preferences, and help Job Seekers and Employers connect through available features.
• Job search and hiring. To understand skills, specialties, experience, location, availability, and preferences; identify relevant opportunities or candidates; and facilitate introductions, applications, or communication that you request or authorize.
• Communicating with you. To respond to inquiries, provide support, send requested job information, and communicate about your use of the Services.
• Personalizing your experience. To tailor information and opportunities to the preferences you provide. Job suggestions are not employment decisions; Employers decide whom to interview and hire.
• Marketing and promotions. To send information about our Services where permitted by law and consistent with your communication preferences and any required consent. You may opt out as explained below.
• Research and improvement. To better understand how users access our Site and Services, evaluate performance, troubleshoot problems, respond to feedback, and improve features and user experiences.
• Security and legal obligations. To protect the rights, property, and safety of Fortify and others; prevent and investigate fraud, abuse, and unlawful activity; enforce our agreements; comply with legal obligations; and maintain records needed for these purposes.
• Other purposes with notice or consent. For a purpose we explain when collecting the information, or with your consent where required by law.

How We Share Your Information

We may disclose personal information as described below, consistent with the Services you request, your choices, and applicable law.

Job Seekers and Employers. If you choose to apply, request an introduction, or authorize us to share your information with an Employer, we may disclose the relevant contact details, qualifications, preferences, and application materials for that purpose. If a feature lets Employers discover your profile, we will explain its visibility and your choices before you enable it. Providing contact information alone does not make your profile public. Employers may use information they receive under their own privacy notices and legal obligations; contact them directly about information they hold independently.

Service Providers. We may disclose information to service providers and contractors who perform functions on our behalf, such as website hosting, security, technical support, and communications. They may use the information to provide those services, subject to applicable restrictions.

Affiliates. We may disclose information to affiliates that assist us in providing and supporting the Services, subject to this Policy. Using Fortify Work does not by itself submit an application for educational financing or authorize sharing your job-search information for that purpose.

Business Transfers. If we are acquired by or merged with another company, if substantially all of our assets are transferred to another company, or as part of a bankruptcy proceeding, we may transfer information we have collected to the other company. We may also disclose information in connection with the evaluation of such a transaction, subject to appropriate confidentiality protections and applicable law.

In Response to Legal Process. We may disclose information to comply with the law, a judicial proceeding, court order, or other legal process, such as in response to a subpoena or other lawful request.

To Protect Us and Others. We may disclose information where we believe it is necessary to investigate, prevent, or take action regarding illegal activities, suspected fraud, situations involving potential threats to safety, violations of our Terms of Service or this Policy, or as evidence in litigation in which Fortify is involved.

Aggregate and Deidentified Information. We may use and disclose aggregate or deidentified information for research, reporting, and similar purposes. Where we treat information as deidentified, we take reasonable measures to prevent it from being associated with an individual and do not attempt to reidentify it, except as permitted by law to test deidentification safeguards.

With Your Direction or Consent. We may disclose information for other purposes when you direct us to do so or provide consent. We do not sell personal information or share it for cross-context behavioral advertising, and we do not use it for targeted advertising as those terms are defined under applicable state privacy laws.

Cookies and Other Tracking Mechanisms

Cookies are small files a website transfers to your device through your browser. Browser storage can also retain information needed for features or preferences. Our Site and hosting providers may use technologies needed to deliver the Site, maintain security, and support features you request. The Site does not currently use advertising pixels, session-replay tools, or third-party advertising trackers. If we introduce optional tracking that requires consent or an opt-out, we will provide the appropriate notice and choice before using it.

Disabling Cookies

Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but if you prefer, you can edit your browser options to block them. The Help portion of most browsers will tell you how to prevent your device from accepting new cookies, have the browser notify you when you receive a new cookie, or disable cookies altogether. Visitors who disable cookies will be able to browse the Site, but features that rely on browser storage or cookies may not function. You may also clear information stored in your browser through its settings.

Browser Privacy Signals

Browser “Do Not Track” signals are different from legally recognized opt-out preference signals such as Global Privacy Control. We do not sell or share personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising or use it for targeted advertising, so there is no such processing on this Site to opt out of. We will honor applicable opt-out preference signals where required by law. You may also contact us about your privacy choices at help@fortifywork.com.

User Generated Content

Where our Services allow you to post public content, including a job posting, comment, or testimonial, information you choose to publish may be available to visitors and other users. Public content may be copied by others, and we cannot prevent it from being used in a manner that violates this Policy, the law, or your personal privacy. Private job-search information, resumes, applications, and messages are handled as described in the How We Share Your Information section rather than automatically made public.

Links

Our Site and Services may contain links to other websites and online services, including Employers' application sites and education-financing services. Access to and use of such linked websites is not governed by this Policy, but instead by the privacy policies of those websites or online services. We are not responsible for their information practices.

Security of My Personal Information

We use reasonable precautions intended to protect the information we collect from loss, misuse, and unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, and destruction. Please be aware that despite our efforts, no data security measures can guarantee security.

You should take steps to protect against unauthorized access to your phone, device, and computer, including signing off after using a shared device and keeping any account credentials private. If you believe your information or access to the Services has been compromised, please contact help@fortifywork.com.

How Long We Keep Your Information

We do not retain personal information for longer than is reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this Policy. Retention depends on the nature of the information, the Services you request, whether you remain active, and applicable legal, security, and recordkeeping obligations. We may retain information needed to resolve disputes, prevent fraud, enforce agreements, or honor your privacy and communication preferences. When information is no longer needed, we delete or deidentify it, subject to applicable law and backup-retention cycles.

Access to My Personal Information

You may request access to, correction of, or deletion of personal information you have submitted by contacting help@fortifywork.com. Copies of updated or deleted information may remain in cached or archived pages or backups for a period of time, and certain records may be retained to meet legal obligations. Deleting information from Fortify does not automatically delete copies already lawfully received by an Employer or another recipient; you may need to contact that recipient separately.

What Choices Do I Have Regarding Communications?

In accordance with applicable law and any required consent, we may send periodic promotional communications. You may opt out by following the instructions in the communication or contacting us. We will process opt-out requests in accordance with applicable law. If you opt out of promotional communications, we may still send service-related communications, responses to your inquiries, or required disclosures.

Providing a phone number does not by itself authorize automated marketing calls or texts. If you separately opt in to a text-message program, you may reply STOP to opt out or HELP for help. Message and data rates may apply. Withdrawing marketing consent does not prevent you from using the Services.

Children

Our Services are intended for people age 18 and older and are not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we discover that a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, we will promptly delete it. If you believe a child has provided personal information, please contact us.

Where Information Is Processed

Fortify is based in the United States, and our Services are intended for the U.S. job market. Information may be processed in the United States or other locations where our service providers operate. Privacy laws in those locations may differ from those where you live. We handle the information in accordance with this Policy and applicable law.

Additional Privacy Notice for California Residents

This section provides additional information about personal information handled under the California Consumer Privacy Act, as amended (“CCPA”), to the extent that law applies to Fortify and your information. It does not apply to information exempt under the CCPA, such as certain publicly available, deidentified, or aggregated information.

Categories, Sources, Purposes, and Recipients

Depending on your interactions with us, the categories described in this Policy include identifiers and contact information; professional and employment information; education, training, and certification information you provide; internet and device activity; approximate location and your preferred work location; communications and submitted content; and preferences or inferences about relevant job opportunities. We do not ask for sensitive personal information to browse jobs or express interest. If you voluntarily include it in a submission or support request, we use it only as needed to address that request or as otherwise permitted by law.

Sources include you, Employers and referrals you authorize, public job postings, and hosting or other service providers. The purposes, recipient categories, and retention criteria for this information are described in the Information We Collect About You, How and Why We Use Your Information, How We Share Your Information, and How Long We Keep Your Information sections above. We do not sell or share personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising, including information of consumers under 16.

Rights of California Residents Under the CCPA

Subject to the law's scope, verification requirements, and exceptions, you may have the following rights:

• Right to Know and Access. To request the categories and specific pieces of personal information collected about you, the categories of sources, the purposes for collecting and using the information, and the categories of recipients to whom it is disclosed.
• Right to Correct. To request correction of inaccurate personal information, taking into account its nature and the purposes for processing it.
• Right to Delete. To request deletion of personal information, subject to exceptions such as retaining records needed to meet legal obligations or protect against fraud.
• Right to Opt Out. To opt out of selling personal information or sharing it for cross-context behavioral advertising. Fortify does not engage in those practices.
• Right to Limit Sensitive Information. To limit uses and disclosures of sensitive personal information where the CCPA provides that right.
• Right to Non-Discrimination. To exercise applicable privacy rights without unlawful discrimination or retaliation.

Submitting a Privacy Request

California residents may submit a privacy request by emailing help@fortifywork.com. Please describe your request and provide enough information for us to identify the information involved. We will respond within the time required by applicable law and explain any permitted extension or reason we cannot fulfill a request.

Identity Verification. For requests requiring verification, we may ask you to confirm information we already have or verify access to the email address or phone number associated with your request. We use verification information only for purposes permitted by law. Requests to opt out of sale or sharing or to limit applicable uses of sensitive personal information do not require identity verification.

Authorized Agents. An authorized agent may submit a request by emailing us. Where permitted by law, we may require proof of the agent's authority and ask you to verify your identity or confirm that you authorized the request. We will handle requests supported by a valid power of attorney as required by law.

Additional Privacy Rights for Other U.S. Residents

Depending on where you live and whether an applicable state privacy law covers our processing, you may have rights to confirm whether we process your personal information, access and receive a portable copy, correct inaccuracies, request deletion, obtain information about disclosures, and opt out of certain processing. Such opt-outs may include sales, targeted advertising, or profiling in furtherance of decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects. Rights and exceptions vary by state. Fortify does not sell personal information or process it for targeted advertising, and job suggestions do not make hiring decisions for Employers.

To exercise applicable rights, email help@fortifywork.com. We may authenticate your request by matching information we have on file or asking for additional information where reasonably necessary and permitted by law. Authorized agents may submit requests where applicable law permits. We will not unlawfully discriminate against you for exercising your rights.

Appeals. If we decline a request, you may ask us to review the decision by emailing help@fortifywork.com with the subject “Privacy Request Appeal.” We will process applicable appeals within the time required by law and explain our decision. You may also contact your state attorney general or privacy regulator to make a complaint.

Contact Us

If you have questions about the privacy aspects of our Site or Services, would like to make a complaint, or need this Policy in an accessible format, please contact Fortify Work Inc. at help@fortifywork.com.

Changes to This Policy

This Policy is current as of the Last Updated date above. We may change it from time to time, so please check back periodically. We will post any changes on our Site. If we make changes that materially affect our practices for personal information previously collected from you, we will provide notice as required by law, such as highlighting the change on our Site or contacting you. We will obtain consent before a change where required by law.