KCERA WEBSITE PRIVACY STATEMENT

Kern County Employees' Retirement Association (KCERA) takes the privacy of its members and beneficiaries very seriously and has taken steps to protect private information. To demonstrate KCERA’s commitment to its users’ privacy, KCERA discloses the following website information practices.

For questions about this Privacy Statement or the security of our website, please contact privacy@kcera.org.

Disclaimer:

Kern County Employees Retirement Association ("KCERA") provides this website for informational purposes only for its members, their beneficiaries, and the general public. KCERA makes no representations or warranties, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information provided on the website.

While KCERA strives to ensure the information is current and accurate, inadvertent errors or omissions may occur.

KCERA is governed by the County Employees Retirement Law of 1937, other portions of the California Government Code, the Internal Revenue Code, and various statutes, rules and regulations.  These statutes, rules, and regulations are complex and subject to change.  In the event of a conflict between the statutes, rules, and regulations governing KCERA and the information contained on this Web site, the statutes, rules, and regulations shall control.

The information on this website is not intended to serve as legal, financial, or professional advice. Users are strongly encouraged to consult with appropriate professionals regarding their specific legal, financial, or other concerns. KCERA disclaims all liability for any loss or damage arising from the use of this website or reliance on any information provided herein.

SECURITY

When a KCERA member or beneficiary (“USER”) enters sensitive information (such as name, e-mail address, Social Security number, or password), to access or use the Member Portal website, that information is encrypted and protected.

COLLECTION AND USE OF INFORMATION

KCERA collects personal information from a USER at various points on kcera.com in order to access the USER’s information within its database; however, no information is collected without a USER's consent. KCERA is the sole owner of any personal information collected and does not sell, share, rent, or otherwise distribute any of this information.

SHARING OF INFORMATION

Information supplied by our USERS is considered private and will not be made available to others for any purpose unless required by law.

Your access to the Site is governed by all applicable federal, state, and local laws. In the case of a dispute, you agree that the laws of the State of California shall apply to this Agreement. Actual or attempted unauthorized use of the Site may result in criminal and/or civil action. KCERA reserves the right to view, monitor, and record activity on the Site without notice or permission from you. As dictated by legal requirements, KCERA may share the information gathered on the Site with law enforcement agencies or other authorized entities.

EMAIL

Email is not a secure platform. Information passed through email can be intercepted by third parties. For this reason, you should not communicate personal information (e.g., account information) via e-mail.

LINKS TO OTHER WEBSITES

As a convenience for users, kcera.com contains links to other websites created and maintained by entities other than KCERA. KCERA is not responsible for any material found on the linked websites or for the privacy practices of the websites. Such websites are not investigated, monitored, or checked for accuracy or completeness by KCERA. KCERA’s inclusion of any linked website on our Site does not imply approval or endorsement of the linked website by KCERA. We encourage you to read the privacy statements of linked sites; their privacy policies may differ from ours. If you decide to leave our Site to access these third-party sites, you do so at your own risk.

LOG FILES

When a KCERA member or beneficiary logs into the Member Portal website, KCERA automatically collects and stores certain information in its server logs, including Internet Provider (IP) addresses. KCERA uses this information for statistical and systems administration purposes and for substantiating member identities in cases of fraudulent activity. These logs may also be analyzed to identify system performance or problem areas and to improve the value of the materials available on the website.

When you use our services or view content provided by Google, we automatically collect and store certain information in server logs. This includes:

◾details of how you used our service, such as your search queries.

◾telephony log information like your phone number, calling-party number, forwarding numbers, time and date of calls, duration of calls, SMS routing information, and types of calls.

◾Internet protocol address.

◾device event information such as crashes, system activity, hardware settings, browser type, browser language, the date and time of your request, and referral URL.

GOOGLE ANALYTICS DISCLAIMER:

This Web site uses Google Analytics, a Web analytics service provided by Google, Inc. (“Google”). Google Analytics uses “cookies”, which are text files placed on your computer, to help the Web site analyze how users use the site.   The information generated by the cookie about your use of the Web site (including your IP address) will be transmitted to and stored by Google on servers in the United States.

Google will use this information for the purpose of evaluating your use of the Web site, compiling reports on Web site activity for Web site operators and providing other services relating to Web site activity and Internet usage.

Google may also transfer this information to third parties where required to do so by law, or where such third parties process the information on Google’s behalf. Google will not associate your IP address with any other data held by Google.  You may refuse the use of cookies by selecting the appropriate settings on your browser.  However, please note that if you refuse the use of cookies you may not be able to use the full functionality of this Web site.

By using this Web site, you consent to the processing of data about you by Google in the manner and for the purposes set out above.

Cookies:

A cookie is a small text file containing a random and unique alphanumeric identifier that we transfer to your computer’s hard drive through your web browser (unless you set your browser to reject cookies) that enables our systems to recognize your browser. We do not store any personally identifiable information in cookies.

In some cases, our website uses browser cookies to maintain session and preference information or provide other complex functionality. In some sites, cookies are used to capture IP addresses for statistical analysis. You may adjust your Internet browser to disable the use of cookies and other web technologies; however, some features of this website may be disabled (such as preferences selected during a previous visit) if you block these technologies.

Privacy Statement:

KCERA is committed to protecting the privacy of its members and users of this website. Personal information collected by KCERA, such as names, email addresses, mailing addresses, and phone numbers, is used solely for the purpose of assisting members and improving user experience on the website. KCERA employs encryption software to protect sensitive data, and personal information is not sold, shared, or distributed to third parties without prior consent, except as required by law or court order.

KCERA is subject to the California Public Records Act (CPRA). Under the CPRA and cases interpreting the CPRA, KCERA is required to disclose certain member information upon written request. You may review KCERA’ Public Records Request Policy for additional details.

KCERA is not responsible for the privacy practices of linked websites and encourages users to review their privacy policies.

Personal Information:

Visitors to the KCERA website are not required to enter personally identifiable information to access data and services. As a convenience, KCERA offers assistance through the website as an alternative to calling, writing or visiting the retirement office. To receive assistance through the website a visitor may be asked to voluntarily supply personal information such as:

•           Name

•           E-mail Address

•           Mailing Address

•           Phone Number

This information is used by KCERA personnel for internal purposes and is never sold to outside agencies, we do not collect or use this information for commercial marketing. KCERA is committed to keeping personal information private and uses different software to maintain information about its members.

Terms of Use:

By accessing and using this website, users agree to hold KCERA, its Board members, employees, agents, and representatives harmless from any and all claims, demands, and causes of action arising from or in connection with the use of this website or the information contained herein.

Users are prohibited from engaging in any unlawful or prohibited activities, including but not limited to unauthorized access to the website, misuse of content, and infringement of intellectual property rights. The content on this website is protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws, and users may not reproduce, distribute, or modify it without prior written consent from KCERA.