Privacy Policy

1. Scope & Acceptance

By accessing or using our admin management tool — whether you are a crew member, independent contractor, applicant, or authorized user — you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with any part of this policy, you must discontinue use of the Tool immediately.

This Tool is designed specifically for tree service operations: document handling (certifications, insurance, contracts, safety forms) and job sign-up coordination. All data processing aligns with those core functions.

2. Information We Collect

To provide the admin management services, we collect the following categories of information:

• Identity & Contact Data: Full name, email address, phone number, mailing address, emergency contact details, and government ID where required for compliance.
• Job Sign-Up & Scheduling Data: Availability preferences, job bids or acceptances, work history, performance ratings, crew assignments, time logs, and location data (if you opt in for route coordination).
• Submitted Documents: Any files or images uploaded through the Tool — including but not limited to: W-9 forms, proof of arborist certification, liability insurance, worker’s comp documents, safety training records, signed waivers, tree inspection reports, and client contracts.
• Usage & Technical Data: Log data, IP address, device type, operating system, browser fingerprint, access timestamps, features used (e.g., document upload frequency, job sign-up actions).
• Communications: Messages, support tickets, or in-app chat history between you and our administrative team.

We do not intentionally collect sensitive personal data (e.g., health records, genetic data) unless you explicitly upload such documents as part of a workplace accommodation request, in which case additional confidentiality safeguards apply.

3. How We Use Your Information

Your information is used strictly for legitimate business purposes related to tree service operations, including:

• Job administration: Processing job sign-ups, matching workers with assignments, dispatching crews, and managing job completion records.
• Document storage & verification: Securely storing uploaded certificates, insurance, and waivers; verifying eligibility to work or operate equipment; maintaining compliance with industry regulations.
• Tool improvement: Analyzing usage patterns to fix bugs, optimize the admin dashboard, and improve user experience.
• Legal & safety compliance: Responding to regulatory audits (e.g., OSHA, state licensing boards), enforcing our terms, and investigating potential fraud or policy violations.
• Notifications: Sending job reminders, policy updates, document expiry alerts, and urgent safety bulletins.

4. When We Share Your Information

We never sell your personal data. We may share information only in these limited contexts:

• Service Providers: Cloud hosting (e.g., secure document storage), encryption services, crash analytics, and support platforms — all under strict data protection agreements.
• Legal obligations: To comply with a subpoena, court order, or government investigation (e.g., worker’s compensation board, tax authority).
• Business transfers: If we are acquired, merge, or sell assets, user information will be transferred with notice provided via the Tool or email.
• With explicit consent: For any other purpose you authorize in writing or through the app’s permission system.

5. Data Retention & Document Lifecycle

We retain your information for as long as your account is active or as needed to fulfill the purposes described. Specific retention guidelines:

• Job sign-up records: Kept for 3 years after last job assignment to support operational reviews and legal defense.
• Uploaded documents: Retained for the duration of your relationship with our tree service plus any applicable statutory period (e.g., tax documents retained for 7 years). You may request deletion of certain non‑mandatory documents, subject to legal holds.
• Usage logs: Anonymized after 12 months; raw logs deleted after 24 months.

When no longer required, data is securely deleted or anonymized. Some residual copies may remain in backup systems for a limited period.

6. Security of Your Information

We implement enterprise‑grade security appropriate for an admin tool handling sensitive documents and job data. This includes:

• Role‑based access controls: only authorized administrators can view full document libraries.
• Regular vulnerability scans and penetration testing.
• Multi‑factor authentication (MFA) for admin accounts.

Despite these measures, no system is 100% invulnerable. If we discover a data breach affecting your personal information, we will notify you and relevant authorities as required by law.

7. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your location (e.g., California, EU, UK, Canada, Australia), you may have the following rights regarding your data:

• Right to Access: Obtain a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
• Right to Rectification: Correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
• Right to Deletion: Request deletion of your data, subject to exceptions (e.g., ongoing legal obligations, fraud prevention).
• Right to Restrict Processing: Limit how we use your data in certain circumstances.
• Right to Data Portability: Receive a machine‑readable copy of data you provided.
• Right to Opt-Out of Sale/Sharing: We do not sell data, but if that changes, we will provide an opt-out mechanism.

To exercise any right, contact us using the details in Section 13. We will respond within 30 days and may verify your identity before processing requests.

8. Cookies & Similar Technologies

The Tool uses strictly necessary cookies (session tokens, authentication) and functional cookies to remember your preferences (e.g., dark mode, table columns). We do not use third‑party advertising cookies. You may disable cookies in your browser, but some admin features may not work properly. For more details, see our Cookie Preferences within the app.

9. International Data Transfers

Our cloud infrastructure is primarily located in the United States. If you access the Tool from outside the US, your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the US where data protection laws may differ. We rely on Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) or equivalent safeguards for any onward transfers. By using the Tool, you consent to such transfers.

10. Additional Disclosures (California & GDPR)

California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA): California residents have the right to know what personal information is collected, the business purpose, and any third‑party sharing. We do not use sensitive personal information for inferring characteristics. To submit a “Do Not Sell or Share” request, please email us — we honor global privacy controls (GPC) signals where technically feasible.

GDPR (for individuals in the EEA/UK): Our lawful bases for processing include contract performance (job sign‑ups, document submission), legal obligations (tax/labor records), and legitimate interests (tool security, analytics). You may lodge a complaint with your local Data Protection Authority.

11. Children’s Privacy

The TreeWorks Admin Tool is strictly for users aged 18 and older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18. If we become aware that a minor has provided us with data, we will delete it immediately.

12. Updates to This Privacy Policy

We may revise this policy from time to time. Material changes will be announced via in‑app notification or email at least 14 days before they take effect. The “Last Updated” date at the top indicates when the latest revision occurred. Continued use of the Tool after changes signifies acceptance.

13. Contact Us

If you believe we have mishandled your information, you may also file a complaint with your local supervisory authority.