Website Cookie Policy

1. What Are Cookies?

1.1 Cookies are small text files that are stored on your device (computer, tablet, or mobile) when you visit a website. They help websites remember information about your visit, which can make your next visit easier and the site more useful to you.

2. How We Use Cookies

2.1 Mustard HR uses cookies to improve your experience on our website. We use different types of cookies for different purposes, and you can control which cookies you accept through our cookie consent banner.

3. Types of Cookies We Use

Essential Cookies (Always Active)

3.1 These cookies are necessary for the website to function properly and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services.

PHPSESSID

3.2 Purpose: PHP session management for admin area authentication

3.3 Duration: Session (deleted when browser closes)

3.4 Data Collected: Session identifier only

3.5 Third Party: No

3.6 Legal Basis: Legitimate interest (essential for website functionality)

Analytics Cookie (Optional - Requires Consent)

3.7 These cookies help us understand how visitors use our website by collecting information about pages visited, time spent on the site, and any error messages encountered.

a) Google Analytics (gtag)

b) Purpose: Website analytics and performance measurement

c) Duration: Up to 26 months

3.8 Data Collected:

a) Pages visited and time spent on each page

b) How you arrived at our site (referrer information)

3.9 Device and browser information

a) Geographic location (country/region level)

User interactions and behaviour patterns

a) Third Party: Yes (Google)

b) Legal Basis: Consent

c) Privacy Policy: Google Analytics Privacy Policy

Specific Google Analytics Cookies:

a) _ga: Distinguishes unique users (expires after 2 years)

b) ga[ID]: Used to persist session state (expires after 2 years)

c) _gid: Distinguishes unique users (expires after 24 hours)

Marketing Cookies (Currently Not Used)

We do not currently use marketing or advertising cookies. If this changes in the future, we will update this policy and seek your consent.

4. Cookie Consent Management

4.1 When you first visit our website, you will see a cookie consent banner. You can:

a) Accept All: Allow all cookies including analytics

b) Essential Only: Only allow essential cookies required for the website to function

c) Manage Preferences: Choose which categories of cookies to accept

4.2 You can change your cookie preferences at any time by:

a) Clicking the cookie preferences link in our website footer

b) Clearing your browser cookies (note: this will require you to set your preferences again)

5. Third-Party Cookies

Google Analytics

5.1 When you consent to analytics cookies, Google Analytics may set cookies on your device. Google is an independent data controller for this data. For more information about how Google processes data, please see:

5.2 How Google uses data when you use our partners' sites or apps

5.3 Google Analytics Privacy Policy

6. Your Rights and Choices

Browser Settings

6.1 You can control cookies through your browser settings:

a) Chrome: Settings > Privacy and security > Cookies and other site data

b) Firefox: Settings > Privacy & Security > Cookies and Site Data

c) Safari: Preferences > Privacy > Cookies and website data

d) Edge: Settings > Cookies and site permissions

6.2 Please note that blocking essential cookies may affect the functionality of our website.

Opt-Out Options

6.3 For Google Analytics specifically, you can:

6.4 Use the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on

6.5 Enable "Do Not Track" in your browser (we respect this setting)

7. Data Retention

7.1 Essential Cookies: Deleted when you close your browser

7.2 Analytics Cookies: Retained for up to 26 months

7.3 Consent Preferences: Stored locally on your device until you clear them or change preferences

8. Updates to This Policy

8.1 We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time. When we make changes, we will:

a) Update the date at the top of this policy

b) Notify you through our cookie consent banner if the changes affect your current consent choices

c) Contact our mailing list members for significant changes

9. Contact Us

9.1 If you have any questions about our Cookie Policy or how we handle cookies, please contact us:

Company: Mustard HR Ltd
Contact Person: Lucy Feavearyear (Data Protection Officer)
Address: Norwich, Norfolk
Email: lucy@mustardhr.co.uk

9.2 If you remain unhappy with how we've used cookies after raising a complaint with us, you can raise your concerns with the ICO at the following address:

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House,
Water Lane,
Wilmslow,
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

The ICO Helpline number is 0303 123 1113
Website: https://www.ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint