Data Retention Policy for AZH Consulting Corp

Effective Date: July 01, 2025

AZH Consulting Corp (“we,” “us,” or “our”), a New York-based, DBE, MBE, and WBE certified firm, is committed to responsibly managing personal information in compliance with applicable data protection laws, including the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), the California Online Privacy Protection Act (CalOPPA), the New York SHIELD Act, and industry-specific cybersecurity policies required by government agencies. This Data Retention Policy outlines how we retain, store, and dispose of personal information collected through our website, https://azhconsulting.com/ (the “Website”), and through our services, including IT consulting, software development, project management, cost estimation, scheduling, staffing solutions, and quantity takeoff (QTO). This policy ensures transparency and compliance with legal obligations while supporting our commitment to diversity and excellence.

1. Purpose and Scope

This Data Retention Policy establishes the principles and procedures for retaining and disposing of personal information collected from Website visitors, clients, prospective clients, job applicants, and other individuals interacting with us via email, phone, or other channels. It applies to all personal information as defined by applicable laws, including names, contact details, professional information, and usage data, as described in our Privacy Policy. The policy targets our audience, including businesses, contractors, job seekers, and public agencies (city, state, federal) in industries such as construction, infrastructure, healthcare, and government across the United States.

The policy aims to:

• Ensure personal information is retained only for as long as necessary to fulfill its intended purpose.
• Comply with legal, regulatory, and contractual obligations, including government cybersecurity policies for contracts.
• Protect user privacy by securely disposing of data when no longer needed.

2. Categories of Personal Information

We may collect and retain the following categories of personal information, as outlined in our Privacy Policy:

2.1 Information Provided Directly

• Contact Information: Name, email address, phone number, and mailing address submitted through contact forms, inquiries, or client onboarding.
• Professional Information: Job title, company name, services required, and business-related details provided for IT consulting, software development, or other services.
• Job Application Information: Résumés, cover letters, and related details submitted via the “Jobs” section of the Website.
• Correspondence: Details in emails, messages, or other communications, including those based on bidders’ lists, industry major players, prospective bidders, or opportunities.
• Payment Information: Billing details (e.g., credit card or bank account information) processed through secure third-party payment processors for services like QTO purchases.

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

• Usage Data: IP address, browser type, device information, operating system, pages visited, and time spent on the Website, collected via analytics tools.
• Cookies and Tracking Technologies: Data from cookies or similar technologies (e.g., Google Analytics, social media pixels), as detailed in our Cookie Policy.

2.3 Information from Third Parties

• Analytics Data: Aggregated data from providers like Google Analytics.
• Social Media Data: Information from interactions on platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, or Instagram.

3. Retention Principles

We adhere to the following principles when determining retention periods:

• Purpose Limitation: Personal information is retained only for the purposes for which it was collected, such as providing services, responding to inquiries, processing job applications, or marketing (e.g., emails based on bidders’ lists or prospective opportunities).
• Minimization: We retain only the data necessary to achieve those purposes.
• Legal Compliance: Retention periods comply with applicable laws, regulations (e.g., CCPA, New York SHIELD Act), and government cybersecurity policies for contracts.
• Secure Disposal: Data no longer needed is securely deleted to prevent unauthorized access.

4. Retention Periods

The following retention periods apply to personal information, unless a longer period is required by law or a shorter period is requested by the data subject (subject to legal exemptions):

4.1 Client Data

• Purpose: To provide services (e.g., IT consulting, software development, project management, QTO), process payments, and maintain client relationships.
• Retention Period: Five (5) years from the end of the client relationship to comply with tax, accounting, and legal requirements under U.S. federal and New York state laws (e.g., IRS regulations, New York Tax Law) and government cybersecurity policies.
• Examples: Contact information, professional information, payment details, project-related correspondence.

4.2 Job Application Data

• Purpose: To evaluate candidates and comply with employment laws.
• Retention Period: Five (5) years from submission or as required by federal and New York employment laws (e.g., Equal Employment Opportunity Commission requirements). If hired, data may be retained for the duration of employment plus five (5) years.
• Examples: Résumés, cover letters, application forms.

4.3 Website Usage Data

• Purpose: To analyze Website performance and improve user experience.
• Retention Period: Up to twenty-four (24) months, consistent with analytics provider settings (e.g., Google Analytics).
• Examples: IP addresses, page views, click patterns.

4.4 Marketing Data

• Purpose: To send newsletters, service updates, or promotional content (with consent or where permitted by law for existing clients).
• Retention Period: Until consent is withdrawn, you opt out, or the data is no longer relevant for marketing purposes.
• Examples: Email addresses, marketing preferences.

4.5 Correspondence Data

• Purpose: To respond to inquiries or manage communications, including those related to bidders’ lists or prospective opportunities.
• Retention Period: Up to five (5) years, unless required for legal, contractual, or client relationship purposes.
• Examples: Emails, contact form submissions.

4.6 Cookie Data

• Purpose: To enable Website functionality, analytics, and personalized content.
• Retention Period: As specified in our Cookie Policy (e.g., session cookies are deleted upon browser closure; analytics cookies up to 24 months; marketing cookies up to 12 months).
• Examples: Cookie identifiers, preference settings.

4.7 Legal and Compliance Data

• Purpose: To comply with legal obligations or resolve disputes, including government cybersecurity policies for contracts.
• Retention Period: Five (5) years or as required by applicable laws (e.g., tax records, longer for ongoing litigation).
• Examples: Records related to contracts, disputes, or regulatory compliance.

5. Data Deletion and Anonymization

When personal information is no longer needed for its intended purpose or required by law:

• Deletion: Data is securely deleted using industry-standard methods (e.g., overwriting, secure erasure) to prevent recovery.
• Anonymization: Where deletion is not feasible (e.g., in backups), data is anonymized to remove identifiable information, rendering it non-personal.
• Third-Party Processors: We ensure third-party service providers (e.g., payment processors, analytics providers) delete data in accordance with our instructions and applicable laws. We do not share data with staffing agencies, government clients, or other third parties beyond these providers.

Users may request deletion of their personal information, subject to legal exemptions (e.g., tax record retention), as outlined in our Privacy Policy.

6. Data Security

We implement robust technical and organizational measures to protect personal information during retention, including:

• Encryption of sensitive data (e.g., payment information).
• Access controls limiting data access to authorized personnel.
• Secure storage on protected servers.
• Regular security assessments to identify and mitigate risks.
• Compliance with government cybersecurity policies for contracts, as required by public agency clients.

In the event of a data breach, we will notify affected users and relevant authorities as required by the New York SHIELD Act and other applicable laws. Further details are provided in our Privacy Policy.

7. Legal and Regulatory Compliance

This policy ensures compliance with:

• CCPA (California): Transparency on data retention and deletion rights for California residents, such as job applicants.
• New York SHIELD Act: Reasonable data retention and disposal practices to prevent unauthorized access.
• Federal and New York Tax Laws: Retention of financial records for five (5) years.
• Employment Laws: Retention of job application data as required by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and New York labor regulations.
• Government Cybersecurity Policies: Compliance with data retention and security requirements for government contracts in industries like construction, infrastructure, healthcare, and government.

8. Your Rights

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the following rights regarding your personal information, as detailed in our Privacy Policy:

• Access: Request details of the personal information we hold and its retention period.
• Erasure: Request deletion of your data, subject to legal exemptions.
• Rectification: Correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
• Restriction: Limit processing in certain circumstances.
• Data Portability: Receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
• Objection: Object to processing for specific purposes (e.g., marketing).

To exercise these rights, contact us at contact@azhconsulting.com or +1-516-252-1428. We will respond within the timeframes required by law (e.g., 45 days for CCPA).

9. Updates to This Data Retention Policy

We may update this policy to reflect changes in our practices, services, or legal requirements. Updates will be posted on the Website with a revised “Effective Date.” For material changes, we will notify you via email (to contact@azhconsulting.com subscribers) or a prominent notice on the Website, where required by law (e.g., CCPA). We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

10. Contact Us

For questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Data Retention Policy or our data practices, please contact:

AZH Consulting Corp
80 Broad Street, Suite #530
New York, NY 10004
Email: contact@azhconsulting.com
Phone: +1-516-252-1428

11. Complaints

If you believe your rights regarding data retention have been violated, please contact us directly at contact@azhconsulting.com. California residents may also file complaints with the California Privacy Protection Agency under the CCPA.

By engaging with our Website or services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Data Retention Policy.