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Terms & Conditions
By accessing and using our website (www.pollencareers.co.uk), and its associated community spaces, you acknowledge that you have read, understood and agree to these terms and conditions.
GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS
1. Definitions
In these terms and conditions:
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"we", "us", "our", or “Pollen” refers to Pollen Careers Limited.
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"Employer" refers to an organisation or individual using the Pollen website to promote their Company and advertise job vacancies.
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"Candidate" refers to an individual using the Pollen website or community groups to use resources, find job vacancies and apply for jobs.
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"Engaged Candidate" refers to a Candidate who has successfully secured a job with a matched Employer via Pollen.
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"Engagement" refers to the process by which a Candidate and an Employer, through Pollen, have agreed to enter into an employment relationship, following the Candidate's successful application and selection process. This includes the negotiation and acceptance of an offer of employment, and any subsequent onboarding or pre-placement training that may be required.
2. What We Do
Pollen supplies the platform for both Employers and Candidates to find their most suitable match based on the skills, qualities and interests of the Candidate, and the requirements of the Employer.
Candidates are asked questions designed to understand their behaviours, passions and motivations, and are assessed according to their potential in skills relating to roles for which they apply. They submit personal information as part of the sign-up process, some of which is shared with matched Employers – but only those they express an interest in working for.
The requirements of the Employer are assessed according to the job function, the values of the Company and the team the successful Candidate would be working with.
Pollen is not responsible for selecting the Engaged Candidate and does not act as an agent on the Employer’s behalf.
3. Disclaimers
3.1 Pollen does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of any information on the platform, including but not limited to job postings, Candidate profiles and Employer profiles. Candidates and Employers are responsible for verifying any information that is important to them.
3.2 Pollen does not endorse any Candidate or Employer, nor is Pollen responsible for any hiring decisions made by Employers.
3.3 Pollen does not guarantee that the platform will be available at all times or that any user will find a suitable job or Candidate through the platform.
3.4 We do not guarantee that our platform will be uninterrupted, error-free, or free from viruses or other harmful components.
3.5 Pollen is not liable for any loss or damage that may arise from the use of the platform, including but not limited to loss of data or loss of business.
3.6 Pollen is not responsible for any disputes or disagreements that may arise between Employers and Candidates.
3.7 The platform may contain links to third-party websites. Pollen is not responsible for the content or availability of these websites and does not endorse them.
3.8 Pollen reserves the right to modify these terms and conditions at any time. Any modifications will be effective immediately upon posting to the platform.
4. Privacy Policy
4.1 We value your privacy and will only use your personal information in accordance with our privacy policy, which is incorporated into these terms and conditions by reference. By using our website, you acknowledge that you have read and agree to our privacy policy.
4.2 Pollen takes data protection seriously and complies with all relevant data protection laws and regulations.
5. Governing Law
5.1 These Terms and Conditions shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales, and any disputes arising under or in connection with these Terms and Conditions shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR CANDIDATES
6. Eligibility
6.1 Candidates must have legal authorisation to work in the country where they are seeking employment.
7. Information Accuracy
7.1 Candidates are responsible for providing accurate and truthful information during the sign-up process, including personal information, education, sponsorship requirements and any other information relevant to your job search.
7.2 Pollen does not guarantee the accuracy of the information provided by Candidates or Employers.
7.3 We, and any matched Employers, reserve the right to verify any information you provide and to reject or remove any information that we believe to be false, inaccurate, or misleading.
8. Privacy Policy
8.1 Pollen collects personal information from Candidates during the sign-up process. This information is used to match Candidates with potential Employers.
8.2 Pollen shares some of your personal information with matched Employers, but only those you express an interest in working for.
8.3 By submitting this information, you agree to the Privacy Policy which sets out the terms on which we process personal data.
9. Use of Platform
9.1 The Pollen website, Pollen's community spaces, and all of Pollen's services, including resources, training, and online events, are made available to Candidates free of charge. In-person events may have an associated ticket cost.
9.2 Candidates must create their own passwords to use the Pollen website. Candidates are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of their login information and ensuring that their password is secure.
9.3 Candidates agree to use our platform only for its intended purpose of accessing resources, finding employment opportunities and connecting with potential Employers. You may not use our platform to engage in any unlawful, fraudulent, or abusive activity, including but not limited to spamming, phishing, or posting false or misleading information.
9.4 Pollen reserves the right to suspend or terminate an account or remove a Candidate from the community space if a user breaches these terms and conditions.
10. Candidate Selection
10.1 Pollen is responsible for evaluating and shortlisting Candidates based on a range of criteria, including assessment outcomes and tailored skills challenges.
10.2 Pollen's evaluation process considers written communication, proactivity and engagement, alongside performance in a customised skills challenge relevant to the specific job type. These aspects contribute to Pollen's shortlisting process for further consideration by Employers.
10.3 Pollen shares a shortlist of Candidates who have demonstrated strong potential through our evaluation process. Employers then take charge of interviews and make final selection decisions based on their needs and preferences. Candidates who complete the skills challenge but are not shortlisted will receive feedback on their assessment scores.
10.4 Insights from behavioural profiling are used to highlight the shortlisted candidates' strengths and characteristics. It's important to note that these insights do not influence the shortlisting process itself.
10.5 Candidates and Employers are advised that the outcomes of behavioural profiling are intended for informational purposes and to provide a fun experience. Pollen does not take responsibility for the accuracy or implications of these outcomes.
11. Training and Events
11.1 Pollen may offer free resources, training and events to all registered candidates on the platform. These resources, training, and events are designed to enhance the skills, knowledge, and experience of candidates to prepare them for employment opportunities.
11.2 Pollen reserves the right to change or cancel any training or event at any time without prior notice.
12. Intellectual Property
12.1 All content on the Pollen platform, including but not limited to text, graphics, logos, images, videos, and software, is the property of Pollen Careers Limited or its licensors and is protected by intellectual property laws.
12.2 Candidates may not copy, modify, distribute or use any content from the Pollen platform without prior written consent from Pollen.
13. Liability and Legal Authorisation
13.1 Candidates are responsible for ensuring that they have legal authorisation to work in the country where they are seeking employment. Pollen does not assume any responsibility for verifying such legal authorisations and is not liable for any consequences arising from a Candidate's lack of legal authorisation to work in a particular country.
13.2 Candidates agree to comply with all applicable laws, including employment and anti-discrimination laws.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR EMPLOYERS
14. Eligibility
14.1 The Employer agrees to the following Hiring Standards as part of their work with Pollen.
14.1.1 Fair Pay. The Employer must commit to paying a starting salary of at least the real living wage for all entry level roles.
14.1.2 Transparency. The Employer must provide clarity over remuneration, flexible working, expectations for the role and responsibilities, in addition to the hiring process itself, including any further assessments to be conducted by the Employer.
14.1.3 Background. The Employer will not request experience, University degrees or educational attainment for entry level positions unless there is a technical or regulatory requirement related to the position.
14.1.4 Efficiency. The Employer will commit to our timing standards: upon receipt of Candidate profiles, we recommend arranging next-stage interviews within one week and issuing offers within two weeks, wherever feasible. This timeline is flexible to accommodate unforeseen circumstances.
14.1.5 Communication. The Employer should maintain regular contact with the Candidates and/or Pollen throughout the process, including providing opportunities for the Candidate to ask questions, request adjustments and be notified of timelines.
14.1.6 Feedback. We request that the Employer speaks to all Candidates who are introduced by Pollen, and that feedback is provided to each of these Candidates. The Employer and Pollen will agree upfront a reasonable number of Candidates to be introduced, to ensure that this is realistic and achievable for all parties.
4.2 Employers must be legally authorised to hire employees in the country where they are seeking to hire.
14.3 Employers agree to provide a safe, supportive and respectful work environment for all employees.
14.4 To work with Pollen, Employers must initially discuss their requirements with a Pollen representative, and subsequently sign our full T&Cs. We reserve the right to accept or reject your request to work with Pollen, at our sole discretion.
14.5 We reserve the right to check the eligibility of any Employer who signs up to use Pollen. This may include verification of the employer's business registration, tax status, or other relevant legal requirements, as deemed necessary by Pollen. Pollen may refuse or terminate an Employer's access to the platform at any time, at its sole discretion, if it deems the Employer ineligible or non-compliant with its policies, legal requirements or employment practices.
15. Notification and Fees
15.1 The Employer agrees:
15.1.1 To notify Pollen immediately of any offer of an Engagement which it makes to the Candidate;
15.1.2 To notify Pollen immediately that its offer of an Engagement to the Candidate has been accepted and to provide details of the Remuneration to Pollen; and
15.1.3 To pay Pollen’s fees upon receipt of invoice.
15.2 A retainer fee of £1,000 is payable immediately upon commencement of the Matchmaking process and is non refundable.
15.3 The retainer fee is redeemable against the Engagement fee, outlined in clause 15.5.
15.4 Pollen reserves the right to charge interest on invoiced amounts unpaid for more than the period outlined in 15.1.3 at the rate of 4% per annum above the base rate from time to time of the Bank of England from the due date until the date of payment.
15.5 The fee payable to Pollen by the Employer for an Introduction resulting in an Engagement is outlined below. A discount of 25% may be available for B Corps and SMEs for good.
Under 10 employees: £3,000
Under 50 employees: £4,000
Under 250 employees: £5,000
Over 250 employees: £6,000
15.6 When hiring an intern, 50% of this fee will be payable upon Engagement, with the remaining fee payable upon the Candidate securing a permanent role with the Employer at a later date.
15.7 This fee is incurred by the Employer when the Candidate commences the Engagement when Pollen will render an invoice to the Employer for its fees.
15.8 Any fee discounts are offered at Pollen’s sole discretion, and Pollen reserves the right to withdraw any offer of discount at any time.
15.9 If the Employer withdraws an offer of Engagement but subsequently engages the Candidate within the period of 6 calendar months of the offer being withdrawn, a full fee in accordance with clause 15.5 above becomes payable.
15.10 If the Employer terminates the Engagement within the probationary period, Pollen will work to find a suitable replacement, providing that the Employer adheres to the conditions set out in this document.
15.11 No costs other than the fees outlined in 15.2, 15.5 and 15.6 will be borne by the Employer. Any arrangement made between the Employer and Pollen regarding extra services to secure an Engagement (such as additional advertising costs) sit outside of these Terms and Conditions and would need to be covered in a separate agreement between the Employer and Pollen. Any agreement between the Employer and Candidate (such as interview expenses) would also sit outside of this agreement.
16. Suitability and References
16.1 Pollen endeavours to ensure the suitability of any Candidate introduced to the Employer. Pollen's evaluation process considers written communication, proactivity and engagement, alongside performance in a customised skills challenge relevant to the specific job type. These aspects contribute to Pollen's shortlisting process for further consideration by The Employer.
16.2 This process includes asking for verbal confirmation of the Candidate’s nationality and immigration status. However, the Employer and not Pollen is the “employer” for the purposes of the Asylum and Immigration Act 2004 and therefore responsible for carrying out ID checks for nationality and immigration permission.
16.3 Insights from behavioural profiling are used to highlight the shortlisted Candidates' strengths and characteristics. It's important to note that these insights do not influence the shortlisting process itself.
16.4 Candidates and Employers are advised that the outcomes of behavioural profiling are intended for informational purposes and to provide a fun experience. Pollen does not take responsibility for the accuracy or implications of these outcomes.
16.5 Pollen endeavours to take all such steps as are reasonably practicable to ensure that the Employer and Candidate are aware of any requirements imposed by law or any professional body to enable the Candidate to work in the position which the Employer seeks to fill.
16.6. Pollen endeavours to take all such steps as are reasonably practicable to ensure that it would not be detrimental to the interest of either the Employer or the Candidate for the Candidate to work in the position which the Employer seeks to fill.
16.7 Notwithstanding clauses 16.1, 16.2, 16.5 and 16.6 above the Employer shall satisfy itself as to the suitability of the Candidate. The Employer is responsible for obtaining references, work permits and/or such other permission to work as may be required, and satisfying any medical and other requirements, qualifications or permission required by law of the country in which the Candidate is engaged to work.
17. Liability
17.1 Pollen shall not be liable under any circumstance for any loss, expense, damage, delay, costs or compensation (whether direct, indirect or consequential) which may be suffered or incurred by the Employer arising from or in any way connected with Pollen seeking an Candidate for the Employer or from the Introduction to or Engagement of any Candidate by the Employer or from the failure of Pollen to introduce any Candidate. For the avoidance of doubt, Pollen does not exclude liability for death or personal injury arising from its own negligence.
18. Intellectual Property
18.1 All content on the Pollen platform, including but not limited to text, graphics, logos, images, videos, and software, is the property of Pollen Careers Limited or its licensors and is protected by intellectual property laws.
18.2 Employers may not copy, modify, distribute or use any content from the Pollen platform without prior written consent from Pollen.
CONTACTING US
If you have any questions or concerns about these terms and conditions, our contact details are as follows:
Full name of legal entity: Pollen Careers Limited trading as Pollen.
Email address: hello@pollencareers.co.uk
Version v4
Last updated: 09.08.2024