Privacy Policy

Covidien plc, and its affiliates (“Covidien”) - Privacy Policy, Last Updated: April 15, 2010. As a user of this Internet Website (“Site”), you ("you" or "user") are valued by Covidien. Covidien is committed to protecting the personally identifiable information ("Personal Information") provided by and collected from you on this Site in connection with the functions, facilities and services offered on this Site.

What Personal Information Does Covidien Collect From Site Users?

We may gather Personal Information so that we can improve and personalize your experience with Covidien. Personal Information that we collect falls into the following primary categories. We may receive Personal Information that you enter into the Site, provide in an online form, or provide in any other way. You can choose not to provide some or all of the Personal Information we ask for, but this may prevent you from using some of our Site's features, such as on-line educational course credit.

In addition to the preceding categories of Personal Information, Covidien also collects certain non-identifiable information (the "Non-Identifiable Information"). Whenever you interact with Covidien, we receive and store certain types of Non-Identifiable Information. For example, we may use "cookies" to obtain information when your web browser accesses this Site. A cookie is an alphanumeric identifier which we transfer to your computer via your Web browser and store on your computer's hard drive. The cookie file allows us to recognize your computer when you visit our Site. On most web browsers you will find a "help" section on the toolbar. Please refer to this section for information on how to receive notification when you are receiving a new cookie, and how to turn cookies off. We recommend that you leave cookies turned on because they may enable you to take advantage of some of our Site's best features.

How Do We Use Your Personal Information And Other Non-Identifiable Information?

Covidien uses the Personal Information you provide in a manner that is consistent with this Privacy Policy. If you provide Personal Information for a certain reason, we may use it in connection with the reason for which it was provided. For instance, if you contact us by e-mail, we may use the Personal Information you provide to answer your question or resolve your problem. If you contact us about a job listing, we may use your Personal Information to consider you for the position. Covidien also uses your Personal Information and other Non-Identifiable Information collected through the Site to help us improve the content and functionality of the Site, to better understand our customers and markets, and to improve our products and services. Covidien may also use your Personal Information to contact you, electronically or otherwise, in the future to tell you about products or services we believe will be of interest to you or to make it easier for you to use our site. If we do so, each communication we send you will contain instructions permitting you to "opt-out" of receiving future communications.

Does Covidien Share The Information It Receives?

We are not in the business of selling information about our users. We consider this information to be a vital part of our relationship with our customers and we treat it with great care and respect. There are, however, certain circumstances in which we may share your Personal Information with certain third parties, as set forth below.

Marketing: We may use any statements that you communicate to us through the Site regarding Covidien or any of our products and services for advertising or marketing purposes.

Agents: Covidien, like many companies, may hire other companies to perform certain functions, such as mailing communications, sending e-mail and managing databases. When we employ another company to perform a function of this nature, we only provide them with the Personal Information they need to complete the task and we endeavor to prohibit them from using that Personal Information for any other purpose.

Business Transfers: As we develop our business, we might sell or buy businesses or assets. In transactions such as these, Personal Information may be one of the transferred business assets.

Protection of Covidien and Others: We may release account and other Personal information when we believe that such release is appropriate to comply with legal requirements, protect the rights, property or safety of our users, Covidien or others, or enforce terms of our Legal Statements. In addition, we may exchange information with other organizations for fraud protection and risk reduction.

Public Areas: Any submissions that you make to Public Areas will be considered public. Covidien does not control, and is not responsible for, the actions of other users of the Site with respect to any information you post in Public Areas. In addition, information that you submit to Public Areas may be collected and used by others to send you unsolicited messages and for other purposes.

How Secure Is Information About Me?

Covidien uses reasonable measures to protect the Personal Information you provide to the Site from unauthorized access, deletion or alteration. However, the security of the Internet cannot be guaranteed. Accordingly, you should not provide any confidential information to this Site.

Access To Information About You.

If you desire to review your own Personal information, to correct existing information, or to remove your information, please contact us. If you request removal of your Personal Information, you acknowledge that residual information may continue to reside in Covidien's records and archives, but Covidien will not use that information for commercial purposes. Covidien reserves the right to maintain your Personal Information if Covidien has suspended, limited, or terminated your access to our Site for violating terms of the Legal Statements, which are hereby incorporated by reference.

What Choices Do I Have?

With the exception of Personal Information required to uniquely identify a user, such as for student identification for an on-line course credit, you can choose not to provide Personal Information. However, doing so may prevent you from accessing other valuable features at our Site.

Links To Third Party Sites

You may be able to access Internet Websites owned by third parties (“Third Party Sites”) available through links from this Site. You understand and agree that your use of such Third Party Sites will be governed by the privacy policies of those sites and not by this Privacy Policy. Covidien shall not be responsible for the actions of any Third Party Site operators.

Children

Covidien does not knowingly collect Personal Information from minor children. We encourage parents and legal guardians to monitor their children's Internet usage and to help enforce our Privacy Policy by instructing their children to never provide Personal Information on this Site without their permission.

Terms Of Use, Notices, And Revisions

If you choose to visit the Site, your visit and any dispute over privacy is subject to this Privacy Policy and our Legal Statements, including limitations on damages and application of the law of the State of Delaware. If you have a concern about privacy at our Site, please email us a detailed description of your concern and we will try to resolve it. Our business and Site change constantly. This Privacy Policy and the associated Legal Statements may change also. Our use of Personal Information that we receive and store is subject to the Privacy Policy and Legal Statements in effect at the time of our use of such Personal Information. If we decide to change our Privacy Policy or Legal Statements, we will post the revised Privacy Policy and/or Legal Statements on this Site. This Privacy Policy has been updated on the date indicated above.

Safe Harbor (Employment Data)

Covidien is committed to protecting the Personal Information provided by and collected from our employees. Covidien adheres to the Safe Harbor Agreement concerning the transfer of our employee’s Personal Information from the European Union to the United States of America. Accordingly, we follow the Safe Harbor Principles and FAQs published by the U.S. Department of Commerce with respect to all such data.

Notice

Covidien will notify employees about the purposes for which they collect and use Personal Information about them. We will provide information about how employees can contact us with any inquiries or complaints, the types of third parties to which we disclose the information and the choices and means we offer for limiting its use and disclosure.

Choice

Covidien will give employees the opportunity to choose (opt out) whether their Personal Information will be disclosed to a third party or used for a purpose incompatible with the purpose for which it was originally collected or subsequently authorized by the employee. For sensitive information, affirmative or explicit (opt in) choice will be given if the information is to be disclosed to a third party or used for a purpose other than its original purpose or the purpose authorized subsequently by the employee.

Onward Transfer (Transfers to Third Parties)

Covidien may disclose employee data to third parties for the purpose of providing employment related services (such as payroll processing, benefits administration, insurance, training and career development). Covidien will take reasonable steps to ensure that the third party will provide the same level of protection as required by the Safe Harbor Principles. If the third party does not comply, then Covidien will take reasonable steps to stop or prevent the processing of Personal Information.

Access

Covidien will allow individuals to have reasonable access to their Personal Information and, within reasonable limits, to have any inaccurate or incomplete Personal Information corrected, amended or deleted.

Security

Covidien will take reasonable precautions to protect Personal Information from loss, misuse and unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration and destruction.

Data integrity

Personal Information must be relevant for the purposes for which it is to be used. Covidien will take reasonable steps to ensure that data is reliable for its intended use, accurate, complete, and current.

Enforcement

Covidien will conduct periodic reviews to ensure established internal procedures have been implemented and are being followed.

If an employee has a concern regarding the processing of their personal data they may contact us.
Covidien will investigate all concerns and try to resolve them in a timely manner. If you do not find the proposed solution satisfactory, Covidien will resolve the dispute under the enforcement principle of the Safe Harbor framework through JAMS, our selected third-party dispute resolution service.