LHH Recruitment Solutions Candidate Privacy Information (UAE)
Last updated: October 2025
This statement applies to candidates and workers who interact with LHH Recruitment Solutions in the UAE, including through job applications, talent communities, assessments, interviews, onboarding, and ongoing engagement (employees, agency workers, secondees, contractors, consultants, and interim professionals). It supplements the LHH.com UAE Website Privacy Notice and should be read together with it.
1) Who we are and who is responsible for your information
LHH Recruitment Solutions is a brand within the LHH Global Business Unit of the Adecco Group. The website is operated by Adecco Group AG, Bellerivestrasse 30, 8008 Zürich, Switzerland, on behalf of its UAE affiliates providing LHH services.
Depending on the services you receive and your engagement with us, your local data controller in the UAE may be one or more of the following Adecco affiliates:
- Lee Hecht Harrison Gulf
- Adecco Delivery Services LLC
- Adecco Holding Emirates B.V. (Dubai Branch)
- Adecco Middle East One Person Company LLC
- Adecco Middle East Recruitment Sole Proprietorship LLC
The specific controller(s) for your engagement will be identified in context (for example, on application forms, contracts, offer letters, or email signatures) and on our UAE Legal Notices page. Adecco Group companies may also act as processors where necessary to deliver services.
For privacy inquiries or to exercise your rights, please contact: privacy@lhh.com. You may also use the Privacy Rights portals referenced on the Local Policies page.
2) What personal information we collect
The information we collect will depend on your interactions with us and may include:
- Identification and contact details: name, title, preferred name, pronouns, address, email, phone, nationality.
- Career and education data: CV/resume details, qualifications, work history, skills, certifications, references, professional memberships, salary expectations.
- Right-to-work and onboarding data: copies of identity documents, visas/work permits, Emirates ID where legally required, proof of address, next of kin or emergency contacts, background screening results where permitted by law.
- Engagement and assignment data: interview notes and feedback, assessments and test scores, placement details, time and attendance records, performance feedback, training records, expense and travel information if applicable.
- Payroll and benefits data (where relevant to your engagement): bank account details, tax and social contributions, benefits selections.
- Sensitive personal information: limited health information for workplace accommodations or fitness for work where required by law; diversity information only where permitted/required and typically on an optional basis with your consent.
- Systems and security data: account credentials for candidate portals, device and log data (IP address, browser type, timestamps) related to your use of our systems, and building access logs/CCTV where applicable and permitted by law.
- Sources: directly from you; from clients (e.g., job requirements, feedback); from referees you provide; from publicly available professional profiles; from background screening providers where permitted and appropriate; and from Adecco Group systems used to support our services.
Please do not submit unnecessary sensitive information through general application forms. If sensitive data is required, we will request it through secure, appropriate channels and explain the basis for processing.
3) Why we use your personal information and our legal bases under PDPL
We process personal information to provide and improve our recruitment and related HR services, including:
- Sourcing and matching you to opportunities; arranging interviews; presenting your profile to clients; negotiating offers and assignments.
- Administering your engagement or assignment, including onboarding, time, payroll, invoicing, performance management, compliance, and offboarding.
- Providing leadership assessments, coaching, and talent development services where applicable.
- Maintaining the security of our systems and premises; monitoring compliance with internal policies and legal requirements.
- Conducting analytics, quality assurance, service improvement, reporting, and statistical studies.
- Complying with legal obligations, including labor, immigration, tax, social insurance, and health and safety requirements; responding to lawful requests from authorities.
- Where permitted, keeping you informed about suitable opportunities, market insights, and professional events.
Under the PDPL, we rely on one or more of the following legal bases:
- Performance of a contract or steps taken at your request before entering a contract, for example to process your application, present your profile to a client, or administer an engagement.
- Compliance with legal obligations, for example to verify right to work, to meet immigration, labor, tax, or record-keeping requirements, or to respond to authorities.
- Your consent, for example for certain background checks, sensitive health data processing for accommodations, diversity data (if collected), and for marketing where required by law. You can withdraw consent at any time (see Section 10).
- Our legitimate interests, for example to secure systems and premises, prevent fraud, improve processes, perform analytics and reporting, and communicate with candidates about relevant roles, provided your rights and interests do not override those interests.
Where required by PDPL or other applicable law, we will obtain your consent before processing. Where we rely on legitimate interests, we balance those interests against your rights and take safeguards to protect them.
4) Do you have to provide your personal information?
We need certain information to process your application, verify your eligibility to work, and place you with clients. If you do not provide information that is necessary for these purposes, we may be unable to progress your application or engagement. Where information is optional, we will indicate that.
5) Automated tools, profiling, and human review
We use automated tools to support sourcing, matching, scheduling, and assessment workflows, such as parsing CVs and matching profiles to job requirements. We also use analytics to improve processes and user experience. Decisions that could produce legal or similarly significant effects on you are subject to human review. If automated tools materially inform a decision about you, you may request human intervention or to contest the decision, consistent with applicable law.
6) Who we share personal information with
We share personal information only as necessary and with appropriate safeguards:
- Clients and prospective employers: to present your profile, arrange interviews, on-board you, and administer assignments. Clients are subject to contractual confidentiality obligations and applicable law.
- Service providers (processors): IT hosting and support, background screening (where lawful), assessment tools, payroll and benefits processors (as applicable), travel and expense providers, security and facilities providers. Providers act under our instructions and are bound by confidentiality and data protection obligations.
- Adecco Group companies: to support shared services such as IT, security, analytics, and centralized recruitment operations; to present local or international opportunities where appropriate and consistent with your preferences and applicable law.
- Authorities and regulators: where required by law or to protect our rights, users, clients, or the public.
- Corporate transactions: in connection with restructuring, mergers, or acquisitions, subject to confidentiality and legal requirements.
We do not sell your personal information.
7) International transfers
Your information may be processed in countries outside the UAE, including Switzerland, the European Union, the United Kingdom, the United States, and other jurisdictions where Adecco Group companies and service providers operate. Where we transfer personal information outside the UAE, we implement safeguards consistent with the PDPL, such as transfers to jurisdictions with adequate protection, appropriate contractual clauses, or other applicable mechanisms. If your engagement is with a DIFC or ADGM entity, we will also apply the transfer requirements of those regimes where applicable. You may request more information about transfer safeguards via privacy@lhh.com.
8) Data retention
We retain personal information only as long as necessary for the purposes described in this statement and to meet legal, regulatory, tax, accounting, or reporting requirements. Typical periods include:
- Candidate records (applications, CVs, interview notes): generally 12–24 months from last meaningful interaction, unless a longer period is required by law or you consent to a longer retention for consideration for future roles.
- Engagement, payroll, and tax records: retained in accordance with UAE legal requirements and legitimate business needs.
- Background screening and right-to-work documentation: retained as required by law and client obligations.
- System and security logs: typically up to 12 months, unless needed longer for security or legal reasons. We retain sensitive data no longer than necessary for the relevant purpose or as required by law.
9) Security
We implement technical and organizational measures designed to protect personal information against accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorized disclosure, or access. Measures include access controls, encryption in transit and at rest where appropriate, segregation of duties, vendor due diligence, vulnerability management, and monitoring. Physical security and CCTV may be used at our premises where permitted by law and for legitimate security purposes.
10) Your rights
Subject to the PDPL and, where applicable, DIFC/ADGM rules, you may have the right to:
- Request access to your personal information and information about our processing.
- Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information.
- Request deletion of your information in specified circumstances.
- Request restriction of processing or object to certain processing activities.
- Request data portability where technically feasible and applicable.
- Withdraw consent at any time where processing is based on consent, without affecting the lawfulness of processing before withdrawal.
To exercise these rights, please use the Privacy Rights portals referenced on the Local Policies page or contact privacy@lhh.com. We may need to verify your identity. Certain legal exemptions may apply. If we cannot resolve your concern, you may have the right to lodge a complaint with the competent UAE data protection authority or, where relevant, the DIFC or ADGM data protection regulator.
11) Candidate protections and fair recruitment
We do not charge candidates fees for recruitment, placement, or job applications. If you receive any request for payment in connection with a job opportunity, do not pay and report it via our Candidates’ Security Phishing resource. Employment offers are contingent on legal eligibility to work and any required background checks consistent with applicable law.
12) Marketing communications
Where permitted by law and consistent with your preferences, we may send you job alerts, market insights, and event invitations. You can opt out at any time by following unsubscribe links in messages or by contacting us. Opting out will not affect service-related communications.
13) Local controller information and legal notices
Depending on your engagement, your local controller may be one or more of:
- Lee Hecht Harrison Gulf
- Adecco Delivery Services LLC
- Adecco Holding Emirates B.V. (Dubai Branch)
- Adecco Middle East One Person Company LLC
- Adecco Middle East Recruitment Sole Proprietorship LLC
Registration, licensing, addresses, and contact details are provided in the UAE Legal Notices section on the Local Policies page. Where processing occurs in or by a DIFC/ADGM entity, this statement should be read together with references to the applicable free-zone data protection regime.
14) Language and updates
This statement is provided in English; an Arabic translation may be provided for convenience. In case of inconsistency, the English version will prevail unless otherwise indicated. We may update this statement to reflect changes in our practices, technologies, or legal requirements. Material changes will be posted here and, where appropriate, notified by additional means. The “last updated” date at the top indicates the most recent changes.
15) How to contact us
- Privacy inquiries and rights requests: privacy@lhh.com
- Mailing address: Adecco Group AG, Bellerivestrasse 30, 8008 Zürich, Switzerland
- UAE Legal Notices and Privacy Rights portals: see the Local Policies page on this website
For information about cookies and website data, please see the LHH.com UAE Website Privacy Notice and the Cookie Policy.