Privacy Policy for Meritworks Institute

Effective Date: September 24, 2025
Last Updated: October 31, 2025

Introduction

Welcome to Meritworks Institute ("we," "us," or "our"). We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information with care and transparency. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your information when you visit our website at https://meritworksinstitute.com (the "Site") or use our services, including skill-related training, our 6-week bootcamp, and membership access to blog posts.

Age Requirement: Our services are intended for individuals who are 18 years of age or older. By using our Site and services, you represent that you are at least 18 years old. We do not knowingly collect personal information from individuals under 18.

Information We Collect

Information You Provide to Us

We collect information that you voluntarily provide when you:

  • Register for an account or membership

  • Enroll in our training programs or bootcamp

  • Submit contact forms or inquiries

  • Subscribe to our newsletter or email campaigns

  • Make purchases or payments for our services

This information may include:

  • Name

  • Email address

  • Age group (optional, for data analysis)

  • Gender identity (optional, for data analysis)

  • Payment information (processed by third-party payment processors)

  • Any other information you choose to provide in communications with us

Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our Site, we automatically collect certain information through cookies and similar technologies, including:

  • Browser type and version

  • Device type and operating system

  • IP address and general location information

  • Pages visited and time spent on pages

  • Referring website addresses

  • Clickstream data and browsing patterns

We may use analytics tools (such as Google Analytics or similar services) to help us understand how visitors use our Site and improve user experience.

How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

  • Service Delivery: To provide access to our training programs, bootcamp, memberships, and blog content

  • Account Management: To create and manage your account and communicate about your enrollment

  • Payment Processing: To process transactions for our paid services

  • Communication: To send you course materials, updates, newsletters, and respond to your inquiries

  • Improvement: To analyze usage patterns and improve our Site, services, and content

  • Legal Compliance: To comply with legal obligations and protect our rights

  • Marketing: To send you promotional materials about our services (you may opt out at any time)

Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)

For users in the European Union, we process your personal data based on the following legal grounds:

  • Contract Performance: Processing necessary to fulfill our services to you

  • Legitimate Interests: To improve our services, prevent fraud, and ensure security

  • Consent: Where you have given explicit consent (such as for marketing emails)

  • Legal Obligations: To comply with applicable laws and regulations

Third-Party Services and Data Sharing

We use third-party service providers to help us operate our business. These providers may have access to your personal information only to perform specific tasks on our behalf and are obligated to protect your information.

Our Third-Party Partners Include:

  • Squarespace: Our website hosting platform, which provides registration systems, email campaign tools, course delivery, and payment processing infrastructure

  • Payment Processors: Third-party payment processors that handle credit card and payment transactions (we do not store your payment card information directly)

  • Email Service Providers: For sending newsletters, course materials, and communications

  • Analytics Providers: Services like Google Analytics or Squarespace Analytics to understand Site usage

We may also share your information:

  • When required by law or to respond to legal processes

  • To protect our rights, property, or safety, or that of our users

  • In connection with a business transfer, merger, or acquisition

  • With your consent or at your direction

We do not sell your personal information to third parties.

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience on our Site. Cookies are small data files stored on your device that help us:

  • Remember your preferences and login information

  • Understand how you use our Site

  • Deliver relevant content and advertisements

  • Analyze Site performance

You can control cookies through your browser settings. However, disabling cookies may limit your ability to use certain features of our Site.

Your Privacy Rights

For All Users

You have the right to:

  • Access the personal information we hold about you

  • Request corrections to inaccurate or incomplete information

  • Opt out of marketing communications at any time

  • Request deletion of your account and associated data

For EU Users (GDPR Rights)

If you are located in the European Union, you have additional rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):

  • Right to Access: Request a copy of your personal data

  • Right to Rectification: Correct inaccurate or incomplete data

  • Right to Erasure: Request deletion of your personal data ("right to be forgotten")

  • Right to Restrict Processing: Limit how we use your data

  • Right to Data Portability: Receive your data in a portable format

  • Right to Object: Object to processing based on legitimate interests

  • Right to Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent at any time (without affecting prior processing)

For California Users (CCPA Rights)

If you are a California resident, you have rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA):

  • Right to Know: Request information about the personal data we collect, use, and share

  • Right to Delete: Request deletion of your personal information

  • Right to Opt-Out: Opt out of the sale of personal information (note: we do not sell personal information)

  • Right to Non-Discrimination: You will not receive discriminatory treatment for exercising your privacy rights

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the information provided in the "Contact Us" section below.

Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to provide our services, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. When you request deletion of your account, we will delete or anonymize your information within a reasonable timeframe, except where we are required to retain it by law.

Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include:

  • Secure socket layer (SSL) encryption for data transmission

  • Access controls and authentication procedures

  • Regular security assessments and updates

However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

International Data Transfers

If you are accessing our Site from outside the United States, please be aware that your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States, where our servers and service providers are located. By using our services, you consent to the transfer of your information to the United States and other jurisdictions that may have different data protection laws than your country of residence.

For EU users, we ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place for international data transfers in accordance with GDPR requirements.

Children's Privacy

Our services are not intended for individuals under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from someone under 18 without parental consent, we will take steps to delete that information promptly.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, services, or legal requirements. When we make changes, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically. Continued use of our services after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

Contact Us

f you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us at:

Meritworks Institute
Email: support@meritworksinstitute.com
Website: https://meritworksinstitute.com
Mailing Address: 91063 North Bank Lane, Coquille, OR 97423

For GDPR-related inquiries or to exercise your privacy rights under GDPR or CCPA, please contact us using the information above. We will respond to your request within the timeframes required by applicable law (typically within 30 days for GDPR requests and 45 days for CCPA requests).

Your Consent

By using our Site and services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy and consent to the collection, use, and sharing of your information as described herein.