Cookies are small plain text files that are stored in your browser, primarily used so websites can store/retrieve information between each page you visit. They can perform a wide variety of functions, from remembering usernames and language preferences to counting visitor numbers. They are designed to improve user experience, site performance, and the relevancy of the content shown to users.
Session-based cookies last only while your browser is open and are automatically deleted when your session expires (typically when you close your browser). Persistent cookies last until they expire, or until they are deleted (either by you or by the website).
While cookies can be used for malicious purposes, cookies themselves are not inherently harmful or dangerous. If you'd like to find out more about cookies, take a look at AllAboutCookies.org.
| Name | Type | Expiration | Purpose |
|---|
| a | Authentication | 1 year | The first of three authentication cookies used to identify the active user between requests. |
| b | Authentication | 1 year | The second of three authentication cookies used to identify the active user between requests. |
| c | Authentication | 1 year | The third of three authentication cookies used to identify the active user between requests. |
| f | Functional | 1 year | Determines whether a user is viewing the desktop site or the mobile site when on a mobile device. |
| m | Functional | 1 year | Determines whether a user's browser has identified itself as a mobile browser. |
| remember_login | Preference | 1 year | Stores the user's preference as to whether their login name (email) should be remembered the next time they log in. |
| stay_logged_in | Preference | 1 year | Stores the user's preference as to whether they should remain logged in for the next time they log in. |
| session_id | Functional | Session | Contains a unique identifier for the duration of the session to make it possible to remember the user between requests. |
| authorisation-key | Preference | 1 year | Stores a time clock station's authenticating user's credentials so it can remain authenticated if it's reloaded. |
| language | Preference | 1 year | Stores the user's preferred language. |
| language_redirection | Functional | Session | Records whether the user was automatically redirected to a language specific URL in their current session. |
| chat_hidden | Functional | 1 year | Controls the visibility of the live chat window. |
| chat_trigger_hidden | Functional | 1 year | Controls the visibility of the large live chat trigger. |
| tutorial | Functional | 1 year | Stores the state of the user's tutorial/guided tour. |
| utc-offset | Functional | 1 year | Stores the browser's time-zone offset relative to UTC. |
| first_session_hash | Functional | 1 year | Stores a hash of the user's first session_id to indicate where they are a returning user. |
| session_requests | Functional | Session | Stores the number of page requests in the user's session. |
| upgrade_browser | Functional | 1 year | Determines whether a user has been shown a warning about their browser. |
| referral | Functional | 1 year | Stores the referral source if the user was referred using another user's referral link. |
| non_essential_cookies | Preference | 1 year | Stores the user's preference as to whether or not we can store non-essential cookies. |
| visitor_analytics | Preference | 1 year | Stores the user's preference as to whether or not we can record their visits in Google Analytics and Alexa. |
| cookie_settings_closed | Functional | 1 year | Stores the state of the privacy settings pop-up. |
| Name | Type | Expiration | Purpose |
|---|
| chat_active | Functional | 1 year | Controls the visibility of the live chat window when the page firsts loads. |
| chat_id | Functional | 1 year | Contains a unique identifier to enable our support staff to link chats between sessions. |
| google_maps | Preference | 1 year | Stores the user's preference as to whether or not we can load JavaScript from Google Inc. to load Google Maps in the user's browser. |
| google_charts | Preference | 1 year | Stores the user's preference as to whether or not we can load JavaScript from Google Inc. to load interactive charts in the user's browser. |
| youtube_videos | Preference | 1 year | Stores the user's preference as to whether or not we can load JavaScript from YouTube Inc. to load YouTube videos in the user's browser. |
| front_chat | Preference | 1 year | Stores the user's preference as to whether or not we can load JavaScript from FrontApp.com Inc. to load live chat in the user's browser. |
| api_access | Preference | 1 year | Stores the user's preference as to whether or not they consented to sharing their account data with a third-party application. |
| Name | Type | Created by | Expiration | Purpose |
|---|
| __asc | Analytical | Alexa | 1 year | Used to track and report visitor information to the Alexa analytics service. |
| __auc | Analytical | Alexa | 1 year | Used to track and report visitor information to the Alexa analytics service. |
| _ga | Analytical | Google | 2 years | Google Analytics cookie used to distinguish users. |
| _gat | Functional | Google | 1 minute | Google Analytics cookie used to throttles number of requests received by users. |
| _gid | Analytical | Google | 24 hours | Google Analytics cookie used to distinguish users. |
| fluid | Functional | FrontApp | Session | FrontApp cookie used to identify the user during a live chat session. |
| flec | Functional | FrontApp | Session | FrontApp cookie used to remember whether the user has provided their email address. |
| flcid | Functional | FrontApp | Session | FrontApp cookie used to identify the live chat session. |
| flaid | Functional | FrontApp | Session | FrontApp cookie used to identify the live chat application. |
| __jid | Functional | Disqus | Session | Used to remember the user's Disqus login credentials across websites that use Disqus. |
| __utma | Analytical | Disqus | 2 years | Stores the number of times a user has visited the website as well as the first and last visit dates. |
| __utmb | Analytical | Disqus | Session | Stores the time when the user accessed the website. |
| __utmc | Analytical | Disqus | Session | Stores the time when the user leaves the website. |
| csrftoken | Functional | Disqus | 1 year | Helps to prevent Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) attacks. |
You can't choose to opt-out of all of the cookies, as some are required for Findmyshift to function, but you can opt-out of the non-essential cookies by updating your privacy settings.
You can always disable cookies in your browser, but you'll find a lot of website (ours included) will not function correctly. Cookies are particularly important on Findmyshift as without them we won't be able to keep you logged in.
The method by which you disable cookies will depend on which internet browser you are using (for example, Chrome or Internet Explorer) but are generally covered by advanced “Privacy”, “Security”, or “Site” settings. More information about how to disable cookies can be found in this wikiHow guide.