ICO – keeping employment records

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has published new guidance on collecting and keeping employment records. The guidance is designed help employers understand their obligations under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA).

The guidance covers the kinds of records kept, how much personal information can be held and how they can be lawfully retained. The guidance also includes useful information on retention periods, keeping records secure and up-to-date, and the right to access employment records.

Ensuring compliance with data protection law is not always a straightforward task and failure to do so can expose a school to compliance risk.

School should have processes in place to ensure record collection and retention is regularly reviewed and updated. Clear privacy notices should be in place explaining the school’s obligations with regards to data protection and the rights of employees. Any requests for data should be deal with promptly and in accordance with legal requirements.

The ICO guidance – Employment practices and data protection: keeping employment records – was published on 5 February 2025. A link to the guidance can be found here.

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