Shortening the period of storage of employee files and their digitalization 

At the beginning of 2019, the regulations on the shortening of the period of storage of employee files and the possibility of digitalization of existing documents, came into force in Poland. The law, which has been widely commented on in public for months, will significantly simplify the lives of both entrepreneurs and employees. 

Change in the length of time that employee data is required to be stored

The main issue raised by the legislator is, of course, the reduction of the time period for which the employer is obliged to store data documenting the current course of the employment relationship and all necessary personal data from the current 50 year period down to a 10 year period. This does not mean, of course, that this information should disappear from the database. The main objective is to facilitate the process of applying for social benefits, including disability pensions and retirement pensions, thanks to the transfer of all necessary documents to the Social Insurance Office (ZUS).

Who will the changes affect?

The new regulations will affect, in particular, the following 3 groups of employees:

• persons who start their employment after the entry into force of the Act, i.e. 1 January, 2019, are categorically bound by its provisions,
• employees who started their employment between 31 December, 1998 and 1 January 2019, may be subject to the new regulations if the employer makes a relevant declaration and transfers the documents collected to the state institution.
• the Act does not apply to employees who started their employment prior to 31 December 1998. All information regarding this group of employees must therefore be kept for 50 years.

Digitalization of documents

The second important component of the new regulations is the possibility of digitizing current documents by scanning them or creating a completely digital version. However, this will only be possible if the employer and the employee have a qualified electronic signature. Thanks to such changes, it will be possible to speed up the process of submitting documents and to simplify certain matters being processed through the Social Insurance Office (ZUS).