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Document
Retention Period
Beginning of Retention Period
Legal Reference
EMPLOYMENT RECORDS
Contracts (new hire agreements, severance, etc.)
Minimum 6 years; Maximum 7 years (unless legal action)
From termination
Limitation Act (Cap. 163)
Time records (work hours, rest periods, vacation/sick/holiday, etc.)
Minimum: Active employees - Minimum 2 years (must maintain last 2 years of records), Terminated employees - Minimum 1 year (must retain last 2 years of records); Maximum: 7 years (unless legal action)
Minimum: Active employees - From creation of record, Terminated employees - From termination; Maximum: From termination
Employment Act (Cap. 91); Limitation Act (Cap. 163)
Performance records (performance reviews, promotions/demotions, licenses/certifications, investigations, disciplinary actions, etc.)
Minimum 6 years; Maximum 7 years (unless legal action)
From termination
Limitation Act (Cap. 163)
Data and personnel files
If record on employee's: 1) personal info. consisting of— (a) name as specified on the employee’s identity card, work pass or passport; (b) current address (residence); (c) date of birth; (d) gender; and (e) identity card number or foreign identification number 2) First day of period of continuous employment 3) Last day of period of continuous employment (if applicable); For the above: Active employee min.: Duration of employment; Terminated employee min.: 1 year (must retain last two yrs. of records), For other data: Active employee min.: 2 years (must maintain last 2 years of records) Terminated employee min.: 1 year (must retain last two yrs. of records); Maximum 7 years (unless legal action)
Minimum: Active employees - From creation of record, Terminated employees - From termination; Maximum: From termination
Employment Act (Cap. 91); Limitation Act (Cap. 163)
Government verification records (work papers, immigration, eligibility to work, etc.)
Retain only as long as necessary to satisfy original purpose of collection. Do not keep original passports
From date of collection
Best Practice based on Personal Data Protection Act (Sec. 25); Passports Act (Cap. 220)
Collective bargaining/union
Retain only as long as necessary to satisfy original purpose of collection
From date of agreement
Best Practice based on Personal Data Protection Act (Sec. 25)
Background checks and drug tests
Retain only as long as necessary to satisfy original purpose of collection
From date of check/test
Best Practice based on Personal Data Protection Act (Sec. 25)
Acknowledgements, policy agreements and required notices
Retain only as long as necessary to satisfy original purpose of collection
From date of acknowledgment or notice
Best Practice based on Personal Data Protection Act (Sec. 25)
Recruitment (interview notes, resumes/CVs, reference checks, etc.)
Applicant who is not hired: Retain only as long as necessary for purposes; Applicants who are hired: Retain interview and job offer records minimum of one year, in case a complaint of discriminatory hiring is made (note: this is not a legal requirement)
From creation of record
Best Practice based on Personal Data Protection Act (Sec. 25)
Tracking/recordings (biometric, geo-location, online tracking, camera recordings, etc.)
Retain only as long as necessary to satisfy original purpose of collection
From creation of record
Best Practice based on Personal Data Protection Act (Sec. 25)
Miscellaneous 1
Register of employees: If record on employee's: 1) personal info. consisting of— (a) name as specified on the employee’s identity card, work pass or passport; (b) current address (residence); (c) date of birth; (d) gender; and (e) identity card number or foreign identification number 2) First day of period of continuous employment 3) Last day of period of continuous employment (if applicable); For the above: Active employee min.: Duration of employment; Terminated employee min.: 1 year (must retain last two yrs. of records), For other data: Active employee min.: 2 years (must maintain last 2 years of records) Terminated employee min.: 1 year (must retain last two yrs. of records); Maximum 7 years (unless legal action)
Minimum: Active employees - From creation of record, Terminated employees - From termination; Maximum: From termination
Employment Act (Cap. 91); Limitation Act (Cap. 163)
BENEFIT/PENSION/EQUITY RECORDS
Benefits (plan documents, enrollment records)
Minimum 5 years (6 years as general best practice)
From end of financial year transactions/ operations to which records relate are completed
Companies Act (Cap. 50)
Pension and retirement records
General: Minimum 5 years (6 years as general best practice); Central Provident Fund record of payments: Minimum 2 years
General: From end of financial year transactions/operations to which records relate are completed; Central Provident Fund record of payments: From the date on which they were issued
Companies Act (Cap. 50)
Equity records
Minimum 5 years (6 years as general best practice)
From end of financial year transactions/operations to which records relate are completed
Companies Act (Cap. 50)
PAYROLL/WAGE/TAX RECORDS
Payroll and wage data (payslips, etc.)
Minimum: Active employees - Minimum 2 years (must maintain last 2 years of records), Terminated employees - Minimum 1 year (must retain last 2 years of records); Maximum: 7 years (unless legal action); Records for general accounting purposes: Minimum 5 years
Minimum: Active employees - From creation of record and from end of financial year transactions/operations to which records relate are completed, Terminated employees - From termination and from end of financial year transactions/operations to which records relate are completed; Maximum: From termination; Records for general accounting purposes: From end of financial year transactions/operations to which records relate are completed
Employment Act (Cap. 91); Limitation Act (Cap. 163); Companies Act (Cap. 50)
Tax records
Minimum 5 years (6 years as general best practice)
From end of financial year transactions/operations to which records relate are completed
Companies Act (Cap. 50); Income Tax Act (Cap. 134); Goods and Services Tax Act (Cap.117A)
MEDICAL/SAFETY/LEAVE RECORDS
Leave (family, medical, etc.)
Dates of leave taken: Active employees - Minimum 2 years (must maintain last 2 years of records), Terminated employees - Minimum 1 year (must retain last 2 years of records); Maximum: 7 years (unless legal action)
Dates of leave taken: Active employees: From creation of record; Terminated employees: From termination
Employment Act (Cap. 91)
Injury and illness incident reports
Minimum 3 years; Maximum 7 years (unless legal action)
Minimum: From the time of the notification or report made by employer; Maximum: From date of report
Workplace Safety & Health Act (Cap. 354A); Limitation Act (Cap. 163)
Medical records
Minimum 6 years
From end of financial year transactions/operations to which records relate are completed
Companies Act (Cap. 50)
Hazardous material and other exposure records
Minimum 5 years; Maximum 7 years (unless legal action)
Minimum: From the time of the report made by employer; Maximum: From date of report
Workplace Safety and Health (Medical Examinations) Regulations 2011; Limitation Act (Cap. 163)
UKG's HR Compliance Assist team relies on a network of internal and external compliance experts and lawyers to provide clients with best practices and recommendations on topics such as HR document retention, employee data privacy, and HR electronic records. HR Compliance Assist also provides local compliance monitoring and alert services in select countries where UKG's customers have employees. HR Compliance Assist is a service exclusively available to UKG customers.
