9 of April, 2025

The human resources documents must be kept for a certain period of time to comply with labor laws, just like invoices and some of the information that the accounting department must keep.

When improving the management of the corporate documents of the labor department, it is important to know how long it is necessary to keep them and have secure storage.

How long should the labor documents be kept?

In the event of a labor inspection in the department, it is important to provide the human resources documents such as payrolls, work contracts, timekeeping with the entries, and exits of the employees and much more. This is where the importance of the preservation of the HR department’s documentation comes from.

In this sense, the document management of the information and data of this area must have correct storage, facilitate its search, guarantee a security that paper cannot and allow consultation at any time.

Listing by type of documents

How long should work contracts be kept? And payrolls? Below, we highlight each of the main human resources documents and the time that information should be kept, pay attention:

Time control: a minimum of four years.
Work contracts: a minimum of four years, but a period of 6 years is advisable.
Payroll receipts: a minimum of 5 years.
Social Security contribution bulletins: a minimum of 5 years.
Career development and talent management programs: a minimum of 4 years.
Data of unsuccessful candidates: a minimum of 3 years.
Data of temporary workers: a minimum of 4 years.
Descriptions of labor offenses: a minimum of 3 years.
Copy of identification documents of foreign citizens: a minimum of 4 years.

Once you know the time you have to keep each type of human resources document, you will have to establish a document conservation policy to improve document management, opt for simple classification, and keep the documents if possible in document management system in digital format.

This process brings your company closer to digital transformation and better optimizes the processes and resources devoted to it. Organizing labor documentation with Sesame is very simple, you have different folders with different HR documents and permissions and thus you can keep them safe.

What should the document conservation policy include?

The policy of conserving human resources documents is an essential component of document management in the HR department. To guarantee efficient management and comply with labor regulations, this policy must address several key aspects:

1. Storage periods

It is essential to specify the minimum conservation duration for each type of document, following legal guidelines and the best practices of the industry.

This includes work contracts, payrolls, timekeeping records, among others.

2. Storage procedures

The policy should define the procedures for storing human resources documents securely and accessibly.

This can include the proper classification of physical files and the implementation of electronic document management systems.

3. Acceptable formats

The acceptable formats for preserving HR documents must be established, considering both physical and digital format.

It is important to ensure the integrity and readability of the documents over time.

4. Responsibilities and roles

The policy should clearly assign the responsibilities and roles related to the conservation of human resources documents.

This includes the designation of personnel in charge of overseeing the implementation and compliance with the policy.

5. Destruction procedures

Clear and secure procedures should be established for the destruction of documents once the conservation time has passed.

This can include the implementation of physical and digital destruction methods, as well as the proper documentation of the process.

6. Auditing and regular reviews

The policy must contemplate the conducting of regular audits to guarantee compliance with the human resources document conservation procedures and adjustments as necessary.

This ensures that the policy is up-to-date and in line with changing legal requirements.

By including these elements in the document conservation policy, the HR department can ensure efficient and legally compliant management of labor documentation.

What to do once the time for conserving the documents has passed?

Afterward, once that period has elapsed, it is essential to have effective destruction of both printed and digital documentation. So create a document conservation calendar and you will be able to control the time you have to store them and when to destroy them.

Digitalize your file with Sesame HR

With Sesame HR, you can transform your company’s document management, providing an organized and secure space for all human resources documents.

All labor documents are stored in one place, facilitating access to and management of your employees’ information.

Here are the details of how our document manager can benefit your human resources department:

Ordered classification: Maintain impeccable organization of HR documents, classifying them by employee and by type for quick identification.
Total accessibility: Our document manager is available from any device at any time.
Automatic notifications: Receive alerts when a new file is uploaded to the employee portal, always staying up-to-date with documentation updates.
Comprehensive management in the employee portal: From work justification to payrolls and expense reports, all the labor documents of your company are managed efficiently.
Advanced digital signature: Simplify the process of signing labor documents with our Advanced Digital Signature, guaranteeing legal validity and automatically updating files in your document manager.

Start your free 14-day trial and discover how Sesame HR’s HR software can streamline all your human resources processes, offering a secure, simple and intuitive platform for employee and document management.

Customer-oriented, both internally and externally, specializing in the definition and implementation of HR policies, as well as talent management, recruitment, and retention. Strong leadership, communication, negotiation, organization, and team coordination skills. Over 12 years of experience in Human Resources.

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iriserrador

HR Content Specialist

How long should human resources documents be kept?