Employee E-file

Electronic personnel file

The E-file for employees is an innovative solution for preparing, storing and managing HR documents in electronic form, in accordance with current labour legislation. With E-file, you save time, reduce costs and ensure full data security, while meeting all legal requirements. Discover the advantages of Asistar Employee E-File and streamline your company’s HR processes today!

What is an employee E-file? 

The electronic employee file is a central, electronic database of HR documents with workflow functionality that ensures the automation of the circulation of employment-related documentation. E-file meets all legal requirements for storing and managing employee documents such as electronic personnel files. The introduction of E-folders makes it easier for companies to store, access and manage HR information in a way that complies with current labour and data protection legislation.

E-file is one of the modules of our proprietary Asistar platform.

Asistar electronic file for employees is:

• Central electronic database of employee documents
  With metadata and electronic seals/ electronic signatures, documents in the E-File have the same status as paper documents and the employer only uses the online version, eliminating paper files.
• Automation of the onboarding process
  The use of E-File facilitates the work of managers and HR staff by enabling documents to be filled in electronically by the candidate once he or she has been accepted. The system automatically verifies, among other things, the completeness of selected documents, as well as provides a workflow of tasks and deadline monitoring.
• Secure access to personnel files 24/7 from any device
  Dual authentication protects against unauthorised access to data. E-File automatically scales to the resolution of the device, ensuring high quality document viewing.
• 100% regulatory compliance
  The E-File meets all current legal requirements and is also adapted to new regulations if legislation changes.

Regulatory compliant electronic employee file

As of January 2019, employers in Poland may keep employee records in electronic form on a par with paper form. The decision on the form of record keeping is made by the employer.

The digitisation of personnel files and the transition to an electronic personnel files involves meeting a number of legal and technical requirements. The E-file must guarantee the storage of personnel files and other documents in a way that ensures their confidentiality, integrity, accessibility and reproducibility.

Legal requirements for the E- file:

• Compliance with the master copy
  The employer must ensure that the digital copy of the document matches the master copy.

• Metadata
  Each electronic document must be accompanied by the metadata specified in the regulation.

• File quality
  Documents stored in the e-file must meet the technical quality requirements.

• Electronic signature or electronic seal
  When converting from a paper document to an electronic document, a qualified electronic signature or electronic seal is required.

• Information obligation
  The transition to an electronic form of HR documentation requires employees to be informed.

E-file must also be secured against unauthorised access, destruction, loss or unauthorised modification. Under the GDPR, employees have the right to access, correct, delete and transfer their data.

It is worth noting that the implementation of an electronic form of documentation is independent of the submission of ZUS RIA reports to ZUS. The submission of the reports gives the possibility to take advantage of the statutory reduction of the retention period of employee documentation from 50 to 10 years – both for companies that keep it in paper and electronic form.

What documents are to be found in E-files? 

An employee e-file is a digital collection of documents related to an employee’s entire period of employment. It contains the electronic personnel files and all the necessary information and documents needed to manage human resources in a legally compliant way.

An employee’s E-file must compulsorily contain a personnel file. It may also contain additional documents, according to the employer’s needs.

List of documents that can be stored in the E-file:

Personnel files – mandatory part:

• Section A – documents relating to the recruitment of an employee
• Section B – documents relating to the establishment and course of employment
• Section C – documents related to termination of employment
• Section D – documents related to incurring by the employee of disciplinary liability and liability specified in separate regulations
• Section E – documents related to the control of the employee’s sobriety or control for the presence in his/her body of agents acting similarly to alcohol

Other employee records: 

• Documents relating to time recording
• Documents relating to the application for and taking of annual leave
• Card (list) of paid remuneration for work and other work-related benefits
• Record of the allocation of work clothing and footwear and personal protective equipment (including documents related to the payment of a cash allowance for the use of own clothing and footwear and their laundering and maintenance)

Additional files which are not covered by the provisions of the Regulation:

• Insurance documentation
• Tax documentation
• PPK documentation

Learn more: Changes to employee personal files from 21 March

Benefits of E- files implementation for employer and employees

The implementation of E-File improves the management of HR documentation and allows the automation of HR and payroll processes. It supports the digital transformation of the company and allows it to adapt to today’s market requirements, such as remote working or changing employee expectations.

E-file measurably relieves the HR department of tedious and time-consuming administrative tasks, while other employees can benefit from easy and quick access to their own documents anytime, anywhere. 

Electronic file vs ESG

The implementation of E-file, which is electronic storage and management of employee records, supports the ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) aspect of the organisation:

• E as Environmental:
  Leads to a reduction in environmental impact – elimination of paper, reduction of waste, reduction of energy consumption
• S as Social:
  E-file improves the social aspect – facilitates access to data and increases its security
• G as Governance
  Digitisation of employee records increases operational efficiency and facilitates compliance with legal regulations

E-file – key benefits of electronic personnel files:

• Secure storage and easy access to documents anytime, anywhere
• Use of double authentication protects against unauthorised access to documents
• Tight and adequate protection of processes and sensitive data, close monitoring of editing and document circulation 
• Data security and effective protection against data loss or destruction, which often occurs with paper employee files
• Compliance with legislation
• Possibility of permanent file destruction
• Creation and storage of backups
• Reduction of costs – paper, archiving, office space
• Automation of HR and payroll processes, e.g. employment or data changes
• More efficient and easier onboarding of employees
• Space saving, no need to maintain filing cabinets and binders
• Elimination or significant reduction in paper consumption
• Integration with CA HR and payroll systems

Learn more: Employee e-file – the digitalisation of HR processes

What does the implementation of Asistar E-file look like?

We provide our clients with comprehensive support throughout the entire process of digitising HR documents.

E-file – how is it implemented?

Digital mapping of current paper files

• Scanning the paper files of active employees
• Describing them with a set of metadata and placing them in the appropriate part of the E-file
• Signing the documents with a qualified signature or electronic seal, ensuring that the electronic document is equivalent to the master copy

Launch of E-File for new employees

• New employees complete online questionnaires before joining
• Documents go straight into the relevant section of the E-file

Note:

• Security and data confidentiality must always be a priority when implementing a service. Check whether the provider has a secure data transmission channel
• Sign a confidentiality agreement, whereby the parties are obliged to keep all the information provided confidential
• Ensure the security of historical data in order to protect it from loss and to present it during audits with the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) or the National Labour Inspectorate (PIP)
• Check that your supplier has the necessary certifications
• Make sure that all IT systems in your company are compatible with E-file. A good solution to this may be to work closely with an external IT provider
• Communicate the changes to your employees – this will help to implement the service in a stress-free manner

In this digital age and with the increasing importance of sustainability measures, more and more companies are opting for solutions such as the E-file. Find out how our experts can help you implement E-file in your company. Switch to electronic personnel files.

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