Employee Passport / HR practice guides
Keeping reliable HR records
HR records: Check relevant HR entries against their sources before relying on them in employment decisions.
Anonymised practice examples drawn from cases handled by our team.
HR records: practical approach
Identify the disputed fact first, such as a role date or a training entry. Compare it with its originating document, distinguish contemporaneous evidence from later recollection and explain corrections. Record which entry changed, who checked it and why. A last-updated date alone does not provide that detail.
Checking HR records against their source
The useful control is a focused evidence trail rather than a larger file. Decisions should use relevant information with its source and date, while unnecessary identifiers and unrelated health details remain outside the decision bundle. Access to sensitive fields should reflect the purpose of the review.
Learning for managers
A complete-looking personnel form is not necessarily a reliable evidential record. The important questions are where the relevant information came from, whether it is current, and whether the employee had an appropriate opportunity to address a disputed fact.
Manager checklist
- Identify the relevant fact
- Check the source document and date
- Explain corrections and verification
- Limit access to information needed for the purpose
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Further reading
General guidance for Great Britain. Use the relevant policy and advice for a live case.
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