Is it fine to do away with physical hard copies of employee personal documents collected at the time of onboarding?

Is it fine to do away with physical hard copies of employee personal documents collected at the time of onboarding of new hires given the amount of cybercrime taking place? If the answer is no, is there a regulation under employment laws that can mandate the maintenance of personal records as a physical hard copy? Nothing against digitization, but considering the cybercrimes, this question is being posted.

If you refer to the Shops & Commercial Establishment Act, it mandates an employer to maintain service records in the prescribed form which need to be countersigned by the Labour Officer of the designated area.

However, in a corporate scenario, it is necessary to maintain a personal file for all employees physically. Companies also engage in digitalization. Records in digital format are considered permanent records, while physical records are subject to normal wear and tear.

Employees' Record of Personal Information, furnished by him/her and duly attested by the new employee, should be deemed true. However, it is crucial to note that if the information provided is found to be false or inaccurate, it poses a risk to the employer's interests. Employers must therefore take decisive action in such cases.

When it comes to cyber crimes or any other forms of criminal activities, it is not only external forces that pose a threat; some new employees may attempt, commit, or engage in criminal acts such as tampering or altering data to their advantage. Thus, timely detection of fraud, loopholes, etc., is paramount. Remember, "A stitch in time saves nine" is a key principle to bear in mind.

Kritarth Team,
16.7.20

Dear all,

It's within the rights of the employers first to seek and verify the originals of all credentials required for employment, and to at least keep certified copies of all such documents for official records. This is justified especially when legal courses are pursued for longer periods as these documents are going to be permanent records. Though some offices mandate the destruction of listed records periodically, courts still insist on originals and certified authentic copies. Documents digitally stored can be referred to as and when required, but they are prone to being lost or tampered with.