How long may I retain personnel files?
Different periods per document type. The Belastingdienst requires 7 years for payroll. Rejected candidate data: four weeks without consent, one year with.
support/compliance-en-wetgeving/bewaartermijnen-personeelsdossiersteps: 5
Try this first
- Payroll and wage-tax statements: 7 years after end of employment (Belastingdienst fiscal retention).
- ID copy: at least 5 years after the calendar year in which employment ended, under the Dutch payroll administration duty (Wet op de loonbelasting).
- General personnel file (contract, reviews, leave): usually 2 years after end of employment, longer only with an active matter.
- Rejected applicants: max 4 weeks. With explicit consent for a talent pool: max 1 year.
- Capture this per document type in a retention schedule. Schedule periodic clean-up.
When to bring us in
Special cases like sick-leave data, first-aid certificates, or workplace accidents have different periods. When in doubt, ask the arbodienst or an employment-law advisor.
See also
- Does NIS2 apply to my company?Two questions decide it: are you in a listed sector, and do you meet the threshold from Recommendation 2003/361/EC (more than 50 FTE and more than EUR 10M turnover or balance sheet). Below that you are only indirectly in scope, via your customers. The threshold determines whether you are an important or essential entity depending on sector.
- What changes with the Dutch Cyber Security Act?The Cyberbeveiligingswet is the Dutch implementation of NIS2. Track NCSC for the exact effective date and the lower regulations.
- Am I personally liable as a director under NIS2?Yes. The board is accountable for approving and overseeing the cyber measures. Severe negligence can become personal.
None of the above fits?
Describe your situation below. We pass your input plus the steps you already saw to our AI and return tailored next-step advice. If it's too risky to DIY, we'll say so.
Or skip the DIY entirely
Our Managed IT clients do not look these things up. One point of contact, a fixed monthly price, resolved within working hours.