Russia has introduced new rules changing the duration of required retention for some categories of HR and employee documents and introducing retention terms for others.
As of 18 February 2020, the law established new terms of retention for HR documents. The following storage terms are extended as follows:
- vacation schedules: three years (instead of one year),
- record books, registers, record cards, vacation databases: five years (instead of three years).
At the same time, some other retention terms are reduced as follows:
- documents relating to disciplinary actions: three years (instead of five years);
- applications relating to a need for foreign employees: one year (instead of five years);
- documents on working conditions and measures to improve working conditions and health and safety of the organisation: five years (instead of permanent storage);
- record books, registers, industrial accident databases, accident records: 45 years (instead of permanent storage).
The duration of required retainment for certain documents (e.g. employment contracts, documents relating to employment and dismissal) will depend on the date at which the paperwork was finalised: if it was finished by 1 January 2003, then these documents must be preserved for 75 years; if later than that date: for 50 years.
Additionally, storage terms have been also set for the following new types of documents:
- notifications, warnings given to employees: three years;
- employees' applications for the issue of employment documents: one year;
- record books, registers of instructions on health and safety: 45 years.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
