Susie Lloyd, Sarah Hutchins, Robert Botkin, and Tatum Barbaree co-authored an article in HRMorning about workforce data retention and what recent enforcement actions say about retention terms. 

"When an employee leaves, HR closes the personnel file, processes the final paycheck, and shuts off system access," they wrote. "Copies of that employee’s information can remain in places HR does not manage: email archives, collaboration platforms, badge-access logs, fleet telematics systems, and the files of recruiting, payroll, and benefits vendors."

"Some of those records have to be kept because federal employment regulations set minimum retention periods for them," they continued. "Others stick around because a system’s default setting keeps them, and no one has set a deletion date. Two enforcement actions address how long companies keep personal data. The Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) January 2026 order against General Motors limits how long the automotive company may keep drivers’ location data. The California Privacy Protection Agency’s (CPPA) September 2025 decision against Tractor Supply Co. was its first enforcement action involving job applicants."

Click here to read the full article: Are you keeping workforce data longer than you need to?

HRMorning is a leading digital resource and newsletter for HR professionals and people leaders.