Interview notes redaction is the removal of personal data from a panel's written record. Equality Act 2010 s.136 shifts the burden of proof to the employer once a rejected candidate points to facts that could suggest discrimination, which makes the interview note itself the evidence either side relies on. The EHRC's Employment Statutory Code of Practice recommends keeping objective, job-related notes for exactly that reason. anonym.plus marks names and origin cues on your device, so the scored feedback survives while bias signals are stripped.
When this applies
A handwritten page often jots an aside about accent, age, or family plans alongside the actual scoring. Under s.136, that aside is exactly what a tribunal would examine first if the decision were ever challenged, so you trim it before the record joins a recruitment file.
How anonym.plus handles it
- Open the file in anonym.plus on your device.
- Built-in OCR reads scanned handwritten pages.
- The app marks names and protected-characteristic phrases.
- Confirm each marking and keep the skill ratings.
- Swap or black out the confirmed comments.
- Save the cleaned record locally.
What you need to provide
- The write-up (PDF, DOCX, scan, or TXT).
- An operator (Redact suits sensitive asides).
- Optional alias map for repeat interviewers.
PII entity types detected
| Category | anonym.plus entity type | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Names | PERSON | interviewee Sims → [CANDIDATE] |
| Origin | NRP | accent comment → [ORIGIN] |
| Dates | DATE_TIME | age ~50 → [AGE] |
| Names | PERSON | panel member → [INTERVIEWER] |
| Location | LOCATION | neighbourhood → [LOCATION] |
| Contact | PHONE_NUMBER | callback line → [PHONE] |
Compliance achieved
- Supports the burden-of-proof position under Equality Act 2010 s.136 by keeping notes to job-related criteria.
- Follows the record-keeping approach in the EHRC Employment Statutory Code of Practice.
- Keeps skill ratings while stripping protected-characteristic phrases.
- Offline work keeps the panel's record on your machine.
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Limitations & cautions
Free-text comments vary widely, so a coded phrase can slip past detection, and s.136 looks at what a tribunal could infer from the whole record, not just flagged words. Read the prose for indirect bias cues before the record circulates.
Frequently asked questions
Why do interview notes matter under s.136?
Once a rejected candidate shows facts a tribunal could read as discriminatory, s.136 puts the burden on the employer to prove otherwise, and the interview note is usually the first document either side produces.
Which comments should I strip from the page?
Strip phrasing tied to age, origin, accent, or family status. The EHRC's Code of Practice favours notes that record only job-related observations, which also holds up better if a decision is ever challenged.
Will the skill scores survive the pass?
Yes. Only personal and bias phrases are marked. Ratings and job-fit notes stay, since those are exactly what s.136 asks an employer to point to.