A personnel-file disclosure is the copy of an HR dossier you release on request. UK GDPR Art. 9 gives extra protection to special-category data, like health or trade union membership, and where the file's own condition for holding that data comes from DPA 2018 Schedule 1, Part 4 of that schedule separately requires the organisation to keep an appropriate policy document explaining how it complies and how long it keeps the data. anonym.plus marks the sensitive data on your own device before you share the file.
When this applies
An employee or a body asks for an HR record. It holds sick notes, union details, and the names of co-workers and referees.
How anonym.plus handles it
- Open the dossier in anonym.plus on your device.
- The tool flags health, union, and other sensitive PII.
- Keep the subject's own data where the request allows.
- Mark co-workers' and referees' PII for removal.
- Black out or swap each one, then review the result.
- Save the cleared copy on your machine.
What you need to provide
- The HR dossier (PDF, DOCX, or scan).
- An operator: Redact for sensitive fields.
- An allow-list for the subject's own identifiers.
PII entity types detected
| Category | anonym.plus entity type | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Names | PERSON | co-worker name → [PERSON] |
| Health | MEDICAL_LICENSE | sick-note detail → [HEALTH] |
| Identifiers | NATIONAL_ID | staff no. → [ID] |
| Contact | EMAIL_ADDRESS | referee email → [EMAIL] |
| Location | LOCATION | home address → [ADDRESS] |
| Dates | DATE_TIME | DOB → [DOB] |
Compliance achieved
- Protects special-category data under UK GDPR Art. 9.
- Sits alongside the appropriate policy document DPA 2018 Sch. 1 Part 4 requires when the file's condition comes from that schedule.
- Hides health, union, and other sensitive staff PII.
- Offline work keeps the dossier inside the organisation.
- Reads 48 languages for cross-border staff records.
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Limitations & cautions
Art. 9 needs a strong legal basis to handle sensitive data, with a DPA 2018 Schedule 1 condition and, for most such conditions, a Part 4 policy document behind it. What you may disclose is a legal judgment. The tool flags health and union clues, but cannot decide whether the request entitles the person to see them. Confirm with HR and legal.
Frequently asked questions
What counts as special-category data?
Data on health, race, politics, religion, trade union membership, sex life, biometrics, and genetics. Art. 9 gives it extra protection, and most lawful bases for holding it in an HR file trace back to a specific condition in DPA 2018 Schedule 1. anonym.plus flags these clues for review.
What is the Schedule 1 policy document, and does redaction replace it?
Part 4 of DPA 2018 Schedule 1 requires an organisation relying on most of the schedule's conditions to keep a short written policy describing its compliance measures and retention approach for special-category data. Redacting a disclosed copy of a personnel file does not replace that document — it is a separate record the organisation must already hold.
Can the employee see their own sick notes?
Sometimes, depending on the request and the lawful basis relied on. The balance is a legal call. The tool flags the data so HR and legal can keep or remove it with that context in mind.
Does it handle a non-English HR file?
Yes. With 48 languages it reads other tongues, and matches local ID and date formats, which matters for a multinational employer's staff records.