What is an employee information form?

An employee information form contains important details about your employees. Use it to keep track of personal information, duration of employment and other essentials, such as emergency contact information. An employee’s form is also useful if you receive a reference request, need to mail documents to an employee or want to know how long someone has been with your company.

The employee information form includes:

• Full name
• Address and phone number
• Title and department
• Social Security number
• Start date
• Salary
• Emergency contacts
• Educational background
• Work history

Related:New Hire Onboarding Checklist

When to use employee information forms

Employee information forms are important in many events. If there’s an urgent need to reach out to them, an employee’s information form will give you more ways to reach them. Furthermore, you can use these forms for emergency contact information if the worker is seriously injured. On a day-to-day basis, employee forms provide convenient access to anything that you might find yourself needing, such as I-9 information.

How to create an employee information form

When developing a template for a standard information form, create sections for the following information:

1. Personal details

Create a list of personal details you’d want on file with the employee’s information. For instance, request full name, address, phone number and email address.

2. Educational background

Create a section that captures the employee’s educational background, including the highest degree or diploma they’ve earned and their major.

3. Work history

Your employee’s form should include a section for listing positions previously held.

4. Social Security number and other important data

List the employee’s Social Security number. You can also request military data if this makes sense for your business.

Related:New Employee Welcome Email Examples

Tips for employee information forms

Here are some other tips to help you create an effective employee information form:

• Be clear:Your file and instructions should be simple and easy to understand.
• Standardize: Create a standard form for employees. New employee information forms should be the same as older documents. If you update the forms that new employees fill with their information, you should convert legacy data to the newer format.
• Order logically:Your form should follow a logical order that’s intuitive and familiar to your employee population.
• Store safely: Make sure you store all documentation safely and securely. Replace or update your storage techniques to employ cloud-based HR software that’s convenient, reliable and secure. Check your system with an IT or data privacy professional to make sure you’re using the proper safe storage methods for personal identifying information (PII). This protects the security of your employees and prevents your company from being liable for leaking their data. Personal data is highly regulated, and you must comply with local, national and international laws.
• Keep current:New hires should be required to complete information forms within a few days of hire. If practical, request that employees review forms every six months or annually. Make forms accessible to employees online or create a system for them to submit a change.
• Make accessible: Ensure that the appropriate parties, such as your HR team and the employee’s manager, can access data. A good storage system should also have a search function.
• Be transparent: Only ask for information that’s needed by the business. Let employees know you won’t disclose their information to unauthorized company members.

Related:How to Find Good Employees

Employee form template

Here is a template you can use to create an employee information form for your own organization:

Employee form sample

Here is a sample of a completed employee information form:

Employee Information Form Template for PDF & Excel

Check out our employee info form template for keeping up-to-date information on your employees.

*Indeed provides these examples as a courtesy to users of this site. Please note that we are not your HR or legal adviser, and none of these documents reflect current labor or employment regulations.

Frequently asked questions about employee information forms

What are some good practices for data security with regard to employee information?

Employers should ensure compliance with applicable data privacy laws. Laws vary internationally, and if you’re a global organization, ensure compliance for employee forms for particular countries, if applicable.

Some sensitive data is treated with enhanced protection under comprehensive data protection requirements. Sensitive data can include race, ethnicity or national origin, sexual orientation, marital status, political associations, union membership, health-related information and prior record.

Data privacy laws are not limited to current employee information, and companies’ responsibilities extend to any non-employee groups such as separated employees, job applicants, independent contractors and consultants.

Employee information forms should provide a statement related to the usage and storage of employees’ personal information.

What forms are needed when hiring new employees?

In addition to your employee information form, new employees should complete:

• Form W-4
• Form I-9
• Equal opportunity data form
• Direct deposit information (optional)

What emergency contact information should I collect from employees?

Each employee must have an emergency contact person in the event of an accident. Ask for one to three contacts with the following information:

• Full name
• Relationship to the employee
• Phone number
• Alternate phone number (optional)
• Physical address
• Email address

When should employees complete employee information forms?

Your staff should complete new employee information forms during the onboarding process, potentially before you hire them. This is the only way to ensure you have the necessary information for all of your employees at all times. However, much of the information on these forms, such as phone numbers and addresses, is subject to change. As such, it’s not enough to simply have a document on each person. Every six to 12 months, consider requiring your employees to review and update their forms.