If I asked you whether your business keeps employee records, you’d probably answer, “Of course we do.” But here’s the real question when it comes to HR recordkeeping…Could you produce six years’ worth of accurate holiday and sickness records tomorrow if the Fair Work Agency asked to see them?

For many small businesses, the honest answer is probably “I’m not sure.” And that’s exactly why I’ve created the FWA Inspection Ready Toolkit.

HR recordkeeping isn’t exciting… until it becomes a problem

Let’s be honest.

Nobody starts a business because they’re passionate about filing sickness records or maintaining annual leave spreadsheets.As business owners, we’re busy running the business, looking after customers and trying to keep everyone happy. HR paperwork often ends up being something we promise ourselves we’ll sort out “when things quieten down.”

Unfortunately, employment law doesn’t work like that.

If an employee raises a claim or the Fair Work Agency investigates your business, one of the very first things they are likely to ask for is your employment records.If those records are incomplete, inaccurate or simply don’t exist, you’re immediately on the back foot.

The rules have changed

The introduction of the Fair Work Agency has placed a much greater emphasis on employers keeping detailed and accurate employment records.

That includes, amongst other things:

• Holiday entitlement
• Holiday taken
• Holiday pay
• Sickness absence
• Reasons for absence
• Dates and duration of absence
• Supporting documentation where appropriate

These records now need to be retained for six years. For many small businesses, that’s quite a wake-up call.

“We’ve never had a problem before…”

And my response is always the same.

That’s brilliant. I genuinely hope you never do.

But good HR isn’t about waiting until something goes wrong.

It’s about making sure that if it does, you’ve already protected your business.Think of it like insurance. You don’t buy insurance because you’re planning to have an accident. You buy it because accidents happen. Good HR recordkeeping works exactly the same way.

The hidden risks of poor recordkeeping

Poor records don’t just create administrative headaches.

They can make it much harder to defend:

• Employment Tribunal claims
• Holiday pay disputes
• Unlawful deduction of wages claims
• Unfair dismissal claims
• Discrimination claims
• Flexible working disputes
• Sickness absence issues

Without clear records, many employment disputes become one person’s word against another.

That’s never a comfortable position to be in.

Most businesses don’t know where the gaps are

One of the biggest problems I see isn’t that employers don’t care.

It’s that they genuinely believe they’re compliant. Then we start looking at their records…Holiday carried forward with no explanation. No evidence of employees requesting leave. No clear sickness recording process. Missing return-to-work information. Managers all doing something slightly different. Records stored in three different places. Managers recording sickness absence when it should be dependents leave.

Sound familiar?

You’re certainly not alone.

That’s why I created the FWA Inspection Ready Toolkit

Over the years I’ve helped hundreds of employers deal with HR problems after they’ve happened.

This toolkit is about preventing those problems in the first place.

Rather than trying to interpret legislation or work out what’s expected, I’ve created practical resources you can use immediately.

The toolkit includes:

1. HR Recordkeeping Explained

A plain-English guide explaining what employers need to keep, why it matters and what the Fair Work Agency expects.

2. Holiday Recordkeeping Framework

A practical framework showing exactly what records you should maintain and how to identify any gaps.

3. Sickness Recordkeeping Framework

Everything you need to understand good sickness absence recordkeeping, including practical examples and compliance guidance.

4. HR Recordkeeping Health Check

A simple self-audit allowing you to assess your current arrangements and identify any weaknesses before someone else does.

No legal jargon.

No 100-page policy manuals.

Just practical HR guidance designed for busy employers.

Created by someone who actually works with employers

This isn’t an academic guide.It isn’t AI-generated content pulled together from legislation. It’s based on what I see every single week as an HR Consultant working with SMEs. I know where businesses struggle. I know the questions employers ask.And I know the mistakes that crop up time and time again.

I’ve built the toolkit around those real-world issues, so it’s practical, straightforward and genuinely useful.

Is your business inspection ready?

Here’s a quick challenge.

Ask yourself these questions:

• Could I produce six years of sickness records?
• Could I evidence holiday taken for every employee?
• Are all of my managers recording absence consistently?
• Would I feel confident if the Fair Work Agency asked to inspect my records tomorrow?
• Do I actually know whether we’re compliant?

If you hesitated on any of those questions, it might be time to take a closer look.

Don’t wait until someone asks for the records

The best time to sort your HR recordkeeping isn’t after an investigation starts.

It’s before one ever happens.

That’s exactly what the FWA Inspection Ready Toolkit has been designed to help you do.

Simple.

Practical.

Affordable.

And written specifically for UK small and medium-sized employers who want straightforward HR advice without the legal waffle.

If you’d like to find out more, you can view the toolkit here:

FWA Inspection Ready Toolkit

Future you WILL thank you.