Gem ATS: Set data retention policy

Overview

Setting a data retention policy allows you to anonymize candidate and prospect data based on job or candidate location.

For more information about data retention and anonymization in Gem, see Data retention policy.

Requirements

• Your team uses Gem ATS.
• Admin access to your Gem account.

How it works

You can configure your policy rules to anonymize data based on the following.

• Job location: The location of the job posting that the candidate applied to.
• Candidate location: The location listed on the candidate’s profile.

Gem applies these rules differently based on whether a person has a current application or not.

• If a prospect has no applications (Gem CRM only): The location on their Gem profile is always used, regardless of the rules you have set.
• If a candidate has one or more applications (Gem ATS):
• If Candidate location is selected, Gem uses the location on their candidate profile. If this option is selected, then Location is set as a required field in your default application.
• If Job location is selected, Gem uses the location of the job they applied to.

Who’s eligible for anonymization

CRM prospects

A prospect without applications is eligible for anonymization when:

• The retention period has passed since their sourced date.
• Reply settings (if configured) have been applied.

ATS candidates

A candidate with applications is eligible for anonymization when:

• All of their applications have an inactive status of Rejected or Dropped out.
• The retention period for their location has passed.

What data is anonymized

When a candidate or prospect becomes eligible for anonymization, Gem removes:

• Contact details (email, phone number, address).
• Notes and messages.
• Resumes and files.
• Other candidate-linked information.

For ATS candidates, Gem also anonymizes:

• Application text fields.
• Offer text fields.
• Candidate signatures and identity fields.
• Scorecard content.
• Attachments (files are deleted from storage).

Anonymization timeline

This is the timeline for requests to anonymize data.

1. Warning notification: Immediately after the request is initiated, Admins receive an email listing profiles which will be anonymized.
2. One week later: Gem processes and anonymizes eligible profiles.
3. Completion notification: Admins receive an email confirming which profiles were anonymized.

Set your default retention policy

Only Admins can set the default retention policy.

1. Select your account at the bottom of the main sidebar, then select the Admin settings option in the dropdown.
2. Select the Compliance & data privacy header.
3. Select the Data retention option in the left navigation menu.
4. In the Default retention setting section, select the Choose a default retention period button.
5. In the pop-up that appears, select the Specify retention periods option. This ensures that you’ll be notified via email when a candidate record is about to be removed.
6. Enter the number of days that the candidate’s data should be retained for before it’s removed.
7. Optionally select the Enable different retention period for people who reply checkbox to define separate retention periods for people who reply to an outreach email and people who don’t. Checking this box adds an additional days field for people who replied to an email.
8. In the Location for retention dropdown, select one of the following options.
1. Job: If this person has an application, Gem uses the location of the job they applied to. If this person doesn’t have an application, Gem uses the location on their profile.
2. Candidate: Gem uses the location on their profile.

9. Select the Save button. The Default retention setting section updates with the default retention policy displayed.

Edit your default retention policy

Only Admins can edit the default retention policy.

1. Select your account at the bottom of the main sidebar, then select the Admin settings option in the dropdown.
2. Select the Compliance & data privacy header.
3. Select the Data retention option in the left navigation menu.
4. In the Default retention setting section, select the Settings button next to the current policy.

5. In the Team data retention policy pop-up, select any of the settings to update details.
6. Select the Save button. The Default retention setting section updates with your updated default data retention policy displayed.

Remove your default retention policy

Only Admins can remove the default retention policy.

1. Select your account at the bottom of the main sidebar, then select the Admin settings option in the dropdown.
2. Select the Compliance & data privacy header.
3. Select the Data retention option in the left navigation menu.
4. In the Default retention setting section, select the Settings button next to the current policy.

5. In the Team data retention policy pop-up, select the No retention period option. This erases the retention settings displayed.
6. Select the Save button. The Default retention setting section updates with your updated default data retention policy displayed.

Anonymized data in reporting

When a profile has been anonymized, data about that profile is still counted in your passthrough rates. However, you won't be able to click into that candidate record. For more information, see Passthrough rates.

Additional Resources

To learn more about data retention, see the following resources.

Related Articles

• GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)
• Gem AI legal, privacy and compliance FAQs

Have any issues or questions on this topic? Please feel free to contact your dedicated Gem Customer Success Manager directly or our Support team at support@gem.com.

• Overview
• Requirements
• How it works
• Who’s eligible for anonymization
• CRM prospects
• ATS candidates
• What data is anonymized
• Anonymization timeline
• Set your default retention policy
• Edit your default retention policy
• Remove your default retention policy
• Anonymized data in reporting
• Additional Resources
• Related Articles