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Data protection
Thread poster: M G
M G
M G
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:00
English to French
+ ...
May 6, 2019

Hello

I would like to know how long a translator can keep clients personal details and documents for. I thought I had to keep them forever in case of a request for verification of the authenticity of the translation, but a client wants to know when I am going to destroy hers.

Thanks

Murielle
 
Thomas T. Frost
Thomas T. Frost  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 15:00
Danish to English
+ ...
Statute of limitations May 6, 2019

It is in your interest to keep the documents until you can no longer be held liable for anything related to the translation. That's what solicitors do. How long time that is depends on the statute of limitations in the applicable jurisdiction. In the EU, this is a legitimate legal basis, according to the GDPR, for retaining personal data (in case you are subject to the GDPR).

Dave Bindon
 
Kay Denney
Kay Denney  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 16:00
French to English
What does she want? May 7, 2019

I keep everything. Clients sometimes need you to send in a document that you sent five months ago, not sure why but I'm happy to oblige.
Why has the client asked this? Does she want you to keep hold of work for future reference, or does she want there to be no trace of her outsourcing to you?
I remember one client, a bank, who asked us to destroy all translations and correspondence immediately after delivery. The boss didn't like that at all and told me to first comb it for termino... See more
I keep everything. Clients sometimes need you to send in a document that you sent five months ago, not sure why but I'm happy to oblige.
Why has the client asked this? Does she want you to keep hold of work for future reference, or does she want there to be no trace of her outsourcing to you?
I remember one client, a bank, who asked us to destroy all translations and correspondence immediately after delivery. The boss didn't like that at all and told me to first comb it for terminology. I remember him telling the clientbthat he had to at least keep enough details to send in a bill... ▲ Collapse


Kang Seok Lee
 
neilmac
neilmac
Spain
Local time: 16:00
Spanish to English
+ ...
No big deal May 7, 2019

With the portfolio of clients that I have, it's not a big issue. I usually just keep most of the stuff I've worked on unless otherwise specified by the client, which I don't recall ever happening.

I'm sure other people working in other circumstances will have other procedures, but other than the occasional decluttering, I don't feel the need to do anything special or worry about data protection over and above standard requirements.

Kang Seok Lee
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
 


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