At Leapsome, we follow a "Clean Slate" architecture for rehires. This means that when a former employee returns to the company under a new contract, the best practice is to create a brand-new employee profile rather than reactivating their old one. While it might seem easier to simply "toggle on" an old account, maintaining separate profiles ensures your data remains accurate, compliant, and easy to audit.
Why we use the "New Profile" approach
1. Accuracy in Reporting and Payroll
Employment data is time-sensitive. If you reactivate an old profile, your historical reports (like headcount, average salary, or turnover rates) can become distorted. By creating a new profile, you ensure that:
- Payroll data for the new contract is isolated from the old one
- Historical records from the first tenure remain an accurate "snapshot" of that period
2. Automated Absence & Entitlement Logic
Most absence policies are triggered by a "Hire Date."
- Fresh Accruals: A new profile automatically triggers new leave entitlements based on the current start date
- Proration: The system will correctly calculate "earned" leave for the remainder of the current year without being confused by previous balances or carry-overs from years ago
3. Data Privacy and Compliance
GDPR and data retention laws often require that certain data (like performance reviews or old salary details) be handled differently once a contract ends. Keeping tenures separate ensures you aren't inadvertently carrying over sensitive data that may no longer be relevant or legally necessary for the new role.