Note: An electronically signed document's legal validity depends on the laws of your country. Contact a lawyer or legal advisor with any questions or concerns regarding the legal security and effect of electronic signatures. Personio provides the technical prerequisites and the tool for the use of signatures and assumes no liability. Note that the information in this article may not be complete.
This article provides a summary of the types of electronic signatures Personio offers, and their legal validity.
Electronic signatures in Personio
In Personio, you can request electronic signatures on documents like contracts, agreements, declarations of consent, etc. The legal validity of these signatures can vary depending on document type, local laws, or other factors.
Personio uses DocuSign to provide an electronic signature environment directly in the platform. For legal questions about electronic signatures, contact a lawyer or legal advisor of your choice. Personio provides the technical prerequisites and the tool for using signatures and assumes no liability.
Signature types
Under EU law (eIDAS), there are three types of electronic signature types, each with different levels of security and legal value. Personio currently offers two types:
- Simple electronic signature
- Advanced electronic signature
Users can choose the type when requesting electronic signatures on documents through Personio. All three signature types are described in the table below.
| Signature Type | Description |
| Simple electronic signature | Does not specify any detailed identification check and has no security value. It is simply electronic data that is attached to the document or logically linked. |
|
Advanced electronic signature |
Requires extra security steps, like two-factor authentication or ID verification. This ensures that the signatory's identity and the integrity of the signed data are being checked. The signature can be uniquely linked to the signatory to identify them. |
|
Qualified electronic signature |
Highest security and legal value. Requires a certified device and special software. Legally equal to a handwritten signature. |
For more details, see DocuSign’s explanation of signature types. To read about DocuSign being ISO compliant, visit their website: https://www.docusign.com/trust/compliance. Always check with a legal expert to choose the right signature type for your needs.
Note:
For certain contracts, the law prescribes a qualified electronic signature, or handwritten signature. In Germany, this applies to all documents that require the written form. For some legal documents relating to employment, the use of electronic signatures is explicitly prohibited. Be sure to consult a legal expert.
Certificate of completion
For every document signed electronically in Personio, a certificate of completion is automatically created. This certificate includes all the electronic verification data from the signing process and can be used as proof of the document's integrity. It shows details about the document, the signing events, and a summary.
Administrators can download a certificate of completion from the Signatures overview page.
For more details, visit the DocuSign website.