ISO 27001:2022 Annex A Control 6.2

Explaining Annex A Control 6.2 Terms and conditions of employment

ISO 27001 Control 6.2 Terms and conditions of employment requires that organizations establish clear, documented terms and conditions of employment related to information security. These employment agreements must define both the organization's and personnel’s responsibilities, ensuring that employees, contractors, and third-party staff understand their security obligations before they access sensitive data and business-critical systems.

Control Type

Information Security Properties

Cybersecurity Concepts

Operational Capabilities

Security Domains

Objective of Control 6.2

The primary objective of Control 6.2 is to ensure that all personnel with access to organizational assets understand and acknowledge their information security responsibilities. This control provides a proactive approach to managing security risks associated with human behavior, ensuring employees and contractors:

Recognize their role in maintaining security and safeguarding confidential information.
Comply with legal and regulatory security requirements related to employment.
Follow established security policies for handling sensitive data and business processes.
Understand the potential consequences of non-compliance, including disciplinary actions.
Continue to adhere to confidentiality obligations even after employment ends.

Purpose of Control 6.2

The purpose of Control 6.2 is to ensure that employees and contractors legally commit to following your organization’s information security policies by embedding relevant security clauses into their terms of employment.

This control helps:

Protect sensitive business data from unauthorized disclosure, theft, or misuse.
Clarify security roles and responsibilities across the organization.
Reduce insider threats by ensuring employees acknowledge their security obligations.
Enable legal enforcement of security requirements through employment contracts.
Ensure compliance with regulatory frameworks such as ISO 27001, GDPR, NIST, and HIPAA.

Scope of Control 6.2

Control 6.2 covers post-employment security obligations, ensuring that exiting employees do not misuse or disclose confidential information after leaving the organization. And Control 6.2 applies to all individuals who have access to the organization’s information systems, IT infrastructure, and sensitive data. This includes:

Permanent employees (full-time and part-time staff)
Contract workers and consultants
Interns and trainees
Third-party service providers
Outsourced personnel with access to sensitive data or systems

Components of Employment Terms & Conditions for Security

To comply with ISO 27001 Control 6.2, organizations should integrate security-specific clauses into employment contracts, addressing the following:

1. Confidentiality & Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs)

All employees and contractors must sign NDAs before accessing sensitive data.
NDAs should define:
- What information is considered confidential
- How sensitive data must be handled, shared, and stored
- Legal consequences for unauthorized disclosure

2. Legal Responsibilities and Compliance

Contracts must explicitly state employee obligations under data protection laws such as:
- GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)
- CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act)
- HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)
Employees should acknowledge their responsibility for ensuring compliance with data protection and intellectual property laws.

3. Access Control and Information Asset Management

Employees must follow access control policies (e.g., role-based access, least privilege model).
Contracts should specify rules for managing company assets, including:
- Guidelines for handling company laptops, USB drives, and mobile devices
- Personal device usage (BYOD policies)
- Data classification responsibilities (e.g., public, internal, confidential, restricted)

4. Security Responsibilities When Handling Third-Party Data

Employees must ensure the protection of information received from external parties such as clients, vendors, or regulatory bodies.
Contracts should include clauses that specify:
- Rules for handling third-party data
- Access and confidentiality agreements when dealing with partner information

5. Incident Reporting and Disciplinary Measures

Employees must immediately report security incidents, such as:
- Phishing attempts
- Unauthorized system access
- Data leaks or security breaches
Contracts should outline:
- What constitutes a security violation
- The disciplinary process for non-compliance
- Legal actions for willful negligence or malicious intent

6. Post-Employment Security Obligations

Employees must return all physical and digital assets upon termination.
Contracts should include:
- Post-employment confidentiality obligations
- Restrictions on using or sharing company information
- Prohibited activities (e.g., working with competitors while possessing company secrets)

Implementation Best Practices for Control 6.2

To implement Control 6.2 effectively, follow these best practices:

1. Pre-Employment Awareness

Inform job candidates about security obligations during recruitment.
Conduct background checks for roles handling highly sensitive information.

2. Structuring Contracts with Security Clauses

Work with HR and legal teams to embed customized security clauses in contracts.
Ensure that security clauses align with job-specific access privileges.

3. Ongoing Training and Awareness

Provide mandatory security training covering:
- Data handling procedures
- Incident response protocols
- Legal and regulatory compliance requirements
Require employees to sign acknowledgment forms confirming training completion.

4. Regularly Updating Employment Terms

Review contracts when security policies, laws, or regulations change.
Implement contract amendments as needed.

Related ISO 27001 Controls

Control 6.2 aligns with several other security controls, including:

Control 5.9 – Information Classification
Control 5.10 – Acceptable use of Information and Other Associated Assets
Control 5.11 – Return of Assets
Control 5.12 – Classification of Information
Control 5.13 – Labelling of Information
Control 5.32 – Data Protection
Control 5.34 – Privacy and protection of PII
Control 6.4 – Disciplinary Process
Control 6.5 – Security During Termination
Control 6.6 – Confidentiality or non-disclosure agreements

Templates to Assist with Control 6.2

Templates ensure consistent enforcement of security policies, reducing administrative overhead and compliance risks. To simplify compliance, your organization can use ready-made templates, including:

Employment Contract with Information Security Clauses
Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)
Employee Security Awareness Policy
Termination Security Checklist

Summary

By embedding security clauses into employment contracts, organizations can prevent data leaks, ensure regulatory compliance, and enforce legal accountability.

A well-defined security framework, combined with ongoing training and policy enforcement, ensures that employees remain engaged and responsible in protecting sensitive information.