DocuSign
Below you will find answers to the questions that are most frequently asked about Electronic Signature via DocuSign at ALTEN:
General Information
Within the framework of digitalisation at ALTEN, more and more employment contracts are being signed electronically.
Signing documents electronically provides many advantages for all parties:
- It saves time: Agreements can be signed very easily and quickly, within a short time frame and virtually anywhere in the world, from any device that is connected to the internet.
- It is environmentally friendly: By eliminating print and dispatch material and transport costs, we can work together towards conserving valuable resources.
- It provides security and meets standards: The platform meets the requirements of the EU eIDAS Regulation and certification standards in the USA and Europe so that your information is protected, encrypted and secure.
- It creates transparency: The current status of an agreement can be easily followed by all parties involved, meaning that documents will not be lost and data will not go missing.
- It provides enhanced user comfort: The web-based DocuSign user interface is very simple and user-friendly to operate. The signatory is guided through the process with easy to understand explanations.
- It improves efficiency: Agreements can be processed electronically and stored directly without any additional manual steps. This reduces the administrative work involved and allows you to concentrate on more important tasks.
- Signing is free of charge: There is no charge for signing a document with DocuSign.
ALTEN uses electronically signature in numerous cases to accelerate and streamline administrative processes. Especially in the Hiring Processes ALTEN uses the electronical signature for digital Final Interviews. For candidates it is a clear benefit, as they can receive immediately a binding offer and do not have to wait for the post to be received.
Electronic Signature
Electronic signatures or eSignatures allow for the legal signing of digital documents and replace the handwritten signature on paper. Electronic signature describes a broad category of methods used for electronically signing documents. The European eIDAS Regulation defines an electronic signature as data in electronic form which is attached to or logically associated with other data in electronic form and which is used by the signatory to sign.
eSignatures can be used for agreements, offers or legal documents between two parties, that are subject to US or EU law, unless the written form is expressly required or agreed.
Electronic signatures or eSignatures are a broad category of methods for signing documents. A digital signature is one type of electronic signature that uses a specific technical implementation. Digital signature providers such as DocuSign follow the Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) protocol.
Both types of signature, whether digital or electronic, allow for documents to be signed and the signatory to be authenticated. However, the purpose, the technical implementation, the use in certain regions and the cultural and judicial acceptance of the digital or electronic signing of documents and the authentication of the signatory may vary.
Final Interview
In case you have received an invitation to a digital Final Interview, please consider the following aspects to ensure that in case ALTEN decides to offer you an employment contract, both parties within the meeting can sign the contract.
- Please do not solely dial in via telephone but via the MS Teams app.
- Therefore, we are able to present you the employment contract via Screen Sharing and sign it directly together in the meeting.
Once the agreement has been signed by all signatories, you will receive an email notification from DocuSign informing you that the agreement is complete. All signed documents and the Certificate of Completion can be downloaded as a PDF with the link provided in the E-Mail. We kindly recommend to download the contract and store it on your private computer (or even print it if you wish) as the documents are stored in DocuSign for a limited period only. However, you will receive a notification E-Mail prior to the erasure.
Electronic signatures or eSignatures with DocuSign are legally binding across the entire EU and in the USA for virtually all commercial transactions. DocuSign meets the stringent requirements of the eIDAS Regulation in the EU and of ESIGN and the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act in the USA.
eIDAS, the “Regulation on electronic identification and trust services for electronic transactions in the internal market” came into force in all EU Member States on July 1, 2016. The decisive factor for legality is the applicable law (jurisdiction) of the underlying agreement and not the registered office of the parties.
For further information, please see www.docusign.com/how-it-works/legality
Electroincal Signatures are also accepted from public authorities in the course of application to a BlueCard.
No. ALTEN uses DocuSign only for the signing process. 14 days after the final signature has concluded the transaction, the documents on the DocuSign platform will be erased. The Certificate of Completion only will be retained by DocuSign for a further 10 years. All participants in the transaction will be informed by email of the erasure.
DocuSign
ALTEN has opted to use DocuSign because DocuSign meets industry best practice in relation to securing data and transactions. Each electronic signature is unique, can be documented, is encrypted and is tamper-proof. DocuSign ensures the confidentiality of all transactions and provides a Certificate of Completion for each completed transaction, providing for a comprehensive audit trail of the signing events. DocuSign is currently the only electronic signature provider with ISO 27001 certification.
For further information, please see www.docusign.com/how-it-works/security.
DocuSign has two different data rings, each with three data centres. One ring is in the USA. The second one is in Europe with data centres in Germany, France and the Netherlands. ALTEN GmbH uses the European data ring for storing and processing eSignatures.
There is no need to install additional software in order to use DocuSign. You can view, check and sign documents in DocuSign using a standard internet browser (e.g. Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, Safari). Where required, DocuSign also provides a mobile app.
No. You don’t have to register with DocuSign in order to sign documents electronically.
The email notification that you receive from ALTEN through DocuSign will contain a link to the documents. By clicking the link, you’ll be able to check the documents and sign them electronically.
If you are using the DocuSign mobile app on your smartphone or tablet or you want to see an overview of the status of all of your transactions, you can register for free with DocuSign and set up a DocuSign account.
ALTEN uses the simple electronic signature, defined in the eIDAS Regulation. No further authentication is required with this form. Once you receive an email notification from ALTEN through DocuSign to your email inbox, no further authentication is required in order to sign.
No, signing documents with DocuSign is always free of charge.
Yes, at any time provided you can receive emails to the devices and you have installed an internet browser.
In addition, the DocuSign app for electronic signatures enables the signatories to easily sign documents and to access the status of the signature workflows at any time and from anywhere and using any mobile device. The DocuSign app for electronic signatures is available in the Apple App Store, Google Play store and in the Windows store. Signing and using the app are free of charge.
Signing Process
A short video explaining the DocuSign signature process can be accessed at https://support.docusign.com/de/videos/New-Signing-Experience.
You receive an email notification from ALTEN through DocuSign that contains a link to the document and you will be asked to sign. Using this link, you will be able to open, check and also electronically sign the document.
Please check your spam folder if you have not received an email notification from DocuSign. If the email address has been blocked, please change your settings so that emails from DocuSign as sender will be accepted (DocuSign EU system sender address dse@eumail.docusign.net).
With DocuSign, as the recipient you click a link in the email notification using an internet-enabled device (e.g. smartphone, tablet or computer) to open the document. Tabs and easy to follow explanations will guide you through the signing process right up to the point of confirmation of the electronic signature. Then click “download” in order to store the document.
Your scanned signature is not required for an electronic signature using DocuSign. However, if you wish your electronic signature to be the same as your handwritten one, you can use the DocuSign drawing function or upload a photo of your signature. Normally, however, it is sufficient just to use your name. With DocuSign you can choose between different font types and decide how your name should appear on the signature stamp.
The signatory has the option of creating his/her signature with pre-prepared lettering from the DocuSign portfolio, with a touch pen on the touchscreen or with a scan of their handwritten signature.
The signatory name included in the DocuSign signature stamp in the eSignature process is there due to belief that a signature should be accompanied by the characters of a first name and surname.
From a legal standpoint, however, it is not the stamp with the signature beneath the document that is legally binding but the click on “finish” on the platform. The decisive factor here is that DocuSign adds a digital certificate to the final documents and the Certificate of Completion thereby ensuring that the documents cannot be changed during or after the signature process and that the transaction has been carried out in accordance with audit trail requirements.
Once the agreement has been signed by all signatories, you will receive an email notification from DocuSign informing you that the agreement is complete. All signed documents and the Certificate of Completion can be downloaded as a PDF with the link provided in the E-Mail.
Once the agreement has been signed by all signatories, you will receive an email notification from DocuSign informing you that the agreement is complete. All signed documents and the Certificate of Completion will be sent to you as an attachment to the email.
In addition, you can click the link included in the email which will allow you to download the signed documents and the Certificate of Completion from the platform.
After checking the agreement in DocuSign, you have the option of refusing to sign if changes are necessary. You will be asked to provide a reason for refusing to sign. Please get in touch with your ALTEN contact (business manager) before refusing to sign the agreement in DocuSign so that she/he can address the requested changes.
No. Once you have concluded and stored the process by clicking “finish”, the workflow is documented on the DocuSign platform and cannot be cancelled or withdrawn through the platform.
At the end of each transaction, DocuSign offers the option of registering. Generally speaking, a signatory does not have to register with DocuSign or log in in order to sign. Therefore, you can normally reject this request by clicking “no”. Registration is free of charge and offers the signatory a number of additional features, for example, an overview of the status of all your transactions, the use of the DocuSign app, and the option of importing your scanned signature, so that you can incorporate your “handwritten” signature into the signature stamp instead of the font styles displayed.
Contact
Please speak directly to your line manager about this.
For all other questions, our team can be contacted at ALG-HR@alten.com.