diff --git a/app/Controllers/EmployeeController.php b/app/Controllers/EmployeeController.php
index 6218dc44..0e6e5f93 100755
--- a/app/Controllers/EmployeeController.php
+++ b/app/Controllers/EmployeeController.php
@@ -2843,28 +2843,8 @@ class EmployeeController extends AdminController
     //UPDATE EMPLOYEE
     public function update_emp_data()
     {
-    
+
         $rules = [
-            // 'emp_code' => [
-            //     'rules'  => 'required',
-            //     'errors' => [
-            //         'required' => 'Employee Code is missing'
-            //     ]
-            // ],
-            // 'name' => [
-            //     'rules'  => 'required|min_length[2]|max_length[100]',
-            //     'errors' => [
-            //         'required'   => 'Employee name is required',
-            //         'min_length' => 'Name must be at least 2 characters',
-            //         'max_length' => 'Name cannot exceed 100 characters'
-            //     ]
-            // ],
-            // 'gender' => [
-            //     'rules'  => 'permit_empty|in_list[M,F]',
-            //     'errors' => [
-            //         'in_list' => 'Invalid gender selected'
-            //     ]
-            // ],
             'email_corporate' => [
                 'rules'  => 'required|regex_match[/^[a-zA-Z0-9._%+-]+@[a-zA-Z0-9.-]+\.[a-zA-Z]{2,}$/]',
                 'errors' => [
@@ -2883,16 +2863,16 @@ class EmployeeController extends AdminController
         ];
         $request_post_data   = $this->request->getPost();
         $data = sanitizeInputArrayAdvanced($request_post_data);
-        if (isset($data['relationship'])) { 
-                $rules['relationship'] = [
-                    'rules'  => 'required|in_list[Self,Spouse,Child,Father,Mother,Father-in-law,Mother-in-law]',
-                    'errors' => [
-                        'required' => 'Relationship is required',
-                        'in_list'  => 'The selected relationship is invalid.'
-                    ]
-                ];
+        if (isset($data['relationship'])) {
+            $rules['relationship'] = [
+                'rules'  => 'required|in_list[Self,Spouse,Child,Father,Mother,Father-in-law,Mother-in-law]',
+                'errors' => [
+                    'required' => 'Relationship is required',
+                    'in_list'  => 'The selected relationship is invalid.'
+                ]
+            ];
         }
-        
+
 
         if (!$this->validate($rules)) {
             return $this->response->setStatusCode(400)->setJSON([
@@ -2903,37 +2883,54 @@ class EmployeeController extends AdminController
             ]);
         }
 
-        
-        
-        // print_rr($data);die();
-        // $data['dob'] = date('Y-m-d', strtotime($data['dob']));
-        $data['dob'] = (!empty($data['dob'])) ? change_date_format($data['dob'], null, 'Y-m-d') : null;
-        // print_rr($data); die;
+        $employeeId = (int) ($data['employee_primary_id'] ?? 0);
+        if ($employeeId <= 0) {
+            return $this->respond(['status' => false, 'code' => 400, 'message' => 'Employee ID is required'], 400);
+        }
 
         // Fetch current employee data
-        $employee_data = $this->employeeModel->where('id', $data['employee_primary_id'])->first();
-    
-        if ($employee_data['relationship'] == 'Self') {
+        $employee_data = $this->employeeModel->where('id', $employeeId)->first();
+        if (!$employee_data) {
+            return $this->respond(['status' => false, 'code' => 404, 'message' => 'Employee not found'], 404);
+        }
 
-            if(isset($data['gender'])){
+        // Whitelist only editable fields from this form.
+        // name / gender / dob are disabled for active employees and may be absent from POST —
+        // only update them when the client actually sent a value (do not force null).
+        $updateData = [
+            'email_corporate' => $data['email_corporate'],
+            'mobile'          => $data['mobile'],
+        ];
 
-                if ($employee_data['gender'] != $data['gender']) {
+        if (!empty($data['name'])) {
+            $updateData['name'] = $data['name'];
+        }
+        if (isset($data['gender']) && $data['gender'] !== '') {
+            $updateData['gender'] = $data['gender'];
+        }
+        if (!empty($data['dob'])) {
+            $updateData['dob'] = change_date_format($data['dob'], null, 'Y-m-d');
+        }
+        if (isset($data['relationship'])) {
+            $updateData['relationship'] = $data['relationship'];
+        }
 
-                    $spouse_gender = ($data['gender'] == 'M') ? 'F' : 'M';
-                    $this->employeeModel
-                        ->where('emp_code', $employee_data['emp_code'])
-                        ->where('relationship', 'Spouse')
-                        ->set(['gender' => $spouse_gender])
-                        ->update();
-                }
+        if ($employee_data['relationship'] == 'Self' && isset($updateData['gender'])) {
+            if ($employee_data['gender'] != $updateData['gender']) {
+                $spouse_gender = ($updateData['gender'] == 'M') ? 'F' : 'M';
+                $this->employeeModel
+                    ->where('emp_code', $employee_data['emp_code'])
+                    ->where('relationship', 'Spouse')
+                    ->set(['gender' => $spouse_gender])
+                    ->update();
             }
         }
-    
+
         // Update the employee data
-        $result = $this->employeeModel->where('id', $data['employee_primary_id'])->set($data)->update();
-    
+        $result = $this->employeeModel->where('id', $employeeId)->set($updateData)->update();
+
         if ($result) {
-            return $this->respond(['status' => true, 'code' => 200, 'data' => $data, 'message' => 'Employee updated successfully'], 200);
+            return $this->respond(['status' => true, 'code' => 200, 'data' => $updateData, 'message' => 'Employee updated successfully'], 200);
         } else {
             return $this->respond(['status' => false, 'code' => 404, 'message' => 'Failed to update employee.'], 404);
         }