Branch Offices

njjel

Do those of you who have several branch offices retain all original personnel files at the main/central office? Is there a regulation that states they must be kept in one place or can the originals be kept at each branch office?

njjel

Can anyone help on this topic please?

Anita

We have 3 other locations at this time, but I at the company headquarters keep all original personnel files.

The company I worked for previously kept the personnel files at each location, the original payroll information was forwarded to the company headquarters with a copy in the personnel file at each location.

Margaret Morford

I recommend that all the originals be kept at the home office and that managers be allowed to keep files with copies if they wish to do so. The home office should be, usually is, the one that has to respond to subpoenas. You don't want managers, who are served with a subpoena, to respond. You want them to forward it to you so that you can look through the file before sending the documents. Forewarned is forearmed. Also, if a governmental agency appears on in a branch office and asked to audit anything out of the personnel files or the I-9's, you want the managers to be able to say that all of those documents are kept at corporate. This will allow you manage the investigation rather than forcing your managers to do so. Stress to managers that they should never have anything in their files that you don't have at the home office. Also, I would have someone knowledgeable read all corrective action that is sent in from the field before it is put in the personnel file. You can address problems before they become legal issues. It will also alert you to any trends that are taking place in the field. Hope that helps.

Margaret Morford
theHRedge
615-371-8200
[email]mmorford@mleesmith.com[/email]
[url]http://www.thehredge.net[/url]

System

Margaret
We have a corporate office where I am located, and 14 different companies in 3 states. Our total employees vary from around 200 - 500, depending on the time of year (we are construction, some union and some non-union, hourly and salaried personnel). All payroll is processed through the corporate office but we have 4-5 branch offices that actually key in the hours worked. This information is downloaded here and processed. My question is: should all the personnel files be kept in corporate? Right now, the only personnel files here are for the salaried employees, which work for the different companies and are located in different states. The branch offices keep everything on the hourly employees, including the I-9, W-4, employment application, etc.,etc. What would be your suggestion? Would it be any different than your answer before since we are actually different companies with different Fed ID numbers? I hope I have explained the situation clearly, but it even gets a little cloudy for me sometimes. Thanks for your help.

Margaret Morford

There is no specific federal law about where you keep these records as long as you can produce them and they are protected for privacy. Based on the facts as I understand them, you have 14 different companies, so you have 14 different corporate offices. I would not let the branch offices keep the original personnel files, I'd have them kept at the corporate office of each company. I would also not keep them at the parent company where you seem to be. Not practical because of the amount of paper. Hope I'm clear about my advice. Call me if you want to discuss further.

Margaret Morford
theHRedge
615-371-8200
[email]mmorford@mleesmith.com[/email]
[url]http://www.thehredge.net[/url]