employee files

jaybird il

I am seeking advice on how to proceed with my dilemma. I recently accepted a job with government and find that elected officials (and other dept. heads) like to keep their own personnel files and/or records. I don't think this is a smart practice, but I am not sure how to convince them that they should keep the primary files in HR. I beleive they have been "trained" for years to keep this information themselves because HR has not been a presence for some time. Any suggestions? By the way this is my first time posting...

thanks

Cinderella

Jaybird, welcome to the forum. I have bad news for you: this is going to be a pain in the rear to change. However, it absolutely should be changed in my opinion. Here is some ammo for you:

The company has the responsibility to keep the information / records they have on employees secure and confidential on a need to know basis. One central location and one or two sets of keys is safer than 10 or 20. It doesn't matter "who can be trusted" and who can't, we are talking statistics here.

There is a difference between what managers should be able to access and what HR should be able to access. I know we all probably have different opinions on what is what here on the forum - but I am of the opinion that information such as what ee's are claiming on their taxes, their ssn#'s, benefits info, medical info, etc is none of the manager's bee's wax.

There needs to be a "central repository" so things don't get lost, DO get done/filed, etc. At the last company I worked for we had a private motto in our department "if we don't get it, it doesn't exist" which means if managers don't complete necessary paperwork and turn it into HR then the buck STOPS. Example: Your employee will not receive a raise unless we have XYZ filled out and signed by all appropriate parties. No exceptions.

I'm sure there are more reasons.......

Hunter1

Jaybird: Having worked in the public sector for 23 years now, I say: Good Luck. I would suggest this: Do as Cinderella suggests and work to keep the central personnel file in HR with I-9s, W-4s, benefits info, medical, etc. The departments, especially Police and Fire are going to keep 'personnel files' in their departments because they are 'special', and there's not much you are going to be able to do about it. The one that matters is the one you keep. Welcome to the public sector, and welcome to the Forum.

Don D

Jay: I have more bad news for you. No matter how much you preach and reason and cajole and insist and educate and plead, until there is a lawsuit or legal opinion of some sort, that directly impacts your managers, things ain't gonna change, no matter what. It will take a lawyer or a judge or a plaintiff victory to shock them into changing after all these years. You're new to that job and I suggest you have larger fish to fry. Build your credibility and slowly, over time, teach them through your expertise to rely on your office and your abilities. Once you have a solid degree of credibility built up with 'the boys club', they're more likely to 'trust you' with 'their files'. But I still think it'll take the demands of an attorney.

Prairie

I agree with Don. However, I “jumped” over to the public sector 2 years ago to a small local government agency that never had a formal HR dept. I found many archaic practices, beliefs and thought processes. I have been fortunate that I have been able to educate the “powers that be” for the most part, as they looked at an outsider as one who knows better. A Board of Trustees who all work full-time in the private sector (and do know better) backed me. I brought in an attorney to give a full-day seminar on employment law. The response was remarkable. The key is to educate, or attempt to educate your officials and department heads to the ways of the real world. Good luck!