Record Retention

Golf · August 2004

I have a list of type of record and retention period for information in a personnel file, but I don't know how long you have to keep the actual personnel file with employee name, address, hire date etc.

dwms · August 2004

According to hrhero.com source I read in May of this year: "Personnel records (including for hiring, termination, and promotion; results from employment tests; job advertisements; and training records" - retention period is one year from date of personnel action."

deniseE · August 2004

Also check with your state DOL....some states have specific requirements, too...

E Wart · August 2004

Check state as well as federal on this.
Just be careful of what you have in this file that you are throwing away. (Do you have benefit enrollment forms in there? Payroll records? or just attendance cards?) I have always retained personnel files for at least 3 years after termiantion, and in some cases longer. I have never had a problem with this. (Some other items like timecard/payroll records you should keep at least 7.) Also, if you ever have an EEO case, you could be asked to go back several years on termination/promotions etc.
It depends upon what you are trying to do. Make space for more records or hide something that might have been done wrong?
E Wart

Golf · August 2004

We are trying to clean out the archives and want to make sure that we don’t throw (shred) something that we shouldn’t. If the personnel files were tossed you would have no record of that person ever being employed after 7 years when all time and pay records can go. Is that OK?

neveradull · August 2004

We consistently destroy our personnel files after seven years, and on very rare occasions will get an inquiry concerning someone who has worked here more then seven years ago. My response has always been,"we do not keep records that far back". This reply has even worked for attorneys fishing expeditions.

Record Retention

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