Personnel Records Maintenance Policy

Purpose: To maintain complete and up-to-date personnel records for all current employees.

Policy Statement: The College maintains personnel records for employees and past employees to document employment related decisions, benefit choices, and comply with government record keeping requirements.

Procedures:

Confidentiality: To ensure confidentiality of personnel information, access to an employee’s file is restricted to the employee, an authorized agent, and authorized administrators and supervisors. An employee’s medical and benefits records file is maintained separately from the personnel file in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Access to an employee’s medical file and any medical-related information is restricted to an employee and the Director of Human Resources or his or her designee. Supervisors generally may not be provided with medical information about employees. A supervisor is entitled to know any necessary restrictions on an employee’s duties and information necessary to make reasonable accommodations.

Review of Files: Each employee shall have the right, by appointment, to review and copy, but not remove, the contents of his/her own official personnel file, excluding references. A reasonable charge, not to exceed the actual cost, will be made for copies made by employees. All materials in the personnel file shall be signed and dated by the person creating such material. An employee may respond to or answer any document in the file. The response shall be placed therein and attached to the document to which it is related. Within reason, the Office of Human Resources will place materials pertinent to the employee’s professional career, performance and qualifications into the personnel file. Anonymous materials shall not be placed in official personnel files.

Location and Maintenance of Staff Personnel Files: Only one official personnel file shall be maintained by the College and is to be kept in the Office of Human Resources. Supervisors are discouraged from keeping informal personnel files on employees. Lewis & Clark College recognizes, however, that it may be necessary for a supervisor to keep records concerning employee performance, which, because of an ongoing need for access and updating, cannot be solely maintained with the remainder of the employee’s personnel file.

Location and Maintenance of Faculty Personnel Files: The Dean’s Office shall maintain faculty personnel files. The faculty personnel file typically contains information relating to the original appointment (such as curriculum vita, letters of appointment, recommendations and acceptance), faculty salary and any correspondence between the Dean and the faculty member pertaining to the latter’s appointment and performance. The Office of Human Resources shall maintain faculty files with payroll and benefits-related information.

Other Files: The Office of Human Resources shall maintain a separate and confidential medical and benefits file for every employee. Human Resources will maintain I-9 files separately from personnel files. Grievances filed by or against an employee will be maintained in a separate file but will be considered a part of the official personnel record of the employee. The Payroll office will maintain payroll records.

Union Members’ Personnel File: Contents for maintenance and support staff personnel files shall be maintained and periodically reviewed in a manner that does not conflict with the appropriate bargaining agreement.

Release of Information: Personnel file information is confidential and will not be released to prospective employers outside of Lewis & Clark College, bank officials, creditors or any other outside source without the employee’s written approval.

Notification of Changes: Employees have the responsibility to notify the Office of Human Resources in writing of the following changes: Name, address, phone number, beneficiaries, and emergency contact.

Retention of Records: The minimum retention period for personnel and payroll records varies by the type of record. When it has been determined that the requisite period for file retention has passed, personnel records should be destroyed.