Best Practices for
Maintaining Personnel Files
July 16, 2014
Personnel Files
COMPLIANCE &
GUIDANCE
Compliance & Guidance
Non-Represented Staff
PPSM 80: Staff Personnel Records
UCR Local Procedure 80
Represented Staff
Applicable bargaining unit contract
Records Retention Schedule
Most Official Records (0004B4): Retain records for 5 years
after the end of the fiscal year in which the employee
separates from the University
Best Practices for Maintaining Personnel Files
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Personnel Files
SECURITY &
CONFIDENTIALITY
Security & Confidentiality
Security
Maintain files in locked file cabinets
Ensure access to file cabinet keys is managed
securely
Confidentiality
Only employees designated by the department head
should be allowed access
Ensure contents are not visible to others when
reviewing the file
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Personnel Files
CONTENT
Required File Content
Employee Application, Resume, letters of
reference, I-9*, State Oath of Allegiance and
Patent Agreement, W-4
Notice Regarding Overtime Compensation (nonexempt employees only)
Emergency Contact Information
Performance Appraisals and Position Description
forms
* Can be maintained in a central department file
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Additional File Content
Honors and Awards received by the employee
Corrective Action/Disciplinary Actions
Copies of any performance-related documents to be
placed in the personnel file should also be provided
to the employee with a Proof of Service form
An Employee may request removal of corrective
action/disciplinary action after two years provided
there have been no similar incidents in that period of
time (see applicable contract/policy and consult with
Labor Relations for guidance)
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Prohibited File Content
Documents related to an
employee’s medical
condition, or a medical
condition of the
employee’s dependents,
must be stored separately
from the employee’s
personnel file.
A separate medical file
should be used to store
information regarding:
FML forms and supporting
documentation
Work-related injury or illness
forms and supporting
documentation
Disability-related
documentation, including any
requests for accommodation
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Grievances
The Labor Relations office is the office of
record for formal grievances and related
materials.
Any department copies of formal grievances
and related records should be kept in a
separate file from the employee’s personnel
file.
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Personnel Files
PERIODIC
REVIEWS
Department Responsibility
The department is the office of record for staff
personnel files
Maintaining the completeness and the accuracy
of personnel files is critical
Periodic reviews or audits can be conducted to
ensure that the necessary documents have been
completed and filed, and date sensitive
documents have not expired
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Types of Personnel File Audits
Conduct an audit to
confirm that a particular
document is present in the
files of all employees
Example: Performance
Appraisal form for all
employees who have
completed their probationary
period
Example: Employee
Application form for all new
hires
Conduct an audit to
confirm that renewable
documents/forms are
present in the files of all
affected employees
Example: Compensatory Time
Off Agreement forms for nonexempt employees if the
department offers
compensatory time off (forms
may vary by bargaining unit)
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Personnel Files
CONTENT
ORGANIZATION
Subject Matter Organization
Advantages
Related documents are grouped
together
Easy to identify the history of
actions within each separate
category
Disadvantages
Requires consistent placement
of documents in appropriate
category (may require more
training for the individual
responsible for file maintenance)
Does not provide a complete
picture of all actions or activities
because the file contents are
split between separate
categories
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Chronological Organization
Advantages
Easy to maintain
Easy to identify the complete
employment history of the
individual
Disadvantages
Removal and replacement of file
contents require attention to
detail
Removal and replacement
results in more disruption of the
file’s contents if documents
spanning several years are
required
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Personnel Files
ACCESS AND
RELEASE OF
RECORDS
Intercampus Transfer & Access
Once the employee is selected as a finalist for
a position within the University, the
prospective hiring department has a right to
review the personnel file of the individual, prior
to making the final offer (except in situations
where the candidate is a preferential rehire)
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Intercampus Transfer & Access
(continued)
It is recommended that the prospective hiring
department inform the employee of their intent
to review the personnel file
Adequate security measures should be taken
in all cases where personnel files are
physically moved or transferred to ensure that
the file’s contents remain confidential
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Intercampus Transfer & Access
(continued)
The employee’s personnel records should be
transferred to the department to which the
individual transfers
Permanent restrictions, or accommodation
plans in place at the time of the transfer
should be transferred
Exceptions:
Time records shall be retained
Medical files shall be retained
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Employee File Access
An employee has the right to review his/her
own personnel file(s)
Upon request, an employee shall be provided
a copy of his/her own personnel records
The first copy is provided at no charge
Additional provisions may apply depending on
the bargaining unit. Check the applicable
contract for specifics
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