Recordkeeping: What your managers need to know "Out with the old, in with the new!" chant managers as they dispose of documents that have accumulated in their office throughout the year. But, in your quest to keep a clean, organized desk, you might run the risk of getting rid of documents you must keep under the law. To help you with your documentation efforts, we're sharing these recordkeeping guidelines with you. Here are some of the documents you should probably retain and a handy list of required document retention periods for the ones you're most likely to reference. Are you confidently up to date on the recent changes to recordkeeping management? Make sure with Personnel Records: What to Keep, What to Toss. To Keep or Not to Keep Generally speaking, managers are not responsible for maintaining personnel files, but a majority of the documents that go into those files originate from their offices. Make sure your supervisors know to check with your HR department before they pitch anything related to: - hiring and termination
- performance
- promotions and demotions
- discipline
- work hours
- leave requests
- accommodation requests
- selection for training opportunities
- safety and health
This doesn't just include paper documents. It includes electronic ones, as well. Employees, especially those with email access during the workday, might be more inclined to email their manager and ask, say, if it's okay to take a day off for a doctor's appointment than they are to put the request on paper or to walk down the hall to ask in person. While the request might not seem retention-worthy to your managers, it's best that they let HR make the call, since your department might be aware of extenuating circumstances that they're not. With all those personnel records around (paper and electronic), it's tempting to have a big spring cleaning. But if you destroy the wrong document, you could destroy your career. And if you keep everything, you may be violating federal rules on the "reasonable" disposal of sensitive documents. Learn what to keep and what to toss on Friday, October 7. Record-Retention Requirements An effective document management system depends on knowing not only what to get rid of, but also when it's permissible to get rid of the document. Besides the fact that records take up space and administrative effort, the more you keep, the more likely it is that sensitive information could fall into the wrong hands. By purging old records, you can reduce the risk of superfluous or obsolete records being seen in the wrong light and used against you. But getting rid of records too soon could land you in legal hot water. Federal or state statutes typically dictate record-retention requirements. Important: While you might not be tasked with personally retaining all of the documents listed below, it doesn't hurt to know the required retention periods of those documents you may reference. - Accommodation requests: one year after record is made.
- Applications for employment: one year from date of submission.
- Basic employee information: four years after record is made.
- Basic payroll information: three years after record is made.
- Dates Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave is taken: three years from end of leave.
- Demotion records: one year from date of action.
- Form I-9: three years from date of hire or one year after termination, whichever is later.
- Job advertisements: one year after record is made.
- Job descriptions: two years after record is made.
- Job evaluations: two years after record is made.
- Layoff, reduction-in-force, recall records: one year from time of request.
- Merit, incentive, seniority system records: two years from the date record is made.
- OSHA Forms 300, 300A, 301: five years following the end of calendar year records cover.
- Pre-employment tests: one year from date of test.
- Promotion records: one year from date of action.
- Records relating to discrimination charges: until final disposition of charges.
- References: one year after record is made.
- Résumés: one year after submission.
- Termination records: one year after termination.
- Time cards/sheets: two years after record is made.
- Transfer records: one year from date of action.
Personnel Records: What to Keep, What to Toss will explain recordkeeping requirements in light of the new laws and regulations. Plus, presenter Barbara Cusumano will describe the legally safe best practices for gathering, storing and destroying personnel records.
Barbara is an attorney in the Washington, D.C. office of America's largest employment law firm, Littler Mendelson. As part of the Q&A portion of the workshop, she will answer YOUR tough questions on retaining and disposing of personnel records … a delicate balancing act with disciplinary documentation, performance evaluations, workplace investigations and medical data.
This webinar will cover: - How long you must retain applications, résumés, FMLA certifications and payroll records
- How the new I-9 rules affect your handling of immigration records
 How the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act changed your payroll retention requirements- The general retention rule of thumb you can safely apply to almost any HR record
- How your recordkeeping duties change when you "reasonably anticipate" litigation
- The new Federal Rules of Civil Procedure for storing and deleting company emails
Responsible HR recordkeeping practices begin long before a job candidate walks through your door. And they extend long after an employee leaves your workforce. Don't fall victim to a simple mistake that could have easily been avoided. Join us on October 7 for this revealing and instructive event, and soon you'll clear out those files with confidence! | | September 28, 2016  Related Headlines: | | |
No comments:
Post a Comment