I'm currently in my second job where the "Personnel File" is a topic of
great discussion.

The biggest problem, I've found, is that personnel files historically
contain a hodgepodge of information that is either directly or
indirectly related to an employee. This omnium gatherum is often too
ominous to deal with as a single entity and cannot, nor should not be,
given a retention. You have to analyze the contents, break out the
contents as necessary and then schedule the component records. 

The following 2 step process is one I use:  

1. Work with HR to define the contents what the personnel file - I find
this to be critical. Pension files, medical files, benefit files, etc.
are not necessarily "personnel" files (but probably in there if the
company is old).  This identification is a time consuming process that
needs to be championed by HR (the owner of the record) with the RM
serving as a consultant. HR policy, practice and state of technology
(are they on a HRIS or ERP) will have an impact on what should/should no
go into the personnel file.

The HR folks at UCSC worked long and hard on this and produced
http://iam.ucsc.edu/RaD-Resources/SHR-SCindex.htm (with a little help
from the RM).

2. Once the company/org has defined "personnel file," that is,
identified the contents of the personnel file, then you can look at
retention. Retention is based on the contents of the file. 

The retention may vary depending upon what your company has listed as
the contents of the personnel file and HR policy. For example, if one of
the contents of the personnel file is service record, and it is the only
record that is used to track employee employment, then you may need to
keep it longer than employment + 6 years: you may need to keep it for 72
years (or some "lifespan" equivalent epoch.) For example, HR policy
states that that service time never gets wiped out (it stays "in the
bank") and "service record" is an element of the personnel file. Joe
Blow worked at Puddleduck Industries from 1992-1998 and returns in 2007.
Puddleduck will have to keep that personnel file to ensure the veracity
of Joe's service record.  
 

Chuck Piotrowski 
CVPS
www.cvps.com
This computer runs on Cow Power!

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