Personnel Files
(con't from newsletter)
categories
that these documents fall in:
·
Employment
·
Payroll
·
Performance Appraisals
·
Training and Development
·
Employee Separations
·
Benefits
·
Wage/Salary Administration
·
Employee Relations
In addition, documents that fit into
the above categories, employers are required maintain I-9 forms. This form is
mandated by the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. The I-9 form must
be completed for every employee hired after November 6, 1986. This document is
used establish an employee's eligibility to work in this country.
It is recommended that employers keep
I-9 forms in a file separate and apart from the personnel files. The reason is
simple. Many government agencies are authorized to inspect your I-9 forms if
they visit your work location and if you have them in the personnel files, the
government agency gets to go through your personnel files. This provides the
government agency with an opportunity to review all of your documentation which
could raise additional questions or issues. In a separate I-9 file, you have
the ability to hand the inspecting agent one file folder with all your I-9
forms. No
problems can arise from that if you have completed all your I-9s as required by
the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986.
Employers approach the organization
of their personnel files in many different ways. However, it is recommended
that you maintain three separate files for each employee. The first file should
be the primary personnel file. This file should be divided in to separate
section. The following is a listing of possible sections:
·
Employment
ü
Application
ü
Resume
ü
Employment references
ü
Job descriptions
·
Compensation
ü
Pay related
ü
Tax forms
·
Benefit
ü
Benefit waiver/drop forms
ü
Vacation accrual/taken forms
ü
COBRA notification
ü
Annual benefit statements
·
Performance
ü
Performance Reviews
ü
Goals and objectives
·
Training
ü
Training attended records
ü
Training needs
The second file should contain all
benefit information that is not in the personnel file. This information should
include health, dental, STD and LTD enrollment forms, FLMA paperwork, other
leave related forms, worker’s compensation forms, etc. The third file should
contain legal information, such as EEOC complaints, etc.
|
