INSPECTION OF PERSONNEL RECORDS

Effective: August 15, 2024

Purpose: This policy establishes guidelines and procedures for inspection, maintenance, and access to personnel records within the University. It balances the need for confidentiality with employees' rights to access and correct their own personnel information, while also ensuring compliance with legal requirements regarding record-keeping and disclosure.

Scope: This policy applies to all University employees.

Responsible Office: Human Resources

Policy Statement: Personnel records for employees are maintained by the Office of Human Resources (HR), the appropriate vice president’s office, the dean’s office of the appropriate school or college if applicable, and the employing unit. Personnel records are considered confidential records and contain information, including but not limited to, an employee's personal history, benefits, payroll information, criminal history, visa or work status, previous experience, and complete history of employment at the University. Employees may allow representatives on their behalf to review their records by providing a written release.

Employees, or former employees, with proper identification, may request to inspect their personnel records. Inspections are done at a time mutually agreed upon between the office maintaining the records and the inspecting individual, given the following conditions:

• a reasonable amount of time will be given for the inspection;
• a representative of the office maintaining the records will be present;
• records will not be altered or removed;
• access may be limited if requests become excessive; and
• appointments to review records should be made in advance and accommodated as reasonably possible.

If an employee believes there is incorrect or incomplete information in their records, or wishes to bring their records up to date, the employee should submit a written request to change, amend, or delete information to their immediate supervisor with a copy to the appropriate vice president’s office and HR.

An employee may have a supplemental personnel record, depending on their circumstances. Information about medical conditions or disciplinary situations will be maintained separately but will be considered to be a part of and located with the employee’s records maintained by HR. Information about grievances will be maintained separately to provide greater security for the employee and will not be considered a part of the employee’s records maintained by HR. When an employee request to see their personnel records, they may receive up to three (3) separate bodies of records.

Former employees, with proper identification, may request to inspect their personnel records. Inspections are done at a mutually agreed upon time given the following conditions:

• a reasonable amount of time will be allowed for the inspection;
• a representative of HR will be present;
• records will not be altered or removed from the file;
• records will not be rearranged within the file;
• HR reserves the right to limit access if requests become excessive; and
• HR reserves the right to request that appointments to review records be made a reasonable amount of time in advance.

If a former employee believes there is incorrect or incomplete information in their records, or wishes to bring their records up to date, they should submit a written request to change, amend, or delete information to HR.

Employees may request copies of documents in their personnel records. Fifty cents (50¢) per page and the full cost of postage will be charged if copies of more than ten (10) pages are requested.

Employees may allow representatives on their behalf to review their records by providing a written release to HR. When giving written authorization for a representative to review their records, employees should state which specific records they have authorized to be reviewed.

Definitions: All words and phrases shall be interpreted utilizing their plain meanings unless otherwise defined in University or Board of Regents policy or by statute or regulation.

Procedures: All procedures linked and related to the policies above shall have the full force and effect of policy if said procedures have first been properly approved by the University’s administrator in charge of Human Resources.

[Human Resources procedures - coming soon]

Related Policy Information: HR Personnel File Request