Personnel Records Law: A Guide for Harvard Administrators

 

Download Personnel Records Law: A Guide for Harvard Administrators (PIN) as a PDF document.

Questions often arise about the maintenance, review, and retention of employee personnel files. Especially in this electronic age -- when information gathered about employees is stored in many forms and places and is more easily accessed -- it is critical to understand the rules regarding personnel information. Practices regarding personnel records are affected by federal and state law as well as University policies and collective bargaining agreements. This guide summarizes these rules, including recent amendments to the personnel records statute, and provides guidance for maintaining, retaining, and accessing personnel files.