As 2020 draws to a close, companies must review their record retention guidelines to maintain HR compliance.
Below we’ll give you a quick overview of what to retain and what you can safely dispose of after a certain length of time. Remember that it’s always best to double-check, as these rules can change often depending on legislation, legalities and state or local ordinances.
- 1 Year
- After one year, you can safely dispose of all ADA applications, personnel records and requests that relate to ADA issues
- Physical exam results, employment tests, validations and results
- 2 Years
- Job applications, resumes, job postings, promotions, overtime
- Employee personnel files, such as disciplinary notices, demotions, promotions, discharges, physicals, training, tests, layoffs and recalls, physicals, job evaluations, seniority systems and merit systems
- 3 Years
- I-9s (or one year after termination)
- All FMLA documentation (three years after hire or one year after termination)
- Business records (including total sales volume), total goods purchased, polygraph tests, union contracts and individual employee contracts (if permitted in your state).
- 5 Years
- Drug testing documentations
- OSHA forms 101, 200, 300A and 301
- Compensation insurance or occupational disease or injury
- First-aid records of any job injuries that resulted in the loss of work time
- 6 Years
- Standard ERISA documentation, such as benefits, plans, disclosures, annual reports, etc.
- 7 Years
- Employee wage records, such as time cards, wage rate tables, hours and days of employees, shift schedules
- Records explaining any wage differentials
- Payroll records and all deductions
- 30 Years
- Exposure records and medical exams as related to OSHA requirements
While this is a basic, introductory list, it’s best to review SHRM’s detailed list or contact your legal department if you have any questions.
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