May 2020 - Employee Files

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Maintaining employee personnel files is an important aspect for every HR professional.

Items that should be kept in an employee’s files are:

• Basic employee information: Name, address, phone number, and emergency contact details

• IRS tax withholding forms: W-4s and/or W-9s

• Payroll and compensation information: Any paycheck or pay card data

• Contracts or agreements between the employee and the employer

• Forms relating to employee benefits, such as enrollment forms and beneficiaries

• Child support/garnishments and/or legal or litigation documents (if any)

• Termination documents, such as reasons why the worker left or was fired, unemployment documents, insurance continuation forms, etc.

Items that should not be kept in employee personnel files are:

• Medical records. Do not put medical records into a personnel file.

• Form I-9s. Do not put Form I-9s into your employees' personnel files.

• Unnecessary material. Although an employee's personnel file may contain any other job-related documents, don't go overboard