Employee Records
Definition
All documentation related to an employee’s employment, performance, and compliance history.
What are Employee Records?
Employee records include a wide range of documents, including I-9 forms, tax filings, performance reviews, disciplinary actions, benefits enrollment, and more. Proper and secure handling of these records is critical to maintaining compliance.
Why are Employee Records Important for Employers?
- Required under federal and state laws (e.g., FLSA, FMLA)
- Essential for audits, investigations, and legal disputes
- Provide insights for workforce planning and HR analytics
- Must be retained and disposed of in accordance with statutory timelines
FAQs
What documents are considered employee records?
Items like I-9s, W-4s, performance reviews, disciplinary notices, training records, and benefits enrollment forms.
How long must employee records be kept?
Most federal laws require at least 3 years, but some records (e.g., payroll or safety records) must be kept for 4–6 years or more.
Who can access employee records?
Access should be limited to authorized HR staff and supervisors with a legitimate business need, always with confidentiality in mind.
How ExtensisHR Can Help
We securely support employee record management by:
- Centralizing recordkeeping in our secure HRIS
- Ensuring strict access controls and adherence to data privacy laws
- Enabling self-service access for HR teams and employees