Properly managing HR records is essential for compliance, risk mitigation, and supporting fair employment practices. In the U.S., federal laws require employers to retain specific employee documents for set periods. This forms the basis of an HR records retention schedule or policy.
These laws—including Title VII, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), FLSA, FMLA, ERISA, the Equal Pay Act, and OSHA—cover various employee documents. And each type of record has a required retention period that your organization must adhere to. Let’s dive into the retention requirements that apply to records generated and managed by the human resources department.
HR recordkeeping begins even before hiring. During the pre-employment stage, it’s important to retain applications, resumes, reference and background checks, and job postings to ensure fairness, non-discrimination, and equal opportunity. Once an employee is hired, tracking all new-hire documents—including policy acknowledgements, handbooks, I-9 forms, and health records related to benefits—is essential.
Whether you store records electronically or on paper, a secure document management system can make organizing, tracking, and reporting much more efficient. In paper-based systems, it’s best to maintain separate files for personnel records, I-9 forms, and medical records, with any documentation created during employee separation added to the personnel file.
It’s also important to regularly audit records, maintain consistent labeling, control access, train HR staff on retention requirements, and ensure proper backups or offsite storage. Following these practices ensures that your organization stays compliant while keeping employee records organized, secure, and accessible when needed.
It’s nearly impossible to be involved in information management without encountering data privacy in some capacity. The core concept behind privacy as a legal and compliance matter is that virtually all information about a person is owned by that individual…
HR departments handle a wide range of employee records, each with their own retention rules. The following list outlines the most common employee record categories and the federal retention requirements that employers must adhere to.
Managing HR records properly is more than a compliance requirement. It’s a way to protect your organization and support fair, transparent employment practices. By maintaining organized personnel, I-9, and medical files, following federal and state retention requirements, and implementing consistent security and review practices, HR teams can simplify audits, reduce risk, and ensure employee information is handled responsibly. Investing in clear policies, staff training, and reliable recordkeeping systems makes the complex task of HR records management more efficient and effective, giving your organization confidence that it’s prepared for whatever comes next.
If implementing and maintaining a records retention schedule requires more resources than your organization has internally, then partnering with a reputable provider, like Access, can provide the expertise and tools needed.
By combining expert guidance with intuitive technology, Access helps ensure your retention program is compliant, organized, and easy to manage. Our proven methods have been used for years to customize regulatory reports of customers in complex, highly regulated industries while drastically reducing their cost of compliance. Get in touch with us for specific examples, a customized demo, or simply to learn more.
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