Record Management Service Staff Records and Personnel Management: Retention of Documentation

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1 Record Management Service Staff Records and Management: Retention of Documentation January This briefing provides guidance on the retention of staff records both in terms of how long records should be kept and who is responsible for retaining those records, it is aimed at everyone who holds any staff records. It will help ensure that the University meets its regulatory obligations whilst minimising the number of records being held. Particular care should be taken with staff records to ensure the records are not kept longer than necessary which may breach Data Protection legislation. Ownership 2. Wherever possible documentation relating to an individual member of staff should be filed in a central departmental office or with and Staff Development. Line managers may also retain records relating to the staff within their team, this should be kept to a minimum and be kept secure at all times. There will inevitably be some duplication of records, this should be minimised as far as possible and in all cases duplicate copies should be retained in line with the recommended retention periods. Format and security 3. Staff records are held in a variety of formats: hard copy, records created and held electronically, images of paper records that have been scanned and information held electronically in Trent HR. The records retention schedule applies to all records regardless of format. 4. This guidance does not address the issues of which format is appropriate. However, if storing records electronically it is important that records remain true to their original format and are not subsequently edited. Therefore, it may be helpful to save electronic records as pdf (or pdfa) files to prevent accidental alteration. 5. Staff records will contain personal data and in many cases sensitive personal data it is therefore vital that records should not be left unattended in offices and all storage areas should be locked. Access to records should be limited on a need to know basis. Retention Schedule 6. A retention schedule provides guidance upon how long different categories of records should be held and when they can be destroyed. Annex A contains the recommended retention schedule for documentation relating to Staff and Management Records. The schedule outlines for each type of document how long it should be retained and who is responsible for retaining the Master copy of that record. The schedule is comprehensive and not all items listed will be relevant to all staff, you should select the relevant sections and follow the schedule accordingly. 7. Where a single file contains a variety of records with different retention periods, it can be time consuming to weed files as each retention period passes. In order to avoid this it is

2 recommended that the full file is retained for the longest period or that records within the file are ordered to make it easy to identify what records can be destroyed at a specific time. This does not apply for sensitive personal data which must be destroyed as soon as it is no longer needed. Leavers 8. The trigger for the start of the retention period for a number of records will be when a member of staff leaves the University. At this time it is advisable to transfer their records to a separate storage area and label each file with the appropriate retention period, this will allow you to easily identify when the records can be destroyed. will keep the master copy of staff records for 7 years after a member of staff leaves, therefore departments may find it appropriate to retain information for a shorter period. 9. If a member of staff moves to a different job within the University it may be appropriate for some information to be transferred to their new department (e.g. previous PDR), information that is not transferred should be securely destroyed or transferred to & Staff Development. Historical Records 10. The University s Archive Curator has agreed that the only information that is required to be retained as a historic record fro the University would be the core information listed under 1.1 of the attached schedule. Other Information 11. This guidance does not cover Health and Safety records or records relating to Equality and Diversity, these will be addressed separately. If you require any more information contact recordsmanagement@exeter.ac.uk.

3 Annex A Function: Staff Records & Management Record Retention Period (minimum) Owner 1 Core Staff Record 1.1 Facts of employment (e.g. name, dates, job title) Permanently 1.2 Records documenting the employee's contract(s) of employment with the institution. Termination of employment + 7 yrs 1.3 Records documenting changes to the employee's terms and conditions of employment. Termination of employment + 7 yrs 1.4 Records containing employee's basic personal details (e.g. address, next of kin, emergency contacts). Until superseded Records documenting the employee's initial application for employment with the institution and supporting documentation supplied by third parties (e.g. references, CRB checks). Records documenting the job descriptions of positions held by the employee within the institution. 1.7 Records documenting the eligibility of employees to drive University and Private vehicles for University business. 2 Individual Training and Development 2.1 Records documenting the employee's training and development needs, and the action taken to meet these needs (e.g. PDRs). 2.2 Records documenting job-specific statutory/regulatory training requirements for the employee, and the training provided to meet these requirements. Termination of employment + 7 yrs Duration of job + 1 yr Until superseded Completion of actions + 5 yrs Expiry of certification + 7 yrs OR Superseded + 7 yrs / 2.3 Records documenting routine assessments/reviews of the employee's performance, and any consequent action taken (e.g. PDRs). Completion of actions + 5 yrs 2.4 Records documenting induction programmes attended by the employee. Completion of induction + 1 yr / 3 Grievance/Disciplinary 3.1 Records documenting grievances/disciplinaries raised by/against staff, the institution's response, action taken and the outcome. Last action on case + 7 yrs / 4 Termination of Employment 4.1 Records documenting Employee exit interviews/questionnaires Termination of employment Records documenting the employee's termination of employment by voluntary resignation, redundancy, retirement (including on medical grounds) or dismissal. Termination of employment + 7 yrs 4.3 Records documenting references provided in confidence in support of the employee's application(s) for employment by another organisation. 5 Working Hours and Leave 5.1 Records relating to the administration of the employee's contractual holiday entitlement and special leave, e.g. compassionate leave Record documenting hours worked under Flexible working agreements which operate in Professional Services and Schools. Records documenting the authorisation and administration of statutory leave entitlements, e.g. parental leave. Records documenting the hours worked by employees, including those who have agreed to work more than 48 hours a week, as required by the Working Time Regulations 1998 (SI 1998/1833). (e.g. time sheets) Provision of reference + 1 yr Current yr + 1 yr Current yr + 1 yr Completion of entitlement + 7 yrs Date of record + 2 yrs / /

4 5.5 Records documenting health assessments for night workers, and the results of assessments, as required by the Working Time Regulations 1998 (SI 1998/1833). Date of record + 2 yrs 5.6 Records documenting the employee's absence due to sickness. Current tax yr + 3 yrs 6 Payroll 6.1 Records documenting the employee's remuneration and rewards (e.g. bonuses, merit Minimum: Tax yr + 3 yrs awards, long service awards). Recommended: Tax yr + 6 yrs 6.2 Records documenting employees' authorisation for non-statutory payroll deductions. Current tax yr + 6 yrs 6.3 Employer's PAYE records which are not required to be sent to the Inland Revenue (under the provisions of the Income Tax (Pay As You Earn) Regulations Current tax yr + 3 yrs 6.4 Records documenting the administration of payments made under the Statutory Sick Pay scheme and Maternity Pay Scheme. Current tax yr + 3 yrs 7 Pensions 7.1 Records documenting the institution's relationships with pension schemes to which all or part of its workforce belongs. Termination of relationship + 5 yrs 7.2 Records documenting routine communications with the pension schemes. Current yr + 5 yrs 7.3 Records documenting payments of the institution's employers' and employees' contributions to pensions schemes for its employees. (NB this may be records on Termination of employment + 75 yrs Aptos/Trent rather than full paper files, or may be held by Pension schemes direct) 8 Recruitment 8.1 Records documenting the development and evaluation of job specifications. Superseded + 5 yrs 8.2 Records documenting internal authorisation for recruitment. Current yr + 1 yr 8.3 Records documenting the advertising of vacancies. Completion of recruitment process Records documenting the handling of applications for vacancies: unsuccessful applications. Completion of recruitment process Records documenting the handling of unsolicited applications for employment. Receipt of application Records documenting enquiries about vacancies and requests for application forms. Completion of recruitment process / 9 Policy - Recruitment 9.1 Records documenting management succession plans. Superseded + 5 yrs 10 Policy - Pay and Reward Schemes 10 Records documenting the development of the institution's remuneration structure. Current yr + 10 yrs 10 Records documenting pay reviews. Current yr + 5 yrs 10 Records documenting special reward schemes (e.g. Merit Reviews). Termination of scheme + 5 yrs 11 Trade Union Relations 11 Records documenting routine communications with trade union representatives, including minutes of meetings. Current yr + 20 yrs 11 Records documenting institutional recognition/derecognition of trades unions. Derecognition + 6 yrs 11 Records documenting agreements with trade unions. Termination of agreement + 10 yrs 11 Records documenting consultations/negotiations with trade unions on specific issues. Last action on issue + 20 yrs 12 Policy - Training & Personal Development

5 12 Records documenting the development, overall delivery and assessment of induction programmes for new employees. Current yr + 5 yrs 12 Records documenting the administration of induction programmes. Completion/termination of programme + 1 yr 12 Records documenting the development of workforce performance assessment systems. Life of system + 5 yrs 12 Records containing summary information on workforce training and development needs. Current yr + 5 yrs Records documenting the development of training and development programmes to meet defined needs. Completion of programme + 5 yrs Records containing individual feedback on training and development programmes. Completion of analysis of feedback Records documenting (anonymised) workforce feedback on training and development programmes. Current yr + 5 yrs Staff Survey Records documenting the design and anonymised results of workforce surveys and Completion of survey/consultation + 5 consultations. yrs Records containing (identifiable) individual responses to workforce surveys and consultations. Policy Records documenting the development and establishment of the institution's human resources management policies/procedures/strategy: key records. Records documenting the development and establishment of the institution's human resources management policies/procedures/strategy: working papers. Master copies of procedures/procedures/strategy relating to human resources management. Records documenting the assessment and analysis of workforce requirements, and the identification and evaluation of options for meeting these requirements. Completion of analysis of responses Superseded + 10 yrs Issue of policy + 1 yr Superseded + 10 yrs Current yr + 3 yrs If you require further information regarding retaining records retention please contact recordsmanagement@exeter.ac.uk. Version 1.3