Memorandum #259 Preservation of Employment Records

Revised: August 22, 2003
Original Date of Issue: February 26, 1980

Federal regulations require that any personnel or employment record (including but not limited to application form, resumes submitted by the applicant and other records having to do with hiring, promotion, tenure, demotion, transfer, layoff, or termination, rate of pay, or other term of condensation and selection of training), made or kept by an institution, shall be preserved for a period of two years from the date of the ranking of the personnel action or record involved, whichever occurs later.  In brief, unsuccessful applicants' resumes or applications must be kept for two years.  Records of terminated employees must be kept for two years from date of termination.

When a charge of discrimination has been filed or a civil action brought, all records must be kept until there is a final disposition of the charge.  Such records shall include those relating to other persons holding positions similar to the one sought by the person claiming to be aggrieved.  Included in this latter category are applications or test papers completed by all other candidates, successful or unsuccessful, for the position for which the person claiming to be aggrieved applied and was rejected.  

Any questions you have regarding this policy should be directed to the Office of Human Resources.