If you’re like the majority of businesses these days, you’re probably trying to get away from filing cabinets full of paper records. The internet makes this possible with apps that cater to nearly every business need. Employee paperwork is no different.
For file storage you could, of course, use Dropbox or any other online storage app but doesn’t it make sense to keep your employee files alongside other employee records?
Store HR Files Along With Time Tracking Records
Storing all of your employee records together in one place, rather than in various programs around the internet, is convenient and keeps things neatly organized. With Timesheets.com, you can keep all your human resources related documents right inside an employee’s personal profile. Their time keeping and payroll records, which must be kept for some years, are also accessible there.
What to Keep In the Employee’s Personnel File
Records required by the DOL
Everything on this list is kept within our time tracking system as a part of the payroll records and employee settings:
- Employee’s full name and social security number
- Address, including zip code
- Birth date, if younger than 19
- Sex and occupation
- Time and day of week when employee’s workweek begins
- Hours worked each day
- Total hours worked each workweek
- Basis on which employee’s wages are paid (e.g., “$9 per hour”, “$440 a week”, “piecework”)
- Regular hourly pay rate
- Total daily or weekly straight-time earnings
- Total overtime earnings for the workweek
- All additions to or deductions from the employee’s wages
- Total wages paid each pay period
- Date of payment and the pay period covered by the payment
Additional records you should keep in case of legal trouble
These can all be uploaded as files into our system:
- Job description
- Employment application
- Offer letter and non-compete agreements
- Signed employee handbook
- Documentation on equipment loans
- Commendation letters
- Disciplinary action letters
- Employee benefits lists and descriptions
- Write ups
- Formal employee complaints
- Reward documentation
- Raises and promotions documentation
- Termination letter
Digital Storage Rules and How Long to Retain Records
Digital Storage Rules
You are free to keep your human resources records online rather than in a physical filing cabinet. You can find more information on digital HR document storage rules at the bottom of this page.
How Long to Retain Records
Payroll records, collective bargaining agreements, sales and purchase records must be kept for three years.
“Records on which wage computations are based should be retained for two years, i.e., time cards and piece work tickets, wage rate tables, work and time schedules, and records of additions to or deductions from wages.” –DOL
What NOT to Keep In the Employee’s Personnel Files
Don’t keep anything personal or opinionated. You don’t need medical files in there and you don’t want anything about the employee’s personality. If you wouldn’t want a court to see it, omit it. In fact, if you wouldn’t want the employee to see it, you probably should omit it too. In some states, employees have a right to view their files.
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