The following guidelines, best practices, and frequently asked questions cover all personnel files, whether in paper or electronic format (i.e., ePersonnel, shared drive, etc.) for our campus. It applies to all employees regardless of coverage by a collective bargaining agreement.
The guidelines are based on the premise that, since the University of Iowa is the single employing entity, the personnel file is the property of the University of Iowa rather than the employing department. See additional information on the UI Health Care Personnel File policy (only accessible to UI Health Care employees).
General Information
Employing units shall maintain a personnel file, whether in paper or electronic format, for each employee containing pertinent information regarding the employment relationship with the university (i.e., resumes and/or application materials, appointment- and employment-offer documents, change-of-status and termination forms, performance appraisals, letters of recognition and/or commendation, and any disciplinary records).
With the implementation of the electronic personnel file, which can be accessed through Employee Self Service (ESS), it is strongly recommended that the employing unit utilize the electronic personnel (ePersonnel) file for all new staff members and current staff members going forward. If a paper personnel file exists for an employee, it is also recommended that the employing unit scan and upload contents from the paper file to the ePersonnel file, but it is not required. The most significant advantage to utilizing ePersonnel files is that all information and documents are readily available through the secured ESS portal for both the employee and supervisor.
Personnel files are confidential. The information contained within the file shall be consistent with state and federal laws and regulations, university policies, and any collective bargaining agreement, as applicable. It is best practice to organize documents within individual folders in the personnel file (i.e., Development/Education/Training, Employment Documentation, Performance, Immigration, and Non-Health Related Leave).
For more information regarding access, retention, and permitted/not permitted documents in the personnel file, see Guidelines Use, Access, and Retention of Personnel Files (pdf). For supporting immigration documents, including what documents are permitted in the personnel file by valid immigration type, see Valid Immigration Supporting Documents (pdf).
The University Operations Manual III-7, outlines the governing principles regarding access to an employee's personnel file. This access includes the personnel and medical files, but not the supervisory notes.
Access to the ePersonnel file is driven by position management and institutional roles. Access is limited to administrative supervisors or others with administrative responsibility, persons responsible for maintenance of the files, or others granted access by university policy or contractual requirements. In addition to the employee, the other people who have access to an ePersonnel file are the administrative supervisor, the administrative supervisor’s immediate supervisor, and the unit/department's HR representative.
Access to paper personnel files is governed by the following:
When an employee transfers between departments at the University of Iowa (with the exception of faculty) both the personnel and medical file should follow the employee. The only exception is if there is any information related to a disability (or related accommodation) covered under the American with Disabilities Act (ADA).
For the paper/electronic file, the responsibility for transferring the file for an employee lies with the former employing unit/department’s HR representative. The original file may be transferred via campus mail (marked CONFIDENTIAL) to the designated HR representative for the receiving department or division. The former department should not maintain a copy of the former employee’s file. It is strongly recommended that prior to the transfer of the employee, the unit/department HR representative review the contents of the personnel file and scan and upload the contents into the ePersonnel file.
For medical files, all files, except for ADA accommodation–related documents, shall transfer with the employee when the employee assumes a position in another university department. The current unit/department must send ADA accommodation–related documents to Faculty and Staff Disability Services at the time of the employee's transfer within the university and/or upon final employment termination. Medical files except for ADA accommodation–related documents shall be maintained for five years from the date of termination by the senior HR rep and unit/department HR rep in the last employing department.
If the employee returns within five years of their termination date, the hiring department will be granted access to the previous ePersonnel file. Paper files should be requested by the hiring unit/department from the last employing unit/department.
The supervisor also may have kept notes in a management/supervisor file. This file should not be transferred with the personnel file.
Any grievance and/or recruitment files related to the transferring employee also should not be transferred with the personnel file. Those files should continue to be retained in the former department.
For UI Health Care employees, the ADA segment of the personnel file should be transferred to the Leave and Disability Administrative Office.
Questions about these guidelines and best practices should be addressed to departmental human resources representatives or Employee and Labor Relations (319-467-4142 or elr-help@uiowa.edu).
Performance Reviews
Performance review documentation is filed in the personnel file (either paper or electronic).
Other Files Maintained in the Employing Department
Other employment-related materials should be held in files separate from the personnel file.
Other Files Maintained in the Employing Department
Grievance materials, including documents related to discrimination or sexual harassment complaints, should be maintained in a separate file, not within the personnel file.
Application materials, including letters of recommendation supporting the staff member's original hire, should be held in the position recruitment file, not within the employee's personnel file. The department may opt to include some documents, such as a resume or curriculum vitae, in the personnel file.
A separate medical file should be maintained for information related to the employee’s health including: Worker's Compensation First Report of Injury, correspondence regarding Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) or non-FMLA medical leaves, release to return to work, etc.
Any designation of the employee as protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or any other forms/correspondence related to personnel actions covered by these acts or relating to accommodations should be maintained in a separate file within the medical file. The ADA requires this ADA related medical file must be kept separate in the medical file and apart from the location of other personnel files. Access is limited to the supervisor and HR representative involved in the implementation of workplace accommodations.
A separate management/supervisor file should be maintained by the direct supervisor for information related to day-to-day performance, achievements or concerns. This is also the location for documentation regarding coaching or counseling of the employee or letters clarifying expectations. This file should serve as a supervisor resource when preparing for conversations or performance reviews with the employee.
Common Questions about ePersonnel Files
Access to personnel files is prohibited by the hiring department however, hiring managers are strongly encouraged to check references on internal applicants. See best practices for reference checks.
The following documents, if included as an attachment on a transaction (appointment, change of status) are automatically inserted in the ePersonnel file via the transaction system:
- Offer letter
- UI Physicians contract
- Resume
- Curriculum vitae
- Documentation of career development
- Letter of resignation
- Performance review report
- Evaluation documents
Anyone who has access to the transaction system can upload documents to the ePersonnel file. The documents must then be reviewed and approved by the human resources representative before they will appear in the ePersonnel file.
The effective date is typically the date the document is inserted or the date of the document being attached. If a future date is used, the document will not be visible in the ePersonnel file until that future date.
Generally, it is recommended the end date not be used.
No, the document category and subcategories are different based on employee type. See ePersonnel File Documents by Employee Type (pdf).
If the file name is descriptive and appropriate it is not necessary to use a document title. If the file name is not descriptive enough it would be appropriate to enter a document title. The document title is what will be displayed in the ePersonnel file instead of the file name.
No. This type of electronic sharing is not available at this time. To share documents from your own personnel file, you would need to either print them from ePersonnel or request a copy from your paper personnel file.
No. This type of electronic sharing is not available at this time. You may share a hard copy of your own personnel file. To share documents from your own personnel file, you would need to either print them from ePersonnel or request a copy from your paper personnel file.