Anyone who works in HR knows: employee records add up. Between your records for past employees, current employees, and possible hires, it’s almost impossible to keep track of all the paperwork you have to deal with.
Is there a way to cut down on all of this?
You can keep your paperwork collection from getting too large by getting rid of old files. But there’s a certain amount of time you need to keep them before throwing them away.
Here’s how long to keep employee records.
How Long to Keep These Records
Figuring out how long you need to keep your employee records is not an exact science. But here are some good rules of thumb to get you started:
- Hiring records: 1 year
- Drug test records: 1 year (5 for transportation jobs)
- Payroll: 3 years (5 years after termination)
- Form I-9: 3 years after hire, 1 after termination
- Benefits Information: 6 years
- FMLA records: 3 years
- Employment records: 3 years after termination
These rules are not flawless, but you should be keeping these files at least for this long.
Why are we being so cautious? Well, that’s because how the laws work depend on where you live …
A Word of Warning
Sometimes, state laws and federal laws differ. For example, here in Indiana, Payroll records need to be kept for 10 years, not 3. This is just one example of how things can be different.
When you notice any of these discrepancies, you should follow the longer rule. In our example, that means that you should be following the state law. But the state law is not absolute. If the federal law is longer, then you should follow that one instead.
It can be difficult to figure out when and how to keep employee records. And if you’re already running a business, or doing a thousand other HR jobs, how are you supposed to keep up on when these records are too old?
If you’re taking care of records on your own, it’s easy to let them pile up as you focus on other things.
What if there was an easier way?
Want to keep employee records safe?
What you need is records management. Professional records management will store all of your records for you, keep them organized and, most importantly, destroy them when the time comes. This keeps them out of your way when you don’t need them, and clean and organized when you do.
But, you may be thinking, this comes with its own set of problems.
What happens if you need the files? A lot of the time, you might be worried about getting them on time. When you need a file, you need it right then, not hours from when you ask for it. That’s why we provide our Fort Wayne clients with delivery within minutes, not hours or days.
If you’re looking for a records management service that is willing to work with you no matter what the time of day, then we’re your people. Get in touch to see how we can help you today!
