What’s sneaking into
your personnel file?
Most material in an official personnel file is available not only to perspective employers at MSU, but—potentially—to anyone who requests it under the Freedom of Information Act.
It is very important that CTs know what is in their files, especially those who are considering a job move. CTU and HR sometimes differ on what is appropriate to be included in a file. HR officials have admitted that some materials should not be included in your file, but they say that they do not have the staff or the time to review every submission.
To set up an appointment to check your file, contact Rosie Ovenhouse at 353-4330 x 129. You will be able to make copies at the Human Resources Office free of charge.
If something in your file seems inappropriate, contact your UR to discuss your options. If your area does not have a UR, contact the CTU office at 355-1903.
From our Contract:
ARTICLE 21. OFFICIAL PERSONNEL FOLDER(S)
Each employee shall have the right, upon request, to examine the content of her/his own Official Personnel Folder(s), the only exclusion being confidential pre-employment credentials of an evaluative nature.
I. The employee shall make an appointment with the responsible managerial personnel to examine her/his Official Personnel Folder(s). Managerial personnel shall be present when the employee examines her/his Official Personnel Folder(s) and the employee may be accompanied by a representative of the Union if the employee so desires. The employee may designate in writing her/his desire to have a representative of the Union examine her/his file in her/his absence in a disciplinary matter, and the designated representative shall be allowed to examine the Official Personnel Folder(s).
II. No official report nor any derogatory statement about an employee of which the employee would not normally have a copy or be aware shall be filed in the employee’s Official Personnel Folder(s), unless the employee is provided a dated copy. The employee, for cause shown, has the right to submit a statement(s) concerning negative evaluative reports for inclusion in the Official Personnel Folder(s). Brief statements may be submitted for inclusion in the employee’s Official Personnel Folder(s).
III. Upon an employee’s written request to the Office of Human Resource Services, any records of disciplinary action which occurred more than eighteen (18) months prior to the request shall be removed from the Official Personnel Folder(s), if the employee’s performance has been satisfactory within the past eighteen (18) months. This section may not be used to remove performance evaluations from the Official Personnel Folder(s).