Staff HR Policy D-742.00
Institutional Effectiveness Criterion: Culture

Employee Personnel Record Policy

For the purposes of this policy, "employee" means a person currently or formerly employed by Northwestern Michigan College (NMC).

In accordance with Michigan's Bullard-Plawecki Employee Right to Know Act (Act 397 of 1978), Northwestern Michigan College keeps an official personnel file for each employee, located and maintained in the Office of Human Resources.  The personnel file records are to be used relative to that employee's qualifications for employment, promotion, transfer, additional compensation, or disciplinary action. 

The official personnel file contains records relating to employment and salary history; applications and resumes; educational transcripts; professional development; payroll data; vacation and sick time data; performance evaluations; items of commendation, discipline, recommendation or reference; and miscellaneous items as approved for inclusion by the Director of Human Resources or designee.  Supervisors will request that employees sign documents such as evaluations and disciplinary documentation prior to inclusion in the file. Supervisors will review documents with employees before being included in the employee's official personnel file in Human Resources. Electronic records kept in NMC's Human Resources Information System (HRIS), e.g. attendance and leave records, are considered part of the employee's official personnel file. Items submitted by an employee to be included in his or her own personnel file will be added only with the approval of the employee's supervisor and the Director of Human Resources or designee.

Separate files are maintained containing medical records, including pre-employment examinations, Family Medical Leave records, ADA accommodation requests, MIOSHA exposure records, and Workers Compensation claims; background checks; employment references identifying the person making the reference; information of a personal nature about a person other than the employee if disclosure of the information would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of the other person's privacy; information related to investigations by NMC relative to criminal activity; records limited to grievance investigations; and education records subject to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974. 

Other employee files may be maintained by College supervisors, but such files do not constitute the official employee record and shall be considered as personal working files kept in the sole possession of the maker of the record.

The Director of Human Resources or designee will provide for the development of procedures to implement this policy, with the appropriate involvement of the staff.

If any provision(s) of this policy or set of bylaws conflicts with laws applicable to Northwestern Michigan College, including the Community College Act of 1966, the Freedom of Information Act, or the Open Meetings Act, as each may be amended from time to time, such laws shall control and supersede such provision(s).