Personnel/Civil Service

a: If record contains detailed information about the position and persons who occupied it:
RETENTION: PERMANENT

b: If record only provides lists of names of employees:
RETENTION: 1 year after final entry in record
NOTES: The official listing or roster of all local government officials or employees, covered by item no. 656, must be retained permanently.

a: For applicants for posted vacancies:
RETENTION: 4 years after completion of personnel action
NOTES: When the applicant is hired, the application is retained in or as long as the personnel file. See item no. 636 in the Personnel subsection.

b: General employment inquiries and resumes which are not related to posted vacancies:
RETENTION: 0 after no longer needed

a: When eligible list is established:
RETENTION: 4 years after expiration of eligible list

b: When no eligible list is established:
RETENTION: 4 years after examination date

c: Supplemental documentation filed in conjunction with application, including but not limited to student loan statement, credentials and copies of transcripts:
RETENTION: 1 year

a: Master summary record from personnel case file, including but not limited to age, dates of employment, job titles and civil service status:
RETENTION: PERMANENT

b: Personnel case file materials, except summary information record and teachers' records, and including but not limited to application for employment, resume, results of criminal background check, report of personnel change, evaluation, civil service examination results, notice of resignation or termination, and correspondence:
RETENTION: 6 years after termination of employment or appointment
NOTES: Reports of personnel changes may be included in personnel case files, in which case they are subject to the indicated minimum retention period. Other copies of these reports are maintained by other offices and are covered by item no. 688.
Records relating to the employee's declaration of intention to decline membership in the retirement system are covered by item no. 645 in the Personnel section.

c: Personnel case file materials for teachers, except summary information record, and including but not limited to application for employment, resume, results of criminal background check, report of personnel change, evaluation, civil service examination results, notice of resignation or termination, observation and site visit records (as part of the annual professional performance review (APPR)), and correspondence:
RETENTION: 7 years after termination of employment
NOTES: Reports of personnel changes may be included in personnel case files, in which case they are subject to the indicated minimum retention period. Other copies of these reports are maintained by other offices and are covered by item no. 688.
Employers may wish to retain records for lengthier periods (i.e., the duration of preferred eligible lists) when employees are placed on preferred eligible lists at the time of termination. These lists have a duration of seven years under Sections 2510 and 3013 of Education Law. For New York City, preferred eligible lists are established under Section 2588 of Education Law without specified durations.

d: Contract worker background check records for those working in local government facilities, including checks of criminal history backgrounds, driver’s licenses, employment, and references:
RETENTION: 6 years after contract or worker is terminated, whichever is sooner

e: Employment eligibility verification records (I-9 form):
RETENTION: 3 years from the date of the hire or 1 year after termination of employment, whichever is later

f: Security guard application records pursuant to Section 89-g(7) of General Business Law, including copy of application for a registration card, proof of due diligence to verify the information therein contained, photograph, and training records:
RETENTION: 1 year after termination of employment
NOTES: All other security guard personnel records are covered by other subitems.

g: Personnel-related records of reports of allegations of child abuse against school employees and volunteers in an "educational setting" (as defined in Section 1125, Education Law), for those reports which do not result in criminal convictions:
RETENTION: 5 years after the date of the report, or after such earlier time as may be determined by the school or district
NOTES: Personnel-related records which do result in criminal convictions are covered by part “b." For related records of child abuse and maltreatment, see item no. 27 in the General Administration section, Incidents subsection.

h: Earnings (in-service) credit records, covering teachers, teacher assistants and other personnel:
RETENTION: 75 years after date of birth of employee, 55 years after earliest document in file if date of birth is not known, or 6 years after termination of employment, whichever is later

i: Reasonable assurance letters, created pursuant to Section 590(10) and (11) of Labor Law, covering both professional and non-professional employees of educational institutions:
RETENTION: 6 years

a: Initial application and any subsequent updates and related records:
RETENTION: 6 years after termination of employee's, dependent survivor's, or beneficiary’s coverage, whichever is later

b: Beneficiary designation or dependent enrollment records:
RETENTION: 6 years after superseded

c: Claim for benefits (copy, where original is submitted directly by employee):
RETENTION: 1 year

d: Insurance coverage reports, investment statements, and account balances:
RETENTION: 6 years

e: Declination statement filed by employee, including copy of written notification of options provided employee by local government:
RETENTION: 6 years after separation from service
NOTES: Local governments may wish to retain these records that relate to retirement for the life of the employee. State legislation in effect between 1993 and 1996 allowed for retroactive retirement system membership, for employees who were not previously offered membership, and the possibility exists that similar legislation may be passed into law in the future. If this occurs, these declarations of non-membership may be valuable for local governments to document intentions of present or former employees.

f: Health insurance buy-out program records, including approval documentation, annual proof of alternate health insurance coverage, and annual waiver forms:
RETENTION: 1 year
NOTES: Excludes original opt-out or declination application which is covered by subitem b. above and incentive payment records which are covered by item no. 647.

g: Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) compliance records, including but not limited to correspondence, employee notice of qualifying event, records documenting continuation or termination of coverage, and copy of employer notices:
RETENTION: 6 years

a: Minutes and reports:
RETENTION: PERMANENT

b: Meeting agenda, correspondence, and other records:
RETENTION: 6 years

a: All documentation in record, except detailed listings of all employees present at various events and other records lacking substantive informational value:
RETENTION: PERMANENT

b: Detailed listings of all employees present at various events, and other records lacking substantive informational value:
RETENTION: 6 years

a: Records of exposure or possible exposure of an employee to a toxic substance or other harmful physical agent, including background data to environmental monitoring or measuring, biological monitoring records which are designated as exposure records, material safety data sheets or chemical inventory records indicating use and identity of a toxic substance or harmful physical agent, and related records:
RETENTION: 30 years
NOTES: Environmental monitoring background data may be destroyed after 1 year provided that sampling results, methodology, a description of the analytical method used, and a summary of other background data relevant to the interpretation of results are retained for at least 30 years, as provided in 29CFR 1910.1020 (d-1) (ii-A).

b: Lists, or material safety data sheets, of toxic substances present in the workplace and of employees who handle those substances:
RETENTION: 40 years after superseded or obsolete

c: Material safety data sheet or fact sheet, providing detailed information on specific toxic or other substance at workplace, when not used for parts "a" or "b", above, as the list of toxic substances (as defined in 29CFR 1910, Subpart Z) in the workplace or for substances not defined in 29CFR 1910, Subpart Z as being toxic:
RETENTION: 3 years after substance no longer present at workplace
NOTES: If material safety data sheets or fact sheets are used for parts "a" or "b", above, as the list of toxic substances (as defined in 29CFR 1910, Subpart Z) in the workplace, then those sheets should be maintained for the time periods indicated by parts "a" or "b".

d: Training records covering training of individual employee in handling toxic substances:
RETENTION: 3 years after separation from service

e: Summary records of toxic substance training, including but not limited to minutes of meetings and training sessions and summary descriptions of training given employees:
RETENTION: 3 years after separation from service of all employees involved
NOTES: This retention may be difficult to calculate in instances where a number of employees have attended the same training. Local officials may wish to retain these summary training records for 60 years or another period sufficient to ensure that all concerned employees have separated from service.

f: Policy statements and procedures issued by local government relative to dealing with toxic substances:
RETENTION: PERMANENT

a: Verified positive controlled substance test results or alcohol test results indicating a breath or blood alcohol concentration equal to or greater than 0.02, documentation that individual employee's or job applicant’s test was conducted and specimen handled properly, records of dispute of test results by driver, justification for conducting other than random test, records of compliance with Substance Abuse Professional's (SAP's) recommendations, correspondence and related records:
RETENTION: 5 years

b: Negative or canceled controlled substance test result or alcohol test result indicating a breath or blood alcohol concentration less than 0.02:
RETENTION: 1 year

c: Records relating to an individual employee's or job applicant's refusal to take alcohol or substance abuse test:
RETENTION: 5 years

a: Official copy of course syllabus or any local government produced training or advisory publication or videotape:
RETENTION: 6 years after superseded

b: Other training records including lists of attendees, copies of instructors' course or class notes, documentation of instructors' training and proof that employees have received required reading materials:
RETENTION: 6 years

a: Official copy:
RETENTION: PERMANENT

b: Oath of any election official:
RETENTION: 1 year after election