The district will maintain personnel records on employees. The records are important for the daily administration of the educational program, for implementing board policy, for budget and financial planning, and for meeting state and federal requirements.
Employee personnel records will include but not be limited to records necessary for the daily administration of the district, salary records, evaluations, applications for employment, references, and other items needed to carry out board policy. Employee personnel files are school district records and are considered confidential and, therefore, are not generally open to public inspection or accessibility. Only in certain limited instances when the employee has given signed consent will employee personnel records be accessible to individuals other than the employee or authorized school officials.
Employees may have access to their personnel files [with the exception of letters of reference] and the ability to copy items from their personnel files. All requests for access to personnel files must be provided in writing to the Human Resources department. Upon receipt of a written request, the Human Resources department will schedule an appointment during normal office hours at a time mutually agreed upon between their office and the employee. The district may charge a reasonable fee for each copy made. The total amount charged for all copies cannot exceed $5.00.
Personnel files will not include any reference checks, medical records, or investigation files. Employees are unable to remove any documents from the personnel file, but they may provide a written response to any document included. Written responses will be attached to the original document in the personnel file.
Personnel files are to be reviewed within the Human Resources department and not be taken outside of the Human Resources department. Board members will only have access to an employee’s personnel file when it is necessary because of an employee-related matter before the board.
It is the responsibility of the superintendent [or designee] to keep employee personnel records current. The Human Resources department is the custodian of employee personnel records.
It is the responsibility of the superintendent to develop administrative regulations for implementation of this policy.
Adopted: 5/97
Reviewed: 1/11; 12/11; 4/13; 9/14; 3/17; 6/20; 4/23
Revised: 2/10
Related Policy: 403.16-R
Legal Reference (Code of Iowa): §§ 20-22; 91B
IASB Reference: 401.05