Conference 7.286::digital

From:	PENUTS::PBAXTER      "PHIL BAXTER - DTN: 275-3412 (USDSL I.S.)"   
10-MAR-1994 09:39:54.12
To:	SALEM::DANIELS
Subj:	RE: "PERSONNEL NOTES" - Comment Concerning: File Maintenance

Question ?
	Will existing documents of this type, previously accepted by personnel,
 	be removed from our personal records?

Comments:
	I believe that external and internal "Award" & "Reward and Recognition
	letters" should be maintained on personal records because they contain 
	a good deal of information that performance reviews do not contain.
	Also because of the number of times that an employee's manager may
	change it would be valuable to an employee's future manager (and the
	employee as well) as a formal reference source for a pending review or
	for any other type of job action that is being contemplated.

	Also:	Any important information regarding an employee/manager relationship
	or agreement that could be of value in avoiding future misunderstandings
	in evaluations etc. should be allowed to be entered into an employee's
	record at the employee's discretion.

	Regards, Phil Baxter

Date:	10-MAR-1994 15:10:39.67
From:	SALEM::DANIELS     
Subj:	RE: "PERSONNEL NOTES" - Comment Concerning: File Maintenance
To:	PENUTS::PBAXTER

Phil,

In response to your question:

Yes, if these documents are in the file we will remove them.  Actually
those documents were never suppose to be in the files.
 
In response to your comments:

We will certainly forward your suggestions to the Human Resources
Business Practices group.  You may also want to speak with your
Human Resource Consultant.

Regards,Judi

    What on earth is a "kudo letter"?
    
    Laurie.

<<    What on earth is a "kudo letter"?
<<    

"Kudos" is a Greek word meaning "praise".  This word has been taken, 
sometimes, as a plural; therefore, "kudo" shows up as an incorrect
back-formation singular.

    I've had 14 managers and my HR records have moved between 7 sites in
    the 15 years I've been here, so I suppose there's not much left of this
    sort of material on my record.
    
    But if I was in teh US I'd feel further demotivated at the announced
    loss of this material from my HR record.  If HR aren't interested in
    more than the 'statutory' data records of employees, then who is?

    I would hope that any material removed from personnel records would
    be sent to the employee. 
    
    JIm C.
    

Interesting that this is being done to provide "consistency" in the records.
Are the negative type letters etc being done away with (since not everyone
has them, the ones that do should be tossed out... in the name of
consistency, you understand).

So what if someone's performance was better than someone else's?  Being a
bit paranoid, this sounds more like getting rid of any 'evidence' someone
could use for fighting a bad (incorrect) performance review.  As I recall, 
the PR itself allows attachments.  Is this saying the employee cannot attach
such letters of 'praise' to show the review is wrong?  

    if personnel removes ANYTHING from my record I want it.  I'll start
    keeping my own records...
    
    tony

    Is there such a thing at Digital as a freedom of information policy?
    For example, can an employee view his complete personnel file to
    determine if there are any errors or inconsistencies?
    I tried to change my withholding exemptions number and it took three
    weeks because the information was maintained at another site.
    If I wanted to view this file, would they mail it to personnel at
    my facility?
    
    

    
    	I am leaving Digital today, and was told in my exit interview that
    I have complete right to see the file, and to have a copy sent to me,
    or I could pick it up.
    
    	It seems that it's available, but it may take awhile to get.
    
    	John

re:.9

>    If I wanted to view this file, would they mail it to personnel at
>    my facility?
    
I think it's like your credit rating - you can only see it for a fee unless
you're contesting something.

:^):^):^)

Actually, I'm surprised to see the comment about stuff being removed "because
it never belonged there to begin with". I think that's a subjective opinion
on the matter, and not a point of policy (at least past policy).

I'd also be surprised if these types of records in one's file could actually
have any value in any matter of dissent.

I agree with the comment about the negative stuff being removed as well.
However, like the positive stuff, it's not likely to "hold up" under scrutiny
unless it's also parrotted in the reviews, in which case it become redundant.

-Jack

    This policy isn't really new, and the information wasn't really of use
    in the first place. Consider the following:
    
    The personnel file as a whole isn't readily accessible by line
    management; I don't think any of my last five managers has ever
    actually seen my personnel file. When I get shuffled from boss
    to boss, they ask *me* who I am and what I do.
    
    Personnel isn't supposed to divulge much information to outsiders
    even if we personally authorize it. I doubt if either disciplinary
    or termination information is disclosed. Too many lawsuit openings.
    
    In the event of legal action (for discrimination or whatever) the
    chances that supporting documentation could be "lost" or "misplaced"
    from the file without you knowing it until it's too late.
    
    The upshot: Keep your own personnel file, with the attaboys, kudos,
    training certificates, etc. It's the record of your professional life,
    and it's your responsibility. Don't rely on others to take care of it.
    
    Geoff

    
    From HR's perspective:
    
    The company gets audited often by the Government office of contract
    compliance. They REQUIRE certain things be in the file, and that all
    other things not be in the file. If we are audited, and one employee
    has something unusual in his file which his peer does'nt, they wanna 
    know why. And they will find out, and then order us to remove all the 
    extraneous stuff. THEY are the ones requiring consistency. As
    pointed out in the last reply, there can also be legal ramifications. 
    
    Bottom line - Personnel files have to be consistent in order for us to
    keep our government contracts. Any thing else you want you should keep
    on your own (highly recommended - I keep mine!).
    
    Hope that helps! 
    
    - Russ 

    I understand that only the last copy of an employee's performance
    appraisal is kept in the file.  Therefore, the file isn't a source for
    historical information.  Can anyone verify this?

    
    Re .14:
    
    My current manager, in preparation for a performance/promotion review,
    retrieved copies of my last four or five performance reviews from my
    personnel file, by which act he:
    
    1) proved that, at least in one case, this type of history is
       available;
    
    2) established himself as the first in a line of recent managers who
       actually did his homework;
    
    3) earned my eternal respect.
    

    Any employee has the right to view his/her personnel file at any time. 
    Employees also have the right to copy anything in the file.  I've done
    this on a number of occasions.  Just go to see your PSA.
    
    This may not be a complete list, but it's what I recall being in my
    file:
    
    -  Application for employment
    -  Resume sent with application
    -  All reviews (since hire date)
    _  All Employee Data Change Forms (the form used to notify Personnel of
       salary increases, promotions, etc.
    
    Chet

>  <<< Note 2933.13 by DPDMAI::MILLERR "Lost my TARDIS, now I'm stuck here!" >>>
>    
>    From HR's perspective:
>   
>    The company gets audited often by the Government office of contract
>    compliance. They REQUIRE certain things be in the file, and that all
>    other things not be in the file.

  This thing about Uncle Sam telling us in minute detail how we must run our
company if we have any federal contracts is getting very tiresome. This is, of
course, in addition to the rules they impose on us whether or not we have 
federal contracts.
  The possibility that Human Resources may throw away documents from our per-
sonnel files without telling us makes me slightly sick. Many people keep ori-
ginals in these files. The first three years I was in Digital, I had no place
where I could keep this stuff myself (because I worked on a mfg floor). I was
very glad when I heard that personnel would keep these materials for me.

    RE: .4
    
    Yes, the same thing happened to the (singular) word "metrics".
    
    Laurie.

       <<< Note 2933.17 by TOOK::MORRISON "Bob M. LKG1-3/A11 226-7570" >>>
> The first three years I was in Digital, I had no place
> where I could keep this stuff myself (because I worked on a mfg floor). I was
> very glad when I heard that personnel would keep these materials for me.

That's no excuse.  You should, in fact, keep such copies AT HOME, not at work.
You are the one who is going to need them, if anybody is.
They should be under your care, even if you get fired or locked out 
or whatever.

- tom]

>That's no excuse.  You should, in fact, keep such copies AT HOME, not at work.
>You are the one who is going to need them, if anybody is.
>They should be under your care, even if you get fired or locked out 
>or whatever.
>
>- tom]

Yeah, well I know that NOW...  Unfortunately for years, managers have made a 
big deal of "and these good words (award, etc) will go in YOUR FILE!"  with
the express implication that my personnel file was a secure repository of such 
information.

I made the mistake of believing them...

And for the mistake of trusting my management and HR department, I have lost
data which could have been valuable to me.

I will probably not easily make the same mistake again...