Personnel Employment Policies Viewing Personnel Files Policy Number: C.E.S.P. 1-40 Date Revised: 4-6-2001 Supersedes: 12-1-1993

Summary: Establishes policy governing inspection of personnel records.

Official personnel records for all Extension employees are maintained in the Human Resources Office. Files are opened for viewing only under the following conditions.

An employee is allowed to view information contained in his or her file at anytime during regular business hours.

Personnel records may be viewed by Extension officials who have a legitimate need to review them, such as an employee’s supervisor, prospective supervisors when an employee has applied for promotion or transfer, persons involved in the settlement or investigation of a formal grievance or complaint filed by an employee; and investigators and attorneys for the State involved in workers’ compensation claims.

Under the provisions of the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act, (Ark. Code Ann. Sec. 25-19-105), any citizen of the State of Arkansas may inspect and copy personnel records except to the extent that disclosure would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. Certain information is removed from personnel files before inspection and copying of personnel files is permitted; i.e., social security and income tax information; medical information including insurance information; information about retirement annuities; other insurance information; information about family, including marital status; unlisted telephone numbers and addresses not intended for publication, and scholastic records. Employee evaluation or job performance records, such as performance evaluations, are disclosed only if there has been a final administrative resolution of a suspension or termination proceeding at which the records formed a basis for a decision to suspend or terminate the employee and there is a compelling public interest in the disclosure.

Within twenty-four (24) hours of receipt of a request for inspection of personnel records, a determination of whether the records are subject to disclosure must be made, and the employee who is the subject of the records must be notified of the request and the determination. The employee may seek an immediate opinion from the Attorney General on whether the records are subject to disclosure.

In the event of a law enforcement or agency investigation, or litigation in which an employee’s personnel records are relevant, the personnel records maybe made available to University counsel and other parties and witnesses involved in the investigation or litigation on behalf of the University and to agencies, attorneys, and other parties to the investigation or litigation.

Personnel records may be made available in response to a lawfully issued subpoena or court order.