1.4 Employee Records

Only one (1) official personnel file, including information stored in electronic format, will be maintained for each employee. This file will be under the custody of Human Resources. The head of Human Resources will develop procedures to ensure the security of the file. 

An employee may inspect her/his own personnel file and may authorize via written permission another person to inspect her/his personnel file. All inspections of personnel files must be completed in the presence of the head of Human Resources or her/his designee. An advance appointment with the head of Human Resources is required for inspection of files. An employee may not remove any document from a personnel file, and is limited to making handwritten notes from information found in their file. An employee may ask for copies to be made from his/her personnel file; however, all copy costs will be charged to the employee at NKY Health’s current established rate.

Personnel files are the property of NKY Health and access to the information they contain is restricted. Generally, supervisors and management personnel of NKY Health who have a legitimate reason to review information in an employee’s personnel file are permitted to do so. 

Personnel files are public records as defined under KRS Section 61.878, et. seq., and, as such, are subject to public inspection via an open records request.

However, in accordance with KRS § 61.878 some portions of personnel files may be exempt from public inspection.

Payroll files are the property of NKY Health and are maintained under the custody of Administration and Accounting. The head of Administration and Accounting will develop procedures to ensure the security of the files.

Leave records are the property of NKY Health and are maintained by Administration and Accounting in conjunction with Human Resources. The head of Administration and Accounting will coordinate with the Human Resources Administrator to maintain procedures to ensure the accuracy and security of the records.

Employee health/medical records are the property of NKY Health. An employee’s health and medical information generally will be maintained separately from the other contents of her/his personnel file in order to protect the privacy interests of the employee.

Employee health information will be maintained by Human Resources. Employee medical records will be maintained by the Employee Health Nurse. Both Human Resources and the Employee Health Nurse will maintain procedures to ensure the security of the files in their respective custody. 

Employee records will be maintained in accordance with the federal, state and/or local records retention schedule(s) governing NKY Health.

(See Employee Records Retention Schedule and Personnel Records Retention and Destruction Policy for details.)

It is the responsibility of each employee to promptly update the HR system(s) with any changes in personal data. This includes but is not limited to personal mailing addresses, telephone numbers, number and names of dependents, individuals to be contacted in the event of an emergency, and other such status reports which should be accurate and current at all times. Failure to report changes in a timely manner may jeopardize an employee’s or their dependent’s access to benefit coverage