Performance File

[kveswey]

What is the name of your state? CA

We have a person who is in charge of the HR dept. I recently went to this persion and requested to examine my personell file. I was allowed to do so in direct view of this individual. I wanted to examine it in preparation to my annual review meeting and wanted to see if anything negative was in my file. Later in my review meeting with my supervisor (an owner of the company) I was told by him that what I did was wrong. From that point on, in order to examine my personell file I need to set an appointment with my supervisor and that he needs to be present. Is this legal? I always thought that that's why the HR dept. existed. I was also told that my performance file was not part of my personell file and therefore was not kept in my perosnell file. That if I want to view my performance file, I need to see my supervisor. I did not know and was not told that there was a seperate file from my personell file. At that point, it seemed that this performance file was a secret. Is it legal for them to keep a separate performance file from my personell file? By the way, I work for a manufacturing company as an exempt employee. I don't know if that makes a difference?

 

[Beth3]

From that point on, in order to examine my personell file I need to set an appointment with my supervisor and that he needs to be present. Is this legal? Yes.

I always thought that that's why the HR dept. existed. There are many reasons why HR departments exist but chief among them is not so that employees have a place to review their personnel files.

That if I want to view my performance file, I need to see my supervisor. I did not know and was not told that there was a seperate file from my personell file. Employers aren't required to keep personnel files at all. They are primarily a convenience. If your employer wishes to maintain multiple files on employees and one dedicated just to performance reviews, they are free to do so even though many other employers wouldn't likely do the same.

At that point, it seemed that this performance file was a secret. If it was a secret, they wouldn't have told you about it.

Is it legal for them to keep a separate performance file from my personell file? Yes.

By the way, I work for a manufacturing company as an exempt employee. I don't know if that makes a difference? Nope.