In yesterday’s CED, we covered issues surrounding electronic recordkeeping. Today, more principles — plus a valuable recordkeeping desk reference, specifically for California employers.
Electronic recordkeeping is wonderful in many ways but the pitfalls are varied and deep, as we saw in yesterday’s issue. To skirt those danger zones, here are more of the principles of e-recordkeeping generated by the state of Kansas:
Principle 3: Manage access to records in a manner that ensures access rights while also protecting confidentiality.
- Capture and maintain system meta-data that specifies appropriate access permissions for records.
- Provide online access to both active and inactive records, when appropriate.
Principle 4: Address recordkeeping considerations in the system planning and development stage.
- Include recordkeeping requirements in project plans and Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for new projects.
- Develop retention and disposition schedules, and recordkeeping plans when appropriate, as part of the system development process.
The Complete Guide to HR Recordkeeping in California — get your copy today!
Principle 5: Ensure the reliability and authenticity of records throughout their period of retention.
- Create and maintain meta-data that adequately reflect the content, context, and structure of records as they were originally created.
- Create and maintain system documentation.
- Maintain accurate system logs.
- Use authentication to identify the users of the system.
- Restrict write permissions as appropriate.
- Create sufficient structural and contextual meta-data at the point of record creation or shortly thereafter.
- Maintain appropriate links between database fields.
HR Had Better Be Involved
In today’s workplaces, emailing, texting, blogging, and using the Internet are a way of life. And coming along with all of it are electronic records. They are great in many ways, but pose many challenges.
What are the legalities? Are electronic records as good as paper ones? How secure do they need to be? Should you scan everything into the system? Do you need backups of your backups?
As the branch of business most concerned with people (and, therefore, most liable if careers or reputations are damaged), HR needs to be at the forefront of records management. You need to understand the issues and know the right questions to ask.
Answers to all your toughest California HR recordkeeping questions.
But where can you find out what you need to know?
The Complete Guide to HR Recordkeeping in California is 106 info-packed pages of everything you need to know to stay compliant (and sane) in the HR recordkeeping arena.
You’ll learn everything you need to know about what to hang onto, and for how long, under both California and federal law…which records can be stored electronically…how to ensure the security of your records…tips for proper records disposal…what to do if you find yourself facing a records subpoena…how to avoid common recordkeeping mistakes…and much, much more!
The report includes chapters on:
- Personnel and Payroll Records
- Safety Records and Workers’ Comp Documents
- Family and Medical Leave Records
- HR-Related Tax Records
- Pension Plans and Health Insurance Benefits
- Polygraph Exams
- Rights of California Employees to Access Records
- Effective Methods for Compiling and Managing HR Records
- Electronic Records
- Penalties and Consequences for Failing to Comply with Recordkeeping Requirements
- 8 Rules for Securing Records
- Avoiding Common Recordkeeping Mistakes
- 8 Steps to Properly Respond to a Subpoena
- Preparing and Reviewing Records for Litigation
We’ve also included 7 easy reference charts throughout the report, so that you can quickly find the answers you’re looking for at a glance. It’s California HR recordkeeping made easy.
Best of all, we’ll send you a brand-new edition each year so that you always have the most up-to-date information available. Don’t delay — order today and get the recordkeeping monkey off your back once and for all.
Download your free copy of How To Survive an Employee Lawsuit: 10 Tips for Success today!
One common problem is that managers and supervisors often don’t think of things like email as records, even when they use for management purposes, like approving leave requests.
One common problem is that managers and supervisors often don’t think of things like email as records, even when they use for management purposes, like approving leave requests.