3.90.020 Personnel records and general personnel files.
A. Personnel records containing information about employees will be maintained as set forth herein. Access to personnel files is authorized only as delineated below.
1. Personnel Records. Personnel records are those documents which reflect an individual’s status during the period of his or her employment and take two forms:
a. Central Personnel File. The central personnel file is the official personnel record for an individual employee and may include, but is not limited to, employment applications, prior employment, performance appraisals, disciplinary actions, personnel action forms and tax withholding and benefits information. Medical records shall be maintained in a separate file but are considered part of the personnel records.
b. Department Evaluation File. Any evaluator may establish and maintain a file for individual employees for use by supervisors during the performance evaluation process.
2. Access to Personnel Files.
a. Employees shall have access to their own personnel files during normal office hours within a reasonable period of time following the employee’s request to review their files. A personnel file may be inspected by the employee’s department head, the mayor and any other city employee or agent authorized by the mayor. Access to employee personnel files by other persons shall be governed by subsection (A)(4) of this section.
b. Review of any personnel files shall be conducted in the presence of the mayor or his or her designee. No document shall be removed from a personnel file without prior written approval from the mayor and notice to the employee. The mayor or his or her designee may record a written note on a personnel file for every person who reviews it.
c. Employees may comment on any document placed in their personnel files.
3. Confidentiality of Personnel Records.
a. Confidentiality Policy. State and federal law generally provide that all city documents are public records available for inspection by members of the public. Additionally, state and federal law recognize that personal information contained in a personnel file is confidential unless a member of the public’s need to review it outweighs an employee’s right to privacy in the information.
4. Access to City Personnel Records. City personnel records are confidential and are not open to public inspection except as provided under federal and state law or identified in this section.
a. The following information or records are generally available for public inspection, in accordance with the procedures established by this section:
i. The names and position titles of all city employees;
ii. The position held by any city employee;
iii. Prior positions held by any city employee;
iv. The dates of hire and separation of a city employee; and
v. Any other information that does not contain any personal information the release of which would be an unwarranted invasion of privacy, or concern the personal, intimate or otherwise private life of the employee.
b. Procedures for Obtaining Access to Personnel Records. All persons who wish copies of city personnel records shall submit their request for this information by filing a public records request with the city. (Ord. 20-12 § 2, 2020; Ord. 03-33(SUB)(AM) § 2, 2003)