Official Personnel File (OPF) Records Reference

Summary

This guide outlines the required records for Official Personnel Files (OPF), including employment-related documents and those requiring separate confidential storage, such as medical or legal records.

Body

Overview
This article serves as a reference guide for Human Resource Professionals in collaboration with the department heads or equivalents to understand which records must be retained as part of the Official Personnel File (OPF) for staff, graduate assistants, and student employees in their employ. Recent updates to the System Records Retention Schedule have expanded the types of records and extended retention periods.

For a complete listing of records and their retention timelines, refer to System Records Retention Schedule.

Responsibilities

The maintenance of non-faculty personnel records is the responsibility of embedded Human Resources Professionals in collaboration with the department head or equivalent supervisor. Personnel records will be secured in a manner that prevents unauthorized access.

Note: Faculty personnel records are administered by Faculty Affairs.

Requirements for specific employment related records may require these are maintained in separate confidential files with further restricted access. For additional details, refer to the Official Personnel File Guidance Document.

To streamline personnel file management for staff, graduate assistants, and student employees, we now use a centralized Human Resources & Organizational Effectiveness (HROE) digital repository for storing Official Personnel Files (OPF). Personnel files are now managed and retained through the Laserfiche process and stored in the HROE Laserfiche Repository. Additionally, we are aligning all personnel file management practices in Laserfiche with legal retention policies to maintain audit readiness and reduce risk.

Personnel File Management Process Scope

  • Applies to non-faculty employee types - staff, student employee, and graduate
    • Applies to faculty medical files only. Please note: Faculty personnel related documentation is administered by Faculty Affairs and is not retained in the HROE Laserfiche Repository.

Personnel File Document Exclusions

  • Documents already stored in Workday are excluded.
    • Example: Hiring salary adjustment approvals remain in Workday; related memos can be included in OPF.
  • Historical (existing) paper or electronic files for non-faculty employees who were not onboarded through Laserfiche will remain in their current format due to resource (personnel and financial) constraints.

Benefits of Standardized Personnel File Management Process

  • Centralized repository for staff, graduate assistants, and student employee files.
  • Consistent file naming for easy search and retrieval.
  • Enhanced search capabilities for faster, more reliable access.
  • Automated filing and retention tagging to ensure proper document lifecycle management.
  • Scheduled purging of files that meet retention requirements.
These documents relate directly to the employment relationship:
 
  • Education Release Time Program application and approval
  • Alternate Work Location documentation and approvals (documentation stored in Workday)
  • Flex Time Agreements (documentation stored in Workday)
  • Annual Performance Reviews (documentation stored in Workday)
  • Employee Performance Feedback forms (documentation stored in Workday)
  • Annual Salary or Appointment letters
  • Official memoranda/correspondence
  • Written reprimands or formal disciplinary actions
  • Employee rebuttals to evaluations or disciplinary actions 
  • Training certificates not listed in TrainTraq
  • Official commendations, awards, and honors
  • Resignation/termination letters
  • Employee Exit Checklist (under review)

These records contain sensitive information and must be stored separately:

Medical Information
  • Leave requests (documentation stored in Workday)
  • Sick Leave Pool requests and acknowledgments
  • Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) documentation
  • Workers' Compensation Insurance (WCI) claims
  • Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accommodation requests/agreements
  • Drug and alcohol test/results
  • Pre-hire physicals
  • Email or other correspondence containing employee medical information
Investigations and Legal Matters
  • Civil Rights Protections and Compliance records
  • Complaints and Appeals (grievance records)
  • Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) or the Texas Workforce Commission Civil Rights Division (TWCCRD)
  • Investigation-related documents (e.g., documents from or between System or University offices, witness statements, notes regarding investigations)
  • Wage garnishments 

Recruitment-related documents for staff and temp/casual positions are now retained through the Laserfiche process and stored in the Human Resources and Organizational Effectiveness Laserfiche Repository. This centralized repository replaces previous methods of storing non-faculty recruitment files across Texas A&M University, Texas A&M University Health, and Texas A&M University Galveston.

Updated Process
  • Most recruitment documentation is captured and managed via the Onboarding Process in Laserfiche, which works in tandem with Workday to ensure proper sequencing of background checks, approvals, and onboarding steps.
  • Documents are automatically routed and stored in the repository once submitted through the Laserfiche system.
  • Recruitment documentation for unsuccessful searches, such as materials not linked to a specific new hire or cases where no onboarding request was submitted in Laserfiche, is now uploaded via the Laserfiche process and stored in the HROE Laserfiche Repository.
Documents Typically Included

Contact

For questions or additional guidance, submit a TeamDynamix Personnel Files Service Request.

 

Details

Details

Article ID: 1398
Created
Fri 10/31/25 3:13 PM
Modified
Wed 4/8/26 3:44 PM