Employee Records - Procedures and Functions
Employee Personnel Files
An official personnel record for both full-time and part-time employees of the Houston Community College System (HCCS) is created and maintained in the Human Resources Employee Records department at 3100 Main. Official documents contained in the employee personnel file include application information, job and salary history, work assignments, credentials, federal/state documents, performance evaluations, primary language identification form (for faculty), correspondence and other personnel-related materials.
The employee has the right to examine materials in his/her file at any time during normal business hours. It is recommended that the employee schedule an appointment with a staff member in the Employee Records department. Before viewing the personnel file, the employee will be asked to complete a Request to View Employee Personnel File Form (Form HCCS-HR-500). This form will be signed by both the employee and the HR Manager of Employee Records and will be placed in the employee\'s personnel file. By signing this document, the employee agrees to the guidelines listed on the form regarding removal, modification, or insertion of any document while viewing his/her personnel file.
The employee\'s current supervisor, the supervisor of a position the employee has recently applied for, or a college official with business reasons, also has the right to view the employee\'s personnel file. It is recommended that the supervisor/college official schedule an appointment prior to viewing the requested file. This will allow the Employee Records department adequate time to ensure that the person making the request meets the above-mentioned criteria. Before viewing the employee\'s file, the supervisor will be asked to complete a Request to View Employee\'s Personnel File -Supervisor\'s Form (Form HCCS-HR-500A). The form will be signed by both the supervisor and the HR Manager of Employee Records, and will be placed in the employee\'s personnel file.
Employees, supervisors, and HR staff requesting to view a file will also be required to sign the Personnel Retrieval Tracking Log before a file is retrieved. The person will be required to submit the reason for retrieving the personnel file. This log will help ensure that confidentiality of all personnel documents within an employee\'s file is maintained.
At no time can any document be removed from the employee\'s personnel file. All documents in the personnel file are the property of the Houston Community College System. All confidential documents are kept in a brown envelope inside the folder. The folder is extracted prior to an individual viewing the employee\'s file, except for the employee himself. If an employee requests to add a document related to his/her work (i.e. commendation), the document must first be initialed by the supervisor and then approved by the HR Manager of Employee Records.
An employee may request a copy of any document in his/her personnel file. There will be a nominal charge of $.10 per sheet assessed to the employee for copying documents. If the number of copies exceeds fifty (50), an "Other Personnel Charge" will be assessed, which is $15 per hour for locating, compiling and reproducing the materials.
The HCC Administration determines what materials may be placed in an employee\'s personnel file. Documents from other employees or outside entities will not be placed in an employee\'s file without the specific approval of the HR Manager of Employee Records or in certain cases, the Associate Vice Chancellor of Human Resources.
HCC is a state institution and is subject to the Public Information Act (PIA). The definition states a public record as being the portion of any document, letter, memorandum, or other written, printed, typed, copied, or developed material that contains public information. This means that the majority of information collected and maintained by the college is available to the public by definition.
The employee does have a right to deny public access to their home address, home telephone number, social security and information that reveals whether the individual has family members. If the employee submitted a completed Public Access Option Form (Form HCCS-HR-501) to the Employee Records office denying public access to this information, then the information will not be used in published directories. However, the College may use this information for any official business purpose, such as mailing correspondence and informational documents to an employee\'s home address. Form HCCS-HR-501 is available in the Human Resources Department.
Notification of Change in Personal Information
It is advised that an employee promptly notify the Employee Records department of any change in address, telephone number, mail code, social security number or name. The employee should submit a signed Personal/Work Information Update Form (Form HCCS-HR-502) to the Employee Records department as soon as possible. If an employee is requesting to change his/her name, a copy of the new social security card, indicating the individual\'s new name, must be submitted (in person) along with the completed form. Click here to access Form HCCS-HR-502. Forms are also available in the Human Resources Department.
NOTE: An employee making any of the changes stated above and are changes that will affect his/her benefits information (ERS, TRS, etc.) must also notify the Human Resources Benefits department.
Verification of Employment
The Employee Records department handles both written and verbal verification requests from the Texas Workforce Commission, TSR (Teacher Service Records), Lending, or Credit Institutions and Government entities. Telephone verifications are handled daily. Title and date of employment are the only two items of information released for telephone queries.
Written verifications are handled on a daily basis with a turnaround time of 48 hours. Title, date of employment, and salary information are released if a signed Borrower\'s authorization form accompanies the request.
When a subpoena is received requesting copies of an employee\'s personnel file, the subpoena is forwarded to the General Counsel for approval. After the Employee Records Manager has been given approval, all requested records are copied and submitted according to instructions. An additional copy of the requested documents is reproduced and stored in a secured area in the Employee Records file room.
Teacher Service Records
An employee (Administrator, Faculty, Librarian or Counselor) who leaves HCC to work at another educational institution may receive credit for the years of service at HCC based on TRS rules regarding earning a credited year of service. A Teacher Service Record form is initiated at the new institution and then forwarded to the HCC Employee Records department for completion and approval. Requests must be made at least thirty (30) days in advance because of the complexity of information involved in calculating service years.
Degree Change Alert
A faculty employee, who completed an additional degree within the fiscal year and whose compensation will be affected by the new degree, must notify the HR Manager of Employee Records no later than the second week of August. An official transcript indicating the conferred degree from an accredited institution of higher learning is required before the paperwork can be submitted to the Human Resources Compensation department. Contact the Employee Records department for additional information.
Transcripts
An official transcript is required for each employee of Houston Community College whose job description requires one. All new employees in this category must submit an official transcript to Employee Records within thirty days of employment.
After such time, supervisors will be notified of incomplete personnel records and will be asked to take further action. Transcripts received from foreign countries are evaluated through an authorized agency (A list of agencies is available in the Employee Records Office). Once the evaluation is received, it is forwarded to the Credentialing Office at 3100 Main for review.
Employees requesting a copy of their transcript for the purpose of applying for positions within HCC will not be made. Employees should request copies of transcripts from their college or university.
Records Retention
Employee personnel records for terminated employees remain on site in the secured Employee Records file room for one year. Thereafter, the file is archived to a secured off-site facility. If an employee requests to view their file after it has been archived, there may be up to a three to four day delay in retrieving the file. Employee Records will arrange a file viewing in conjunction with the delivery of the off-site stored documents. Copies of transcripts, application, etc. can be made upon request for a nominal fee.
