Records Management

Records Management

HR Reports Management and Retention Policy

UWM employees who create and use reports generated from HRS systems are reminded that the data contained within these systems are public records per Wisconsin’s Public Records Law, Wis. Stat. 16.61. In most cases, these reports are considered to be derived data or “convenience copies,” and are as a result not subject to most retention requirements. However, if you are maintaining HRS-generated reports in your personal or office filing systems for verification or audit purposes, the reports become official records subject to the Public Records Law and any and all Records Retention and Disposition Authorities (RRDAs) or “records schedules.” Custodians of these records shall be held responsible for proper management, retention and disposition of these records, including ensuring the continued authenticity and accessibility of electronic records and managing data security.

Additionally, these records may also be subject to Wis. Stat. 19.31-19.39 (Open Records Law) which allows residents of Wisconsin to request access to public records and requires public agencies to provide that access in a timely manner. Inability to provide access to public records may bring legal or financial penalties to the University.

All reports may or may not already be associated with an existing RRDA, or “records schedule,” which provides retention guidance and legally sanctions the destruction or archiving of records at the end of their active life, as appropriate. If no records schedule exists, report custodians should work with UWM Records Management to develop and approve an appropriate RRDA. The Wisconsin Public Records board approves new RRDAs four times per year. All records schedules sunset, or expire, after 10 years, at which point their associated records groups must be re-scheduled.

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