On September 9, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed into law the Employee Access to Personnel Records bill, which amends New York Labor Law to add new section 210-b. Modeled after a similar Massachusetts personnel records law, the statute grants current and former employees access to their personnel records upon request and imposes new notice and record-retention obligations on New York employers.
The law covers both public and private employers, including individuals, corporations, partnerships, labor organizations, unincorporated associations, other legal businesses, governmental and public employers, and employer agents. It requires employers to provide current and former employees with a copy of their “personnel record” (as defined in the statute and summarized below) within five business days of a written request, at no cost to the employee.
Employers must also notify employees within 10 days of placing information in their personnel records that may negatively affect their employment, promotion, transfer, compensation, or potential discipline. If an employee disputes information contained in the personnel record, the employee may submit a written statement to respond to such information.
Under the new law, to the extent employers create personnel records, they are required to maintain them from the date of employment through three years after termination. If an employer maintains a written personnel policy regarding the terms and conditions...
Millions of Aussies will be cheering Ben Roberts-Smith after seeing his publicity campaign. But we must leave all these matters to a criminal court to decide – this time beyond reasonable doubt.