Employee files are maintained by the Human Resources Department and are considered confidential. All information in an employee’s personnel file shall be open for inspection and examination to:
- Supervisor of the employee, Members of the General Assembly (authority G.S. 120-19), a party by authority of a proper court order, an official of an agency of the Federal government, State government or any political subdivision thereof.
- The employee, or his/her properly authorized agent. The personnel file may be examined in its entirety except for:
- Letters of reference solicited prior to employment
- Information concerning a medical disability, mental or physical, that a prudent physician would not divulge to a patient. The medical record may be disclosed to a licensed physician designated in writing by the employee. When medical information is obtained on any employee, the physician should indicate any information that should not be disclosed to the employee.
Personnel files are to be reviewed in the Human Resource Department.
Personnel files may not be taken outside of the department.
Representatives of government or law enforcement agencies, in the course of their business, may be allowed access to file information. This decision will be made at the discretion of the Human Resource Department in response to the request, a legal subpoena, or court order.
Many human resources records are confidential according to N.C. Gen. Stat. § 126-22 and § 126-24. In addition, N.C. Gen. Stat. § 126-23 stipulates “the records [about employees] to which there is a right of inspection and copying” (including name; age; dates of employment, promotion, demotion, transfer, suspension, or separation; terms of contract; current position and title; and current salary along with dates of any increases or decreases). For personnel files of criminal justice officers, please consult 12 NCAC 09C .0307 for the mandatory records of certification that must be housed in the personnel file.