{"id":4788,"date":"2016-04-04T10:47:45","date_gmt":"2016-04-04T15:47:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ability-fl-prod.internetbrands.com\/ability-law\/smallbusiness\/employment-law-and-human-resources\/who-can-look-at-employee-personnel-files.html"},"modified":"2026-08-31T11:26:55","modified_gmt":"2026-08-31T16:26:55","slug":"who-can-look-at-employee-personnel-files","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/smallbusiness\/employment-law-and-human-resources\/who-can-look-at-employee-personnel-files.html","title":{"rendered":"Who Can Access Employee Personnel Files?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Who Can Access Employee Personnel Files?<\/h1>\n\n
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\n By Catherine Hodder, Esq.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Laura Temme, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
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Editorial Note: We earn a commission from affiliate partner links on FindLaw. Commissions do not affect the editorial integrity of our legal content.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n \n

\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n

Access to an employee’s personnel file<\/span> is limited to the employee, human resources<\/span>, company management, and certain government agencies. While employees often have a right to view their own files, employers can set policies on when and how this happens. State and federal laws<\/span> dictate how this sensitive information<\/span> must be stored and secured, with separate, stricter rules for medical records<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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In this article, we\u2019ll cover the basics of access to employee information<\/span>. Because access rights vary across the country, consider consulting with a\u00a0local employment attorney<\/a>\u00a0to ensure your policies comply.<\/p>\n

What Is in a Personnel File?<\/h2>\n

An employee personnel file<\/span> is a collection of sensitive information<\/span>. Business owners<\/span> should understand what to keep in an employee’s personnel file<\/span><\/a>, as these documents contain private details about workers and proprietary company information.<\/p>\n

Common documents may include:<\/p>\n