How long should information about job-related events be kept?

The following types of job-related information should be retained for the time periods indicated. The applicable federal laws are indicated in parenthesis.

Note: If a discrimination charge is brought, all relevant personnel records must be kept until final disposition of the charge or the action.

The Immigration and Naturalization Service's Form I-9, showing employment eligibility, must be kept for three years after hiring or the date of recruitment or referral. After termination, the form must be kept for a year or three years after the employee's hiring, whichever is later. For employers who have relied on the state employment agency's verification, that certification must be retained for the same time periods.

Applications (Title VII and ADA, one year).

Resumes or other forms of employment inquiry (ADEA, one year).

Hiring (Title VII and ADA, one year).

Job orders submitted by the employer to an employment agency or labor organization (ADEA, one year).

Test papers for a position if the test paper discloses the results of the test (ADEA, one year).

Results of any physical examination that is considered by the employer in connection with personnel action (ADEA, one year).

Advertisements relating to job openings (ADEA, one year).

Promotion (Title VII, ADA and ADEA, one year).

Demotion (Title VII, ADA and ADEA, one year).

Transfers (Title VII, ADA and ADEA, one year).

Layoffs (Title VII, ADA and ADEA, one year).

Termination (Title VII and ADA, one year). Records of involuntarily terminated employees must be kept for a period of one year from the date of termination.

Selection for training or apprenticeship (Title VII, ADA and ADEA, one year)

Requests for accommodation (ADA, one year).

Family and medical leave (FMLA, three years).