A. The official personnel file for each employee shall be maintained and retained by the Human Resources Director in the Human Resources Department. Such record shall include the employee’s application for initial County employment; application for transfers or promotions obtained; applications and amendments for benefits; performance evaluations; record of training received; records of commendation both from within the County structure and from without; record of disciplinary action; other records which reflect changes to the employee’s pay grade or step or leaves of absence without pay; and any other records which may be determined necessary or appropriate by the Human Resources Director. Such records shall be a permanent part of the personnel file.

B. Personnel files and records, including medical files and training records, shall be confidential and shall not be released for public information except as provided by law. Personnel files may be inspected by the Human Resources Director and members of the Human Resources Department, the employee or employee’s authorized representative, the County Executive or designee, the employee’s department director or supervisor, departmental training contact for training records, any other department director or Appointing Authority to which the employee has been referred for consideration for transfer or re-employment or certified for consideration for promotion, or other similar circumstance as approved by the Human Resources Director. The Human Resources Department shall record the names of all persons, except employees of the Human Resources Department, who access individual personnel files, but not including electronically generated and maintained files, and the date of access.