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Retention Guidelines for Common Administrative Records of the Government of Canada

Section 2, Part 5

Human Resources Management Function
(Subject-based arrangement)

Section 3 - Exceptions to General Retention Guidelines

Subject Group	Subject and Description	Retention Guidelines and / or Remarks Always apply the General Retention Guideline unless specified otherwise
3.1 Appointments	Appealed appointments	5 years from the last administrative action3
	Indeterminate, term and acting appointments	5 years from the last administrative action4
3.2 Awards and Honours	Decorations, medals, investiture and outstanding achievement. Includes records relating to all aspects of the Incentive Award Plan, such as documentation on all long service, merit, special and suggestion awards; all corporate awards of excellence, outstanding achievement, and senior officer retirement certificates; all awards for inventors and innovators including departmental award plans, payment structure of those plans; and all scholarships, fellowships, and bursaries
	Incentive Award Plan, suggestion, merit and long service awards
	Individual awards funded by the institution	Award files, 2 years after last administrative use. Financial files, 6 fiscal years. Precedent setting files, 15 years. See Treasury Board's publication Info Source: Sources of Federal Employee Information, Standard Bank PSE 920, Recognition Policy, for additional information on this standard bank.
	Rejected suggestions and nominations	2 years after last administrative use
	Responses from institutions not directly responsible for funding	2 years after last administrative use
	Individual decorations, medals, investiture and outstanding achievement awards	3 years
3.3 Classification	The analysis of functions resulting in the formulation of an organization structure and its positions. Includes records related to occupational groups and categories, relative salaries, pay rates, classification standards and policies, classification review, delegation and application of standards, conversion of positions, development, review and dissemination of classification standards, and classification delegation
	Position files (work descriptions)	1 year after superseded or obsolete
3.4 Employee Assistance Program (EAP)	Includes records relating to all aspects of the EAP, including policies and directives, Code of Ethics, assessments of the programme, contracts for outside services, advice, medical diagnosis, referrals, training, and monitoring (including statistics and summaries, and audits)
	Documentation concerning a specific employee	2 years after the date of the client's most recent contact with EAP. This retention is governed by the Privacy Act and must be adhered to. See Treasury Board's publication Info Source: Sources of Federal Employee Information, Standard Bank PSE 916, Employee Assistance, for additional information on this standard bank.
3.5 Employment Equity	Includes material pertaining to the programmes and activities that ensure equitable representation and distribution in the Public Service of Aboriginal people, members of visible minority groups, persons with disabilities and women. May include such information as: the monitoring of employment equity performance, progress reports, a record of employees who have been provided with attendant or other specialized services; the nature and the cost of specialized services; statistical data in order to enable the development of policies, programs and practices that are sensitive and responsive to the multicultural reality of Canada. Also includes records on all aspects of employment equity, as it relates to staffing, such as documents on broad training and development programmes, employee services, central agency supporting activities, and recruitment programmes, and documentation on specific programmes and services, including the Management Trainee Program, Career Assignment Program, the Interchange Canada Program, the Diversity Management Technology Centre, Technology Assisted Diversity, job accommodation, career progression towards executive levels, and all employment equity programmes related to staffing.
	Annual Employment Equity reports	2 years after the report is filed. Where a private sector employer has generated its annual employment equity report using specially designed computer software, the employer shall maintain a copy of the database or other computer record used to generate the report for two (2) years after the year in respect of which the report is filed.5 This retention is governed by the Employment Equity Act and must be adhered to.
	Records related to employees' designated group membership, occupational group classification, salary and salary increases, promotions	Place on the employee's Personnel file
	Records related to workforce survey questionnaires, workforce analyses, reviews of employment systems, employment equity plans including monitoring of implementation, employment equity activities and information provided to employees	2 years6 after the period covered by the institution's Employment Equity Plan to which the records relate. This retention is governed by the Employment Equity Act and must be adhered to. See Treasury Board's publication Info Source: Sources of Federal Employee Information, Standard Bank PSE 918, Employment Equity Program, for additional information on this standard bank.
	Terminated Employees	3 years after the date of termination.7 This retention is governed by the Canada Labour Code, Canada Labour Standards Regulations, and must be adhered to.
3.6 Exchanges, Deployments, Assignments, Loans, Secondments	Includes records on all aspects of deployments, assignments, and secondments, such as letters stating new job, departmental policies and procedures on deployment, the Record of Staffing Transaction, complaints about deployment and reviews of complaints, and documentation notifying employees of their right to refer complaints to the Public Service Commission	3 years after arrangement ceases
3.7 Hours of Work and Overtime	Regular, compressed and flexible hours of work, overtime authorization, reports of overtime performed, time off, etc…
3.8 Human Resources Planning and Utilization	Allocation, control, planning requirements and utilization. Includes , performance, attendance, leave, and FTE utilization and records relating to determination of departmental and service-wide objectives, all levels of plans addressing human resource considerations, from individual career management to corporate level Multi-Year Human resource Plans, and related documentation such as analyses, studies, reviews, and audits
	Attendance and Punctuality
	Registers, reports, etc.	2 years after fiscal year expires
	Performance reviews, assessments and appraisals
	Includes departmental policies and procedures, and related documentation such as employee objectives and expected results, and formal performance assessments.
	Documentation concerning a specific employee	5 years for all employees.8 See Treasury Board's publication Info Source: Sources of Federal Employee Information, Standard Bank PSE 912, Performance Reviews and Employee Appraisals for additional information on this standard bank.
	Performance Measurement (corporate measures)	3 years
	Reports and statistics	3 years
	Studies, Surveys and Systems (may include Personnel management surveys, studies and systems)	3 years after study/survey has ceased or system has been implemented.
3.9 Income Tax	Statements of personal exemptions and deductions	2 years after superseded
3.10 Insurance	Compensation for Work-Related Injury or Death
	Includes records relating to all aspects of work-related injury or death, including employment injury benefits (workers' compensation), provincial benefits, injury-on-duty leave, and related plans.	13 years9
	Health insurance
	Includes records relating to all aspects of health insurance, such as all documentation on programmes concerning the following; general health care, supplementary coverage for employees in Canada, comprehensive coverage for employees serving outside Canada, all Executive Group provincial health insurance, and eye and dental care.
	Life insurance
	Includes records relating to life insurance plans and policies for employees, including those excluded from collective bargaining, such as documentation on the insurer, the Board of Trustees, legislative authorities, pay, and eligibility.
	Long-Term Disability Insurance
	Includes records related to all aspects of disability insurance
3.11 Leave and Holidays	Annual, casual, furlough, maternity, overtime, sick, special and other types of leave
	Leave forms	2 years after expiry of fiscal year (leave forms are not be filed on Employee Personnel files; however, the annual record of attendance and leave may be attached to the Employee Personnel Record). This retention is governed by the Privacy Act and must be adhered to. See Treasury Board's publication Info Source: Sources of Federal Employee Information, Standard Bank PSE 903, Attendance and Leave, for additional information on this standard bank.
	Maternity leave and benefits
	Includes records relating to all aspects of maternity benefits, including documentation on the supplemental unemployment benefit plans, parental benefits, maternity leave without pay, sick leave, vacation leave, and compensatory leave.
	Celebrations and holidays
	Government observance of…	1 year
3.12 Oaths or Solemn Affirmations	Records regarding the administration of oaths or solemn affirmations in appointment situations
3.13 Occupational safety and health	Records related to all aspects of occupational safety and health, including documentation on the Canada Labour Code, Labour Canada and Health Canada directives, including documentation on working conditions such as clothing directives and workplace fitness programmes, occupational safety and health programmes, TB policies and standards, training, employee assistance services, monitoring (including inspection reports, investigation reports, testing reports, statistical reports, annual management reports, and multi-year human resources plans), cost, advice, research and special studies.
	First aid treatment	10 years. Records are retained by institutions in the appropriate responsibility centre. See Treasury Board's publication Info Source: Sources of Federal Employee Information, Standard Bank PSE 907, Occupational Safety and Health for additional information.10
	Incidents: Non exposure to a hazardous substance
	Accident and occupational injury or illness investigation reports, including related correspondence and the supervisor's Accident Investigation Report	10 years. Records are retained by institutions in the appropriate responsibility centre. See Treasury Board's publication Info Source: Sources of Federal Employee Information, Standard Bank PSE 907, Occupational Safety and Health for additional information.
	Incidents resulting from exposure to a hazardous substance
	Accident and occupational injury or illness investigation reports, including related correspondence and supervisor's Accident Investigation Report	30 years.11 Records are retained by institutions in the appropriate responsibility centre. See Treasury Board's publication Info Source: Sources of Federal Employee Information, Standard Bank PSE 907, Occupational Safety and Health for additional information.
	Inspection, investigation and testing reports12 into accidents, occupational injuries and illness affecting personnel that involve:
	Airborne chemical agents and dangerous substances	3 years after testing
	Boilers, pressure vessels, piping systems	10 years after inspection
	Hazardous occurrences involving damage to boilers, pressure vessels, piping systems and elevating devices, rendering them unserviceable	10 years after occurrence
	Materiel handling equipment	1 year after report signed
	Motor vehicle operators' daily record reports (where required)	1 year after report signed
	Regarding elevating devices, dangerous substances, confined spaces, protection equipment, hazardous occurrences, meetings and drills for emergency evacuation plans	2 years after signing submission or test
	Working conditions
	Includes records relating to all aspects of working conditions, including clothing directives; workplace fitness programmes; smoking in the workplace; HIV and AIDS; general directives and standards; procedures, guides and advisory notices
3.14 Official Languages	Encompasses the business processes and activities which produce records created in the course of identifying human resource needs in a federal institution. More specifically, official languages policies and guidelines flow from the legal obligations imposed on the Treasury Board and federal institutions by the Official Languages Act13 and its pursuant regulations. Policies cover such areas as service to the public, language of work, equitable participation, and the programme management measures to ensure that the policies are respected and successfully implemented.
	Communications with the public
	Includes records on all aspects of service to the public in both official languages, including directives on the application of legislation, and actual communication with the public in various forms such as signs, advertisements, information booklets, publications, reports, documents on health, safety, or security, information sessions, national or international events etc…
	Position files (determining the linguistic profile of positions)	1 year after superseded or obsolete. Note: Language examination exemption and training records to be placed on Personnel (Employee) file.
3.15 Passports and Visas	Routine correspondence, applications for the purpose of staffing, etc.	2 years
3.16 Personnel (Employee) Files	Provides information related to an individual's employment with government institutions as listed in the Schedule to the Privacy Act. The official institutional file contains documentation on service of an individual employee of the Crown, made or received by the institution in which that person is employed and may contain some or all of the following information: name, contact information, biographical information (including any military service, professional certifications or designations), citizenship status, date and place of birth, educational information, employee identification number, employment equity information, delegated authorities given or assets loaned to employees (e.g., staffing and financial signing authorities, usage of institutional materiel), alternative work arrangements (e.g., telework, compressed work week), information related to superannuation, benefits, training and development, grievances, security incidents, any other employment-related requirements (e.g., firearms permits, security clearances, passport/visa information), financial information (for pay administration), medical information (including any special needs identified under duty to accommodate, or in the event of an emergency), other identification numbers, signature and Social Insurance Number (SIN).	Retention and Disposal Standard. The personnel file shall be retained by the employing government institution (as defined under section 3 of the Privacy Act) for the duration of employment plus one (1) year. The government institution shall then transfer the file to Library and Archives Canada Regional Service Centre. Library and Archives Canada will destroy the civilian personnel file when the individual reaches eighty (80) years of age or two years after the individual's death, if there is no further action pending.
3.17 Retirements and Separations	Including dismissals, lay-offs, resignations, retirements, work force adjustment programs such as Early Retirement Incentive, Early Departure Incentive, termination of employment due to Alternative Delivery situations
	Documentation concerning a specific employee	Place on the Personnel (employee) file.
	Leave forms	2 years after expiry of fiscal year (leave forms are not be filed on Employee Personnel files; however, the annual record of attendance and leave may be attached to the Employee Personnel Record). This retention is governed by the Privacy Act and must be adhered to. See Treasury Board's publication Info Source: Sources of Federal Employee Information, Standard Bank PSE 903, Attendance and Leave, for additional information on this standard bank.
3.18 Salaries and Wages	Casuals and seasonals
	Rates of pay, statements of hours worked, etc.
	Pay
	Administration (includes records relating to pay administration such as documentation on collective agreements; terms and conditions of employment; pay rate selection; pay rate change; additions to basic pay; deductions from pay, including mandatory deductions such as pension and voluntary deductions; recovery of amounts due to the Crown; part-time, casual, and seasonal employees; and terminations of employment
	Documentation concerning a specific employee	2 years after expiry of fiscal year
	Rates of pay
	for excluded and unrepresented employees
	Special Assignment Pay Plan (SAPP)
	Documentation concerning special recruitment, special projects, training and development, and pre-retirement projects; quotas; individuals taking on special assignments, rationale for the assignment, dates and possible extension of the assignment
	Salary Administration Policy
	Includes records relating to all policies directed at specific groups of employees, including reviews and audits of the application of these policies
3.19 Special Programs	Executive Group - Includes all records relating to the EX category of employees, such as documentation on delegation of organizational authority; use of ADM and other ADM titles; classification of Executive Group positions; performance review and employee appraisal; deployment of executives; terms and conditions of employment; salary administration; National Defence Medical Centre Services; and pensions.
	Individual appraisals	5 years15
3.20 Staff Relations	Management of relationships between labour and the employer which includes negotiating and interpreting collective agreements and other understandings with recognized labour representatives, including designation activities, grievance and recourse processes, and processes related to discipline and non-disciplinary demotion and termination of employment. Strikes also form part of the staff relations sub-function.
	Adjudication
	Administration of grievance adjudication relating to such documentation as that forwarded to Treasury Board, including replies, the grievance, letters of discipline, termination, or demotion, and other supporting documentation such as investigation reports, subpoenas, payment records and final decisions.
	Documentation concerning a specific employee	3 years following the date of resolution or date of decision by the Public Service Labour Relations Board. See Treasury Board's publication Info Source: Sources of Federal Employee Information, Standard Bank PSE 910, Grievances, for additional information on this standard bank.
	Alternate Dispute resolution	3 years after decision made or case withdrawn
	Individual cases
	Anti-discrimination complaints	2 years after last administrative use
	Documentation concerning a specific employee
	Appeals and grievances
	Policies, methods and procedures for handling appeals, complaints and grievances of employees. Includes such records as classification grievances, grievances relating to collective agreements, termination or demotion, and related advice from or in consultation with Treasury Board, etc.
	Documentation concerning a specific employee	3 years following the date of resolution or date of decision by the Public Service Labour Relations Board. See Treasury Board's publication Info Source: Sources of Federal Employee Information, Standard Bank PSE 910, Grievances, for additional information on this standard bank.
	Collective Bargaining agreements
	Includes records on all aspects of negotiating collective agreements, their interpretation, and administration, including certification; managerial or confidential positions; and collective bargaining.
	Individual agreements	1 year after expiry of agreement
	Designation process
	Includes departmental reviews of positions, negotiations between departments and unions, referrals of positions in dispute to the Designation Review Panel, and PSLRB decisions; and all supporting documentation, such as notifications of positions to be designated, and reviews and updates of designation records.
	Discipline and non-disciplinary demotion or termination of employment
	Documentation concerning a specific employee including documentation related to disciplinary action.	The time limit for disposal is that specified in applicable collective agreements or a minimum of two (2) years following the date of disciplinary action, provided no further disciplinary action has been recorded in the meantime. In cases where a disciplinary action has been rescinded, the onus is on the institution to ensure that the documentation of the action concerned is immediately destroyed. Note that notices of disciplinary action may be attached to the Employee Personnel Record. This is a Retention and Disposal Standard governed by the Privacy Act and prescribed by Treasury Board that must be adhered to. See Treasury Board's publication Info Source: Sources of Federal Employee Information, Standard Bank PSE 911, Discipline, for additional information on this standard bank.
	Records relating to the development and maintenance of, amendments to, codes of discipline; disciplinary actions, including background and supporting documentation; non-disciplinary demotion or termination of employment (such as documentation sent to employees stating reasons for demotion or termination of employment and the right to grieve, and supporting documents).
	Managerial and confidential exclusions
	Casual, part time, managerial and confidential exclusions from collective bargaining agreements, etc.	3 years after decision made or case withdrawn
	Mediation - Individual cases
	Personal harassment
	Matters dealing with complaints of personal harassment
	Documentation concerning a specific employee	2 years after the most recent administrative activity in relation to an individual case. Such information must be retained as a separate record and not placed on the complainant's Employee Personnel Record. This retention is governed by the Privacy Act and must be adhered to. See Treasury Board's publication Info Source: Sources of Federal Employee Information, Standard Bank PSE 919, Harassment, for additional information on this standard bank.
	Strikes
	Includes records relating to strikes, such as documentation on planning for strikes, steps to take when a strike is expected or imminent, information on the operational impact of a strike, number of employees on strike and at work, material on picketing of government premises, strike logs, and other detailed information; legal records including prosecutions, back-to-work injunctions, affidavits, and supportive relevant documentary material.
	Transfer of pregnant employees
	Includes records relating to the transfer of pregnant employees, such as policy implementation, complaints and grievances.
	Union Dues check-off
	Includes records relating to all aspects of deduction and remittance of union dues, including starting and stopping dues, deductions, changing dues deductions, completing and distributing required forms, collecting arrears and overpayment refunds, and related documentation, such as applications for exemptions, pay input documents (or requests for refund forms), and PSAC payroll identification form.
	Values and Ethics Code for the Public Service16
	Includes records related to the Code (Values and Ethics Code for the Public Service), such as employee certification forms, confidential reports, and documentation related to divestment of assets or curtail activities, exit arrangements, as well as all departmental reports and audit and evaluation reports on the Code's application.	Retained by the employing institution to which the Certification Document and Confidential Report were submitted for the duration of employment plus two (2) years. This retention is governed by the Privacy Act and must be adhered to. See Treasury Board's publication Info Source: Sources of Federal Employee Information, Standard Bank PSE 915, Values and Ethics Code for the Public Service, for additional information on this standard bank.
	Documentation concerning a specific employee
3.21 Staffing	Includes delegated staffing, selection standards, statements of qualifications, recruitment and special programs, competitions and exams, priority lists and documentation related to staffing of bilingual positions and priority lists.
	Advertising of job openings	1 year
	Applications
	Applications not considered when staffing a position	6 months17
	Solicited and unsolicited applications which have been considered in a staffing process	2 years following expiry of the eligibility list for a staffing action or two years after last administrative use, whichever is later. This retention is governed by the Privacy Act and must be adhered to. See Treasury Board's publication Info Source: Sources of Federal Employee Information, Standard Bank PSE 902, Staffing, for additional information on this standard bank.
	Competitions /competition posters, exams and test results	2 years following expiry of the eligibility list for a staffing action or two years after last administrative use, whichever is later. This retention is governed by the Privacy Act and must be adhered to. See Treasury Board's publication Info Source: Sources of Federal Employee Information, Standard Bank PSE 902, Staffing, for additional information on this standard bank.
	Inventories (Personnel inventory systems such as the Management Resource Information System (MRIS), Human Resources Information System (HRIS), etc…)
	Individual positions	Until superseded or obsolete
	Probation
	Includes material on all appointments from outside the public service relating to an employee's probationary period, such as explicit standards and expectations, notice of rejection, and documentation relating to the performance levels of the employee	Place on Personnel (employee) file
	Recruitment and recruitment programs Programs
	Co-operative programs with universities, colleges, etc., work experience, winter works, etc.
	Staffing bilingual positions (includes documentation relating to imperative and non-imperative staffing, language proficiency assessments (including Second Language Evaluation tests in relation to staffing), recourse, special submissions to exempt employees from language training (excludes training and development), and related policies and procedures
	Individual Cases when staffing is considered	2 years following expiry of the eligible list for a staffing action or two years after the last administrative action.
3.22 Superannuation	Documentation concerning a specific employee	Place on the employee's Personnel file
3.23 Training and Development	Includes records on all aspects of training and development, including plans based on human resource requirements, and all records related to employment equity, course, schedules, cost, granted leave, TBS policies and standards and service-wide training goals, management training, communications training, language training, health and safety training, operational or in-house training; and all documentation such as audits, annual management reports, and departmental reports on training produced according to Training Information System (TIS) requirements, etc… Note: Training records (participation and achievement) on individuals to be placed on the Personnel (employee) file.
	Classification training and accreditation (records relating to all aspects of training classification specialists, including minimum requirements and departmental criteria, course information (e.g., Introductory Course in Classification), and written assessments of participants' performance.)
	Individual cases	2 years after completion of the particular training and development undertaken by an employee. Participation and achievement records are placed on the employee's Personnel File. This retention is governed by the Privacy Act and must be adhered to. See Treasury Board's publication Info Source: Sources of Federal Employee Information, Standard Bank PSE 905, Training and Development for additional information on this standard.
	Language examination, exemption and training records	Place on the employee's Personnel file. See Treasury Board's publication Info Source: Sources of Federal Employee Information, Standard Bank PSE 906, Official Languages for additional information on this standard bank.
	Course applications, enrolment, attendance, qualifications, etc…	2 years after date of last documentation. This retention is governed by the Privacy Act and must be adhered to. See Treasury Board's publication Info Source: Sources of Federal Employee Information, Standard Bank PSE 906, Official Languages, for additional information on this standard bank.
	Occupational Safety and Health training and instruction
	CPR Certificates	1 year after training
	First Aid Certificates	3 years after training
	For emergency wardens	2 years after training
	Regarding dangerous substances (i.e. handling or being exposed to hazardous substances; installing, operating, maintaining or repairing pipes, valves, safety devices etc., used for transferring hazardous substances)	2 years after employee ceases to handle, be exposed to the hazardous substance; or to install, operate, maintain, or repair pipes etc… for transferring the dangerous substance. Participation and achievement records are placed on the employee's Personnel File.
	Other Training and Development undertaken by Employee (not including language, classification, occupational safety and health, and Supervisor / Manager/ Executive training)	2 years after completion of particular training and development undertaken by an employee. Participation and achievement records are placed on the employee's Personnel File. This retention is governed by the Privacy Act and must be adhered to. See Treasury Board's publication Info Source: Sources of Federal Employee Information, Standard Bank PSE 905, Training and Development for additional information on this standard bank.
	Training and development undertaken by supervisors, managers and executives. Includes training regarding departmental policy, career development plans, investment developmental programmes and activities such as the Interchange Canada Program, self-funded leave and Management Trainee Program	2 years after completion of particular training and development undertaken by an employee. Participation and achievement records are placed on the employee's Personnel File. This retention is governed by the Privacy Act and must be adhered to. See Treasury Board's publication Info Source: Sources of Federal Employee Information, Standard Bank PSE 905, Training and Development for additional information on this standard bank.
3.24 Transfers and Postings	Documentation concerning a specific employee	Place on the employee's Personnel file
3.25 Workplace Day Care Centres	Includes records related to the establishment of workplace day care centres, including surveys, statistics, policy evaluation data, and annual data from lead departments and custodian departments
	Employee surveys and other documentation related to the establishment of workplace day care centres which were not established.	5 years after the completion of the viability study provided 2 years have elapsed since the last administrative use. See Treasury Board's publication Info Source: Sources of Federal Employee Information, Standard Bank PSE 930, Workplace Day Care, for additional information on this standard bank.
	Employee surveys, workplace day care centre records and other documentation related to operational workplace day care centres including documentation in support of monitoring, evaluation and reporting.	5 years after the Workplace Day Care Centre ceases to operate provided 2 years have elapsed since the last administrative use. See Treasury Board's publication Info Source: Sources of Federal Employee Information, Standard Bank PSE 930, Workplace Day Care, for additional information on this standard bank.

3. As per the new Public Service Employment Act which came into force on December 31, 2005, under the Appointment Delegation and Accountability Instrument, Conditions of Delegation, it states that "In exercising delegated authorities, you and your sub-delegated officials will: …ensure that appointment and appointment-related decisions are fully documented and are accessible for a period of five years from the last administrative action."

4. As per the new Public Service Employment Act which came into force on December 31, 2005, under the Appointment Delegation and Accountability Instrument, Conditions of Delegation, it states that "In exercising delegated authorities, you and your sub-delegated officials will: …ensure that appointment and appointment-related decisions are fully documented and are accessible for a period of five years from the last administrative action."

5. As per the Employment Equity Act regulations under section 12 (3) "Where a private sector employer has generated its annual employment equity report required by subsection 18(1) of the Act using specially designed computer software such as Employment Equity Computerized Reporting System (EECRS), the employer shall maintain a copy of the database or other computer record used to generate the report for two years after the year in respect of which the report is filed.

6. 2 years as per the Employment Equity Act regulations which state in section 12 (2) that "Records referred to in paragraphs 11(e) to (j) shall be kept for two years after the period covered by the employment equity plan to which the records relate."

7. As per the Canada Labour Code (1985), under the Canada Labour Standards Regulations, Section 24. Keeping of Records, (1) "Every employer shall make and keep a record in respect of each employee showing the date of commencement of employment and the date of termination of employment and shall keep such record for a period of at least 36 months after the date of termination of employment." Note that although the Employment Equity Act regulations state in section 12 (1) that "Records referred to in paragraphs 11(a) to (d) in respect of terminated employees shall be kept for two years after the date of their termination," LAC recommends institutions adopt the longer retention period cited in the Canada Labour Standards Regulations.

8. Retention guidance cited as per 1998 directive from former National Archivist, Jean-Pierre Wallot, following a proposal from the Personnel Policy Branch of Treasury Board Secretariat.

9. As per the Canada Labour Code (1985), under the Canada Labour Standards Regulations, Section 24. Keeping of Records, (4) Every employer shall keep for a period of at least three years after the expiration of the employer's obligation under subsection 239.1(3) of the Act, the following information:

(a) detailed reasons for an employee's absence due to work-related illness or injury;
(b) a copy of any certificate of a qualified medical practitioner indicating that the employee is fit to return to work

Etc… As per Treasury Boards Chapter 2-5 First-aid Safety and Health Directive under First-aid treatment and reporting "Departments and agencies shall maintain, at each place of employment, a written record of every injury or illness which requires first-aid treatment, and such record shall be maintained for ten years following treatment." Also quoting this same directive under Application it states that "This standard incorporates the minimum requirements of the Canada Labour Code, Part II, and applicable regulations issued pursuant to that legislation and applies to all departments and other portions of the Public Service, as defined in Part I of Schedule I of the Public Service Labour Relations Act."

10. Formerly 5 years retention guidance provided. The reason for roll-p to 10 years: As per Treasury Board's Chapter 2-5 First-aid Safety and Health Directive under First-aid treatment and reporting "Departments and agencies shall maintain, at each place of employment, a written record of every injury or illness which requires first-aid treatment, and such record shall be maintained for ten years following treatment." Also quoting this same directive under Application it states that "This standard incorporates the minimum requirements of the Canada Labour Code, Part II, and applicable regulations issued pursuant to that legislation and applies to all departments and other portions of the Public Service, as defined in Part I of Schedule I of the Public Service Labour Relations Act.

11. As per Treasury Board's Hazardous Substances Directive under section 2.2 Hazard Investigation, 2.2.5 Departments shall retain a report referred to in subsection 2.2.4 for a period of thirty years after the date on which the qualified person signed the report.

12. Prior to the destruction of any records dealing with Occupational Safety and Health inspection, investigation and testing reports, institutions should consult Part II of the Canada Labour Code and supporting Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, as well as existing TB Directives, Standards and procedures governing Occupational Safety and Health.

13. Justice Canada has confirmed that although a 1988 OLA did exist, the latest version is 1985, 4th Supplement, Chapter 31.

14. As per the new Public Service Employment Act which came into force on December 31, 2005, under the Appointment Delegation and Accountability Instrument, Conditions of Delegation, it states that "In exercising delegated authorities, you and your sub-delegated officials will: …ensure that appointment and appointment-related decisions are fully documented and are accessible for a period of five years from the last administrative action."

15. In May 1988 TBS proposed amending the retention period covering performance appraisal reports for management personnel [i.e. the Executive Group maintained in the Central Bank PSC PCE 734 - Management Resource Information System (MRIS)]and for all other non-management personnel from 10 years and 3 years respectively, to a uniform 5 years. Library and Archives Canada agreed to this change and issued an amendment to the General Records Disposal Schedule to this effect on September 9, 1988. This amendment is still valid.

16. Conflict of Interest and Post-Employment Code was replaced with the Values and Ethics Code for the Public Service on September 1st, 2003.

17. January 13, 1989 LAC received a letter from Treasury Board Secretariat indicating that, they had - in consultation with the Public Service Commission - received a legal opinion from the Department of Justice that unsolicited applications are not used for an administrative purpose as defined in Section 3 of the Privacy Act, unless they are actually considered when staffing a position. Thus, the two year retention period set forth in Section 4 (1) of the Privacy Act Regulations does not therefore apply to unsolicited applications. A six month retention period was suggested by TBS and agreed upon by the Public Service Commission, and Library and Archives of Canada, who issued an amendment to the General Records Disposal Schedules on July 7, 1989 to this effect. The amendment also stated that, any unsolicited application actually considered when staffing a vacancy would continue to be subject to the Privacy Act and were to be retained for two years.

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