Q
Dear Workforce:
How long should HR keep employment applications?
Leticia, Baptist Hospital.
A
Dear Leticia:
For auditing purposes, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) require that applications for individuals who have been considered for a position be kept on file for up to three years.
For example, at the end of 1999, a company could dispose of applications dated 1997, and so on. One exception–if a job candidate has filed a lawsuit, their application should be kept permanently.
SOURCE: Ceridian Employer Services, Minneapolis, February 8, 2000.
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