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Policies

Record Retention Policy

POLICY 1.25                      RECORD RETENTION POLICY

 

Tri-County Humane Society takes seriously its obligations to preserve information relating to litigation, audits, and investigations.

The information listed in the retention schedule below is intended as a guideline and may not contain all the records Tri-County Humane Society may be required to keep in the future.  Questions regarding the retention of documents not listed in this chart should be directed to the Executive Director.

From time to time, the Executive Director may issue a notice, known as a “legal hold,” suspending the destruction of records due to pending, threatened, or otherwise reasonably foreseeable litigation, audits, government investigations, or similar proceedings. No records specified in any legal hold may be destroyed, even if the scheduled destruction date has passed, until the legal hold is withdrawn in writing by the Executive Director.

 

Corporate Records

Bylaws and Articles of Incorporation

Permanent

 

Corporate resolutions

Permanent

 

Board and committee meeting agendas and minutes

Permanent

 

Conflict-of-interest disclosure forms

4 years
 

Finance and Administration

Financial statements (audited)

7 years

 

Auditor management letters

7 years

 

Payroll records

7 years

 

Check register and checks

7 years

 

Bank deposits and statements

7 years

 

Chart of accounts

7 years

 

General ledgers and journals (includes bank reconciliations)

7 years

 

Investment performance reports

7 years

 

Equipment files and maintenance records

7 years after disposition

 

Contracts and agreements

7 years after all obligations end

 

Correspondence — general

3 years

 

Insurance Records

Policies — occurrence type

Permanent

Policies — claims-made type

Permanent

 

Accident reports

7 years

 

Safety (OSHA) reports

7 years

 

Claims (after settlement)

7 years

 

Group disability records

7 years after end of benefits

 

Real Estate

Deeds

Permanent

Leases (expired)

7 years after all obligations end

 

Mortgages, security agreements

7 years after all obligations end

 

Tax

IRS exemption determination and related correspondence

Permanent

 

IRS Form 990s

7 years

 

Charitable Organizations Registration Statements (filed with Minnesota Attorney General)

7 years

 

Human Resources

Employee personnel files

Permanent

 

Retirement plan benefits (plan descriptions, plan documents)

Permanent

 

Employee handbooks

Permanent

 

Workers comp claims (after settlement)

7 years

 

Employee orientation and training materials

7 years after use ends

 

Employment applications

3 years

 

IRS Form I-9 (store separate from personnel file)

Greater of 1 year after end of service, or three years

 

Withholding tax statements

7 years

 

Timecards

3 years

 

Benefits Documents

7 years  

 

Technology

Software licenses and support agreements

7 years after all obligations end

 

1.     Electronic Documents and Records.

Electronic documents will be retained as if they were paper documents.  Therefore, any electronic files that fall into one of the document types on the above schedule will be maintained for the appropriate amount of time. If a user has sufficient reason to keep an e-mail message, the message should be printed in hard copy and kept in the appropriate file or moved to an “archive” computer file folder. Backup and recovery methods will be tested on a regular basis.

2.     Emergency Planning.

Tri-County Humane Society’s records will be stored in a safe, secure, and accessible manner. Documents and financial files that are essential to keeping Tri-County Humane Society operating in an emergency will be duplicated or backed up at least every week and maintained off-site.

3.     Document Destruction.

The Executive Director is responsible for the ongoing process of identifying its records, which have met the required retention period, and overseeing their destruction.  Destruction of financial and personnel-related documents will be accomplished by shredding.

Document destruction will be suspended immediately, upon any indication of an official investigation or when a lawsuit is filed or appears imminent. Destruction will be reinstated upon conclusion of the investigation.

4.     Compliance.

Failure on the part of employees to follow this policy can result in possible civil and criminal sanctions against Tri-County Humane Society and its employees and possible disciplinary action against responsible individuals. The Executive Director and Board Chair will periodically review these procedures with legal counsel or Tri-County Humane Society’s certified public accountant to ensure that they are in compliance with new or revised regulations.

 

Approved March 25, 201

2023 Facts:

  • Animals Placed

    4,764

  • Number of Animals Transferred In

    464

  • Total Surgeries

    3,204

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