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in any legal hold may be destroyed, even if the scheduled destruction date has passed, until the legal hold is withdrawn in writing by the Executive Director.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
