In the last two articles, we reviewed Personnel and Medical file basics including what should and should not be in these files, where and how they should be stored and who has access to them. Medical documents, including documents about workers' compensation, should not be kept in the personnel file. Instead, a separate filing system to manage the workers' compensation process and materials should be set up and maintained.

Let’s look at a physical filing system option for managing the files:

In the previous article, we reviewed the basics of employee personnel files – what should and should not be filed in the personnel files. Items such as W4’s, performance appraisals, applications and resumes are all to be maintained within the employee personnel file. Any document of a medical nature should not be contained in the employee personnel file. Rather, a separate employee medical file should be created to hold items such as doctor certificates, disability related documentation, and completed Family Medical Leave forms.

Many small companies, for purposes of this writing, small refers to companies with 125 employees and under, do not have a Human Resource Department. The HR responsibilities generally land on someone in management, or sometimes even an employee in a clerical position, to contend with. In these cases, the most common basic mistakes are within the files. Oh, the dreaded employee personnel file. For some, the personnel file represents the catch‐all file where every document, paper, note, etc., from the employee, finds its final resting place.

Once you become 18 you are now considered an adult and can make your own decisions. There are certain documents that everyone must have. If you don’t, it could cost you dearly in several ways. These must-have documents are: a Living Will, A Durable Power of Attorney for Finance, and for Health, also called a Health Care Directive or DPOA.