ARTICLE 12
PERSONNEL FILES

Section 1- Official Files:
The Employer shall maintain the official files of all personnel in all units covered by this Agreement in the Office of Personnel. Records of corrective actions or adverse actions shall be removed from an employee’s official file in accordance with the DPM.

Section 2 - Right to Examine:
Each employee shall have the right to examine the contents of his/her personnel files upon request.

Section 3 - Right to Respond:
Each employee shall have the right to answer any material filed in his/her personnel file and his/her answer shall be attached to the material to which it relates.

Section 4 - Right to Copy:
An employee may copy any material in his/her personnel file.

Section 5 - Access by Union:
Upon presentation of written authorization by an employee, the Union representative may examine the employee’s personnel file and make copies of the material.

Section 6 - Confidential Information:
The Director of Personnel shall keep all arrests by the Metropolitan Police, fingerprint records, and other confidential reports in a confidential file apart from the official personnel folder. No person shall have access to the confidential file without authorization from the Director of Personnel.

Section 7 - Employee to Receive Copies:
The employee shall receive a copy of all material placed in his/her folder in accordance with present personnel practices. Consistent with this Article when the Employer sends documents to be placed in an employee’s personnel folder which could result in disciplinary action or non-routine documents which may adversely affect the employee, the employee shall be asked to acknowledge receipt of the document. The employee’s signature does not imply agreement with the material but simply indicates he/she received a copy.

If an employee alleges that he/she was not asked to acknowledge receipt of material placed in his/her personnel folder as provided in this section the employee will be given the opportunity to respond to that document and the response will be included in the folder. –

Section 8 - Access by Others:
The Employer shall inform the employee of all requests outside of the normal for information about him/her or from his/her personnel folder. The access card signed by all those who have requested and have been given access to the employee’s file shall be available for review by the employee.