IARA County/Local Records Management - Payroll Records

Hello Clerks, Recorders, and staff,

Payroll records are a reoccurring and constant topic among the county/local agencies so I figured an entire email on the subject would be appropriate. I want to clarify which record series to use for payroll records and their disposition/retention periods. 

Payroll records are covered under the County/Local General (GEN) retention schedule. Recently updated, the GEN schedule has payroll records under two record series, GEN 10-11 and GEN 10-16. 

GEN 10-11 covers any kind of general payroll records as an expenditure. You may DESTROY these records after 10 years and after receipt of state board of accounts audit report. 

GEN 10-16 doesn’t cover all general payroll records, just those 3 specific forms listed under the title/description -- or their substitutes -- Employee’s Service Record, Employee’s Earning’s Record, and Employee’s Weekly Earnings’ Record. (i.e., payroll that relates to a specific employee and is thus related to their personnel file). These records are PERMANENT. 

See GEN 10-11 and GEN 10-16 below:

We apologize for any previous confusion on this score; IARA has recently re- examined and determined our final interpretation for the two different Record Series.

AMY CHRISTIANSEN JANICKI

Records Management Liaison

Indiana Archives and Records Administration

o: 812-929-3882

e: achristiansenjanicki@iara.in.gov |

w: www.in.gov/iara

a: 402 W Washington St, Room W472, Indianapolis, IN 46204

---