Should EPRs be treated as official documents? What direction is offered on their retention in the official personnel file?
Current Management Directive 540.7 directs the use of interim performance reviews in certain circumstances (for non-civil service and non-union represented or SMS employees six months following the appointment, transfer, or promotion into the position) and encourages their use for other reasons (transfer or promotion, change in rater, out of class work, disciplinary action, etc.). As such, interim EPRs are considered to be formal and official documents and should be filed in an employee’s official personnel file (OPF) in accordance with Management Directive 505.18. While not specified in the current directive or in the Records Retention and Disposition Schedule (M505.4), HR offices should maintain interim reviews in the OPF until they are superceded by a subsequent annual EPR which summarizes (not just references) the key contents of the subject interim. Likewise, HR offices should maintain an interim in the OPF for the same duration as that of an annual when the subsequent annual does
