Table of Contents Sec. 31-128a. Definitions. As used in this chapter: Sec. 31-128b. Employee access to personnel files. Each employer shall, within
a reasonable time after receipt of a written request from an employee, permit such employee to inspect his personnel file if such a file exists. Such inspection shall take place
during regular business hours at a location at or reasonably near the employee's place
of employment. Each employer who has personnel files shall be required to keep any
personnel file pertaining to a particular employee for at least one year after the termination of such employee's employment. Sec. 31-128c. Employee access to medical records. Employer's duties re maintaining medical records. Each employer shall, within a reasonable time after receipt of
a written request from an employee, permit an inspection of medical records pertaining to
such employee which may be in such employer's possession. Such inspection shall take
place during regular business hours at a location at or reasonably near the employee's
place of employment and shall be made by a physician chosen by such employee or by
a physician chosen by the employer with such employee's consent. Each employer
who has medical records shall be required to keep any medical records pertaining to
a particular employee for at least one year after the termination of such employee's
employment. Medical records, if kept by an employer, shall be kept separately and not
as part of any personnel file. Sec. 31-128d. Employer's right to retain files on premises. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as a requirement that an employee or his physician be permitted
to remove his personnel file or medical records or any part of such file or records from
the place on the employer's premises where it is made available for inspection. Each
employer shall retain the right to protect his files and records from loss, damage or
alteration to insure their integrity. Each employer may require that inspection of any
personnel file or medical records take place in the presence of a designated official. Sec. 31-128e. Removal or correction of information. Employee's explanatory
statement. If upon inspection of his personnel file or medical records an employee
disagrees with any of the information contained in such file or records, removal or
correction of such information may be agreed upon by such employee and his employer.
If such employee and employer cannot agree upon such removal or correction then such
employee may submit a written statement explaining his position. Such statement shall
be maintained as part of such employee's personnel file or medical records and shall
accompany any transmittal or disclosure from such file or records made to a third party. Sec. 31-128f. Employee's consent required for disclosure. No individually identifiable information contained in the personnel file or medical records of any employee
shall be disclosed by an employer to any person or entity not employed by or affiliated
with the employer without the written authorization of such employee except where the
information is limited to the verification of dates of employment and the employee's
title or position and wage or salary or where the disclosure is made: (1) To a third party
that maintains or prepares employment records or performs other employment-related
services for the employer; (2) pursuant to a lawfully issued administrative summons or
judicial order, including a search warrant or subpoena, or in response to a government
audit or the investigation or defense of personnel-related complaints against the employer; (3) pursuant to a request by a law enforcement agency for an employee's home
address and dates of his attendance at work; (4) in response to an apparent medical
emergency or to apprise the employee's physician of a medical condition of which the
employee may not be aware; (5) to comply with federal, state or local laws or regulations;
or (6) where the information is disseminated pursuant to the terms of a collective bargaining agreement. Where such authorization involves medical records the employer
shall inform the concerned employee of his or his physician's right of inspection and
correction, his right to withhold authorization, and the effect of any withholding of such
authorization upon such employee. Sec. 31-128g. Employee's right to obtain copies. Each employer shall, within a
reasonable time after receipt of a written request from an employee, provide such employee with a copy of all or part of his personnel file or provide such employee's physician with a copy of such employee's medical records, provided such request reasonably
identifies the materials to be copied. Such employer may charge a fee for copying such
file or records or any part of such file or records. Such fee shall be reasonably related
to the cost of supplying the requested documents.
Sec. 31-128a. Definitions.
Sec. 31-128b. Employee access to personnel files.
Sec. 31-128c. Employee access to medical records. Employer's duties re maintaining medical records.
Sec. 31-128d. Employer's right to retain files on premises.
Sec. 31-128e. Removal or correction of information. Employee's explanatory statement.
Sec. 31-128f. Employee's consent required for disclosure.
Sec. 31-128g. Employee's right to obtain copies.
Sec. 31-128h. Frequency of inspection.
(1) "Employee" means any individual currently employed or formerly employed
by an employer and includes individuals in managerial positions;
(2) "Employer" means an individual, corporation, partnership or unincorporated
association;
(3) "Personnel file" means papers, documents and reports pertaining to a particular
employee which are used or have been used by an employer to determine such employee's eligibility for employment, promotion, additional compensation, transfer, termination, disciplinary or other adverse personnel action including employee evaluations or
reports relating to such employee's character, credit and work habits. "Personnel file"
does not mean stock option or management bonus plan records, medical records, letters
of reference or recommendations from third parties including former employers, materials which are used by the employer to plan for future operations, information contained
in separately maintained security files, test information, the disclosure of which would
invalidate the test, or documents which are being developed or prepared for use in civil,
criminal or grievance procedures;
(4) "Medical records" means all papers, documents and reports prepared by a physician, psychiatrist or psychologist that are in the possession of an employer and are work-
related or upon which such employer relies to make any employment-related decision;
(5) "Security files" means memoranda, documents or collections of information
relating to investigations of losses, misconduct or suspected crimes, and investigative
information maintained pursuant to government requirements, provided such memoranda, documents, or information are maintained separately and not used to determine an
employee's eligibility for employment, promotion, additional compensation, transfer,
termination, disciplinary or other adverse personnel action.
(P.A. 79-264, S. 1, 9; P.A. 80-158, S. 1, 6, 7.)
History: P.A. 80-158 redefined "employee" to specify current employment, redefined "personnel file" to delete words
"formal or informal" describing employee evaluations, to delete provision excluding records which relate to "an investigation, arrest or conviction of conduct which constitutes a violation of state or federal criminal laws" and to specify exclusion
of stock option or management bonus plan records, materials used in planning future operations, information contained
in separate security files and test information and added Subdiv. (5) defining "security files" and changed effective date
of P.A. 79-264, S. 1 from January 1, 1981, to July 1, 1980.
Subdiv. (2):
Cited. 201 C. 421, 424, 428, 430.
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(P.A. 79-264, S. 2, 9; P.A. 80-158, S. 2, 6, 7.)
History: P.A. 79-264 effective January 1, 1981; P.A. 80-158 required that inspection take place at or near the employee's
place of employment rather than "at the place where such file is kept".
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(P.A. 79-264, S. 3, 9; P.A. 80-158, S. 3, 6, 7; P.A. 99-284, S. 36, 60.)
History: P.A. 79-264 effective January 1, 1981; P.A. 80-158 required that inspection take place at or near employee's
place of employment rather than "at the place where such record is kept"; P.A. 99-284 changed "may" to "shall" re keeping
medical records separately, effective July 1, 2000.
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(P.A. 79-264, S. 4, 9; P.A. 80-158, S. 4, 6, 7.)
History: P.A. 79-264 effective January 1, 1981; P.A. 80-158 added references to inspection of medical files and to
inspections by employee's physician.
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(P.A. 79-264, S. 5, 9; P.A. 80-158, S. 6, 7.)
History: P.A. 79-264 effective January 1, 1981; P.A. 80-158 changed effective date to July 1, 1980.
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(P.A. 79-264, S. 6, 9; P.A. 80-158, S. 5−7.)
History: P.A. 79-264 effective January 1, 1981; P.A. 80-158 made provisions specifically applicable to "individually
identifiable" information, clarified that disclosure prohibition applies to persons or entities "not employed or affiliated
with the employer", expanded circumstances under which disclosure is allowed where previously disclosure was limited
to cases "pursuant to a lawfully issued subpoena", added reference to physician's right of inspection, changed wording
slightly and changed effective date of P.A. 79-264 from January 1, 1981, to July 1, 1980.
Cited. 201 C. 421, 422, 424, 428, 431.
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(P.A. 79-264, S. 7, 9; P.A. 80-158, S. 6, 7.)
History: P.A. 79-264 effective January 1, 1981; P.A. 80-158 changed effective date to July 1, 1981.
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