Personnel Records

The official record of your employment at Smith College is maintained by the Office of Human Resources. The college protects your privacy by restricting the personal data maintained in your file to that needed for business, legal, or contractual purposes. The contents of your personnel file are available for review by department heads or other college administrators on a need-to-know basis. You are entitled to reasonable access to your personnel records. If you would like to review your personnel file, you may request a copy of your personnel file.  This request will be submitted in writing and Human Resources will provide it within five business days of the received written request.

Release of Information

Only the following information concerning active or terminated employees is released by the Human Resources office upon receipt of a telephone or written request:

• Dates of employment at Smith College
• Job classification or title
• Smith telephone extension on active employees, if requested
• Electronic mail address

Written requests for additional information related to credit evaluation, employment references, mortgage applications, etc., will be provided only if a release form is signed and returned to Human Resources by the employee.

Requests for employment information by the Department of Employment and Training in Massachusetts and other states in connection with an unemployment application will be provided, as required by law, without the use of a release form, since this inquiry is initiated by the terminated employee who has filed the claim.

Employees will be notified, whenever possible, when the college is required to provide personnel information by a subpoena, warrant, or other court order.