Modifications to bill made it more palatable to business owners.
Colorado Bill Would Let Workers See Personnel File
The Colorado Legislature passed a bipartisan
bill giving workers access to their employment files.
If the governor signs House Bill 1432, workers
and former workers would be allowed to view their personnel files, if they
exist. Current workers could see their file once a year, while former workers
could see it once, period. The bill doesn’t require employers to create or keep
a personnel file for workers, however.
The personnel file also wouldn’t include
documents about an active criminal or regulatory body investigation, an active
disciplinary investigation by the employer or the identity of anyone who made a
confidential accusation against the employee.
A similar bill died last year, but this year
opponents and proponents worked out something they could both live with,
according to the Denver Business Journal.
Business owners applauded modifications to the
bill.
“I think it’s actually a fairly decent bill,”
said NFIB/Colorado State Director Tony Gagliardi told the Business Journal.
“And it gives employees something to think about and maybe enhance the way they
handle their personnel files.”
Rep. Faith Winter, who
sponsored the bill in the House, said it could prevent litigation. “This gives
basic access to personnel files to employees and former employees,” Winter told
the House, according to The Westminster Window. “Right now, the only way to get that
information is through discovery in court. This information could actually
prevent lawsuits.”
