April 19, 2024
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| Accounting (01) | ||
| Records | Description | Retention |
|---|---|---|
| Accounting Records | Records include: accounts payable files; accounts receivable files; bank statements; cancelled checks, vouchers, and EFTS; cash balances and reconciliations; cost accounting records; deposit slips and reconciliations; invoices; journal entries (journal vouchers); outstanding obligations; payment schedules; purchase orders; receipts; returned checks; reconciliations; refund/disbursement requests; moving expenses; agency-paid individual memberships and activities in professional organizations; registration fees; and travel authorization and reimbursement records. | 5 years. |
| Annual Financial Statements | Records which provide an annual statement of net assets and activities; often called a comprehensive annual financial statement or report. | Permanent. |
| Audit Reports (Agency Copies) | Reports prepared by the Department of Audits examining and verifying the agency's financial activities for a defined period of time; does not include the record copy maintained by the Department of Audits. | 5 years or two successive audits, whichever is longer. |
| Bids and Competitive Selection Records | This series documents the procurement of equipment and service valued in excess of bid limit. This series may include but is not limited to: requests for proposal (RFP); requests for invitations to bid (RFI); procurement protest documents; requests for quotes (RFQ); vendors proposals and bids; records for all bids received; competitive quotes; and protests, appeals, briefing documents, and agency decisions.
Updated: April 21, 2022 |
(GASC-01-004A) Capital Improvement Projects: 11 years; (GASC-01-004B) All other records: 7 years. |
| Budgeting Records | Records documenting budget requests, maintenance, and reports as well as the budget approved by the Legislature. | Approved Budget: Permanent; All other Records: 6 years. |
| Collection Records | This series includes records documenting an agency's efforts to collect unpaid accounts; includes PeopleSoft collection reports. | 5 years after account paid in full or deemed uncollectible. |
| Contracts and Agreements | This series documents the negotiation, execution, completion, and termination of legal agreements between an agency and other parties to acquire or provide services or products. | Capital Improvements: 10 years after expiration; Other contracts: 7 years after contract expiration. |
| Cooperative Federal Programs Budget Preparation, Project, and Allocation Records | Records used to develop, estimate, propose, and plan the preliminary budget requests for cooperative state/federal programs and reflect the process by which annual budget allotments are distributed. | 5 years after the end of the fiscal year. |
| Cost Accounting Reports | Financial reports by cost center for all expenditures. | 3 years. |
| Credit Card Administration Records | Records documenting administration of credit cards issued to individual agency staff or offices. | 7 years. |
| Federal and State Grant Project Files | Records documenting federal and state-funded grant projects. | Final Narrative Summary: Permanent (GASC-02-008); Education Agencies: 5 years after submission of final report or denial of application; Non-Education Agencies: 3 years after submission of final financial report. |
| Federal Revenue Sharing Records | Records documenting federal, state, county, and municipal revenue-sharing; includes summaries, expenditures, and investments. | 5 years after submission of final report. |
| General Ledger and Trial Balances | Record of final entry for all financial transactions. | 7 years. |
| Internal Auditing Records | Records documenting the conduct of an internal review of agency financial accounts and processes. | 5 years or two successive audits, whichever is longer. |
| Official Bonds and Oaths | Bonds required of state officials and custodians of funds. | 5 years after expiration of term. |
| Signature Authorizations | Records documenting the certification of employees who are authorized to sign fiscal and contractual documents. | 7 years after authorization expires. |
| Administration (02) | ||
| Records | Description | Retention |
| Administrative Rules Records | Records documenting reviews and changes to administrative rules.
Updated: April 21, 2022 |
(GASC-02-001A) Final rule: Permanent; (GASC-02-001B) Other records: Retain for useful life. |
| Annual Reports | Annual reports that summarize agency functions and activities.
Updated: October 15, 2015 |
Permanent |
| Broadcast Logs | Records documenting agency daily broadcast activities. | Logs relating to a disaster or investigated by the FCC: Retain until authorized by FCC to destroy; Other logs: 2 years. |
| Correspondence, Administrative | This series includes communications received or sent that document significant events and/or the development of administrative structure, policy, procedures, and the historical development of the office. | Permanent. |
| Correspondence, General | This series includes correspondence that documents formal decisions regarding routine matters. | 5 years. |
| Crisis or Disaster Records | Records documenting events and damages to an agency's property due to storms, riots, fires, drought, floods, and other acts affecting the agency facilities; may include photos, logs, reports, notes, and correspondence. | Records that document a lasting change to agency property or activities: Permanent; Other: See applicable retention schedule. |
| Executive Level Administrative Files | This series includes the records of an agency's director, deputy director, and division directors. Records with historical value include memoranda, reports, and other documentation concerning the administration of policy, coordination of agency functions, and management of program activity. Records of a routine or non-substantive nature that do not document policy decisions or significant programmatic and functional activities. | Records that document policy, coordination of agency functions, and management of program activity: Permanent; Other recs: 5 yr. |
| Federal and State Grant Reports | Final narrative summary submitted according to grant requirements of the funding agency. | Permanent. |
| Legal Case Files | Documents the work of the agency legal counsel in advising and representing the agency. | 6 years after settlement of case. |
| Legal Opinions | Interpretations of the law and an agency's compliance with the law by the Attorney General or other legal counsel. | Until superseded. |
| Legislative Relations Records | This series may be used to review and plan institutional positions on legislative activities. This series may include but is not limited to: final reports; bill review and tracking records; copies of legislation; and working papers. | Final reports: Permanent; All other records: Retain for useful life. |
| Lobbyist Records | This series documents the activities of agency employees who engage in lobbying the state. Records may include: lobbyist registration statement forms; lobbyist termination forms; lobbyist expenditure report forms; lobbyist listings; and salary information. | 5 years. |
| Meeting Agendas, Minutes, and Packets | Records documenting proposed and executed proceedings of agency meetings. | Approved Minutes, Agenda, and Final Packet: Permanent; Notes and records used to create the approved minutes and supporting documentation: Retain until minutes are approved. |
| News Release Records | This series documents newsworthy events of the agency. This series may include but is not limited to news releases issued by agency news and communications units arranged by topic and/or date of issue. | 10 years. |
| Periodic Reports | Reports that describe the agency's functions and activities and include quarterly, monthly, weekly, and daily reports. Note: does not include annual reports (GASC-02-003). | Reports that are summarized in an agency's annual report: Retain until Annual Report is completed; Other reports: 2 years. |
| Photographs, Videos, and Films | Films, videos, photographs, and other visual representations of agency public service announcements, events, productions, promotional, tourism, training, and property. | Final Product: Permanent; Other: 5 years; Copies and poor images: Useful life. |
| Policies and Procedures | Standard operating practice for business processes. | Policies that affect the public: Permanent; Policies that do not affect the public: 3 years after superseded. |
| Printing Service Files | Records relating to printing requests, cost estimates, mock-ups, proofs, and printing plates. | Retain for useful life. |
| Publications | Newsletters, handbooks, pamphlets, and brochures published by an agency. | Permanent. |
| Roster of Authorized Professionals | Annual roster of certified/licensed/ professionals operating in Georgia.
Updated: April 21, 2022 |
Permanent |
| Speeches, Non-official | Records relating to public speaking engagements, recordings and special events by agency employees held or approved by the agency.
Updated: October 17, 2017 |
Retain for useful life. |
| Speeches, Official | Records relating to public speaking engagements and recordings of executive level officials, speaking in official capacity, outlining official policies or positions or other agency initiatives.
Updated: October 17, 2017 |
Speeches and recordings: Permanent; Drafts, source materials, and other materials: Retain for useful life. |
| Administrative Support (03) | ||
| Records | Description | Retention |
| Calendars | Desk calendars and other scheduling media. | 1 year after the end of the calendar year in which the record was created. |
| Data Input Forms | Any type of form used to collect information for input into electronic form. | Destroy upon verification/quality control of data entry. |
| Indexes | Records which provide a ready reference or pointer into larger sets of records. | Retain until superseded or destruction of indexed set of records. |
| Mailing Lists | Various standard lists of names and addresses. | Retain for useful life. |
| Newspaper Clippings and Scrapbooks | This series includes newspaper clippings and scrapbooks, which may contain newspaper clippings, photographs, event programs, and other memorabilia. | Newspaper clippings: Retain for useful life. Scrapbooks: Contact Archives staff before disposition to ensure that any original materials contained in the scrapbook are retained for the duration of their retention period and that no permanent records are destroyed. |
| Reference Files | Publications, copies of records, and other materials that provide general reference for agency employees. | Retain for useful life. |
| Telephone and Fax Records | "While You Were Out" message slips; telephone and fax contact information; and related data. | Retain for useful life. |
| Transitory Records | Records with short-term interest that have no documentary or evidential value, such as routine requests for publications, transmittal letters, and agency event notices (holidays, charitable campaigns). | Retain for useful life. |
| Information Technology (04) | ||
| Records | Description | Retention |
| Computer System Documentation, Management, and Maintenance Records | Records documenting the addition, modification, maintenance, and removal of software and/or hardware from an agency's computer system. Records may include: computer equipment inventories; hardware performance reports; component maintenance records; system backup reports; backup tape inventories; system overviews; operations logs; job listings; system development logs; system specifications and changes; conversion notes; dataset logs; dataset inventories; dataset record layouts; hard copies of tables; data dictionaries; programming logs; program specifications and changes; record layouts; user views; control program table documentation; program listings; instruction manuals; software purchase records; software inventories; and licenses. | Computer Equipment Inventories: 4 years after surplussed and all audit requirements have been met; Records related to backup: Retain for 2 backup cycles; All other records: Life of system, software, or component and all audit requirements have been met. |
| Information System Planning and Development Records | This series documents the planning and development of agency information systems. Records may include: information technology plans; feasibility studies; cost-benefit analyses; studies and surveys; system specifications and revisions; component proposals; technical literature; and vendor literature and proposals. | Implemented systems: Life of system and all audit requirements have been met; Unimplemented systems: Useful life. |
| Network, Computer, and Server Password and Security | Records documenting the issuance or selection of a network password and the administration of security and monitoring of the agency's network, servers, and computers. | 1 year after superseded or the employee separates from the agency, and all audit requirements have been met. |
| System Architecture Documents and Wiring Schemas | Records documenting the location of wiring and the design of the overall agency network environment. | Until superseded or obsolete and all audit requirements have been met. |
| Payroll (05) | ||
| Records | Description | Retention |
| Annual Payroll Earnings Reports | Summary of employees' payroll earnings for fiscal year, including deductions. | 50 years after tax year in which the records were created. |
| Deduction Records | Records documenting individual employee's authorization to withhold taxes and other deductions from employees pay. | 4 years after end of fiscal year. |
| Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Compliance Records | All records pertaining to FMLA's leave requirements, including dates and hours of FMLA leave; copies of employer notices, documents describing premium payments, employee benefits, and records of disputes over FMLA benefits. | 3 years. |
| Garnishments | Records documenting the withholding of funds from an employee's wages at the request of the courts or a state agency. | 5 years. |
| HIPAA/HITECH Records | These records include the policies and procedures implemented by agencies to comply with HIPAA/HITECH regulations. | 6 years. |
| Periodic Tax Reports | Records documenting taxable and non-taxable income of an agency. | 5 years. |
| Salary and Wage Records | Pre-payroll reports, monthly payroll check registers, monthly fund distribution reports, and payroll action forms. | 5 years. |
| Unclaimed Pay Checks | Checks that remain unclaimed by employees. | 1 year. |
| Unemployment Compensation Records | Documents relating to employee claims for unemployment compensation. | 5 years after end of the fiscal year in which the transaction occurred. |
| Wage and Rate Tables | Records utlized to calculate straight time and overtime work schedules. | 5 years. |
| Wage and Tax Statements | Information returns used to report wages paid to employees and the taxes withheld from them. Includes W-2s. | 5 years. |
| Withholding Allowance Certificates (G-4 and W-4 forms) | Federal forms completed by an individual to establish the amount of taxes withheld from wages. | 4 years after superseded. |
| Personnel (06) | ||
| Records | Description | Retention |
| Accident Reports | Reports of employee accidents and injuries; including worker's compensation claims. | Workers' Comp Claims: 5 years and settlement of all claims due; Accident Reports not resulting in Workers' Comp Claims: 3 years. |
| Affirmative Action Records | Records documenting an agency's compliance with the requirements of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and response to federal program reviews, state compliance audits, annual reporting requirements, and internal audits. | Plans: Permanent; Audits, annual reports, and other records: 3 years. |
| Applications for Employment, Not Hired | Records documenting employment applications of persons not hired. Records may include but are not limited to: unsolicited, incomplete, and complete applications; supporting documentation, interview notes and materials; background surveys; and correspondence. | Unsolicited and incomplete applications: Useful life; All other records: 3 years. |
| Background Checks | Criminal and financial background checks on employees. | 5 years. |
| Cafeteria Plan (Flexible Benefits) Records | Records documenting salary reduction-type plans authorized by the Internal Revenue Service. | 6 years after temination of participant. |
| Continuation of Insurance Benefits (COBRA) Records | Copies of notices required by COBRA; documentation that notices were received; documentation of any circumstance in which COBRA is not offered due to gross misconduct. | 6 years |
| Contracts, Employee | Service contracts between an individual and government agency. | 7 years after expiration. |
| Converted Personal Leave Requests | Records documenting converted personal leave requests. | 1 year after leave is used. |
| Drug Testing Records | Records documenting the random drug testing of employees to include pre-employment and reasonable suspicion. | Positives and refusals: 5 years. Negatives and Cancelled Drug Tests and documents relating to the administration of the alcohol and controlled substance testing programs: 2 years. |
| Employee Grievance Action Case Files | Resolution of employee complaints against supervisor or other employees. | 2 years after the complaint is filed or the case is resolved. |
| Employee Handbooks | Guidelines created to explain the internal operations and procedures of the agency to a new employee. | Permanent. |
| Employee Hazardous Materials Exposure Monitoring Records | Records monitoring the exposure to hazardous materials by employees. | 30 years. |
| Employee Medical Files, Toxic/Hazardous Substance Exposure | Documentation of employee exposure to hazardous materials. | 30 years after separation. |
| Employee Parking Records | Records documenting employee parking permit applications, cards, and permits. | 5 years after permit expires or is superseded or separation of employee from the agency. |
| Employee Personnel Files | Records documenting an employee's work history with the agency, generally maintained as a case file; includes records of continuing education, performance evaluations, and disciplinary actions. Please note: no central agency maintains these records, it is the responsibility of individual agencies to maintain the personnel files of their employees. | Records documenting service, final leave status, and hire/no hire recommendation: 50 years; Other records: 7 years following separation of employee. |
| Employment Eligibility Verification Records | I-9 forms. | 3 years after date of hire or 1 year after separation, whichever is longer. |
| Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Reports | Reports classifying employees by race and gender that document compliance with EEOC rules. | 3 years. |
| Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and GA Commission on Equal Opportunity Complaints | Records documenting charges of discrimination filed against an agency. | 2 years or until final disposition of the charge or action. |
| Family Medical Leave Case Files | Records documenting extended absence from work by an employee under provisions of the Family Medical Leave Act. | 3 years. |
| Intern Records | This series documents the activities of interns working at the agency. | 5 years. |
| Job Recruitment Materials | Records documenting efforts to advertise positions and attract qualified personnel. | 2 years. |
| Leave Donation Records | Records documenting the donation of leave by employees to assist an individual who must be absent form work for an extended period of time due to illness. | 1 year after leave used. |
| Leave Records | Records documenting hours worked, leave earned, and leave taken; does not include final leave status. | 3 years. |
| Physical Examination of State Employees | This records series documents the examination and certification of prospective state employees as being medically and physically suitable for employment. Record types include: Prospective Employee Medical Files, physician report, etc. | Records relating to persons hired: 7 years following separation of employee (GASC-06-033A); Persons not hired: 3 years (GASC-06-033B) |
| Position Classification Materials | Records documenting job requirements, description, and salary range. | 4 years after position is re-classified. |
| Pre-employment Assessments, Not Hired | Exams taken by those applying for positions with a state agency. | 2 years. |
| Retirement Incentive Program Records | Records documenting employees who elect for early retirement under government-offered incentive programs. | 6 years. |
| SAVE Affidavits | SAVE (Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements) Affidavits testifying to an individual's right to receive public benefits. | 3 years. |
| Student Workers Permits | Permits to allow persons under 18 years old to obtain summer employment. | Return to issuing officer (school board) after termination or failure to appear for 30 days. |
| Training Records | Records documenting attendance and course content for continuing education training. | 5 years. |
| Training Records - Breath-Alcohol Testing | Records relating to the training of individuals for breath-alcohol testing. | 2 years after individual ceases to perform the testing function. |
| Volunteer Program Records | This series documents the activities and administration of an agency's volunteer program. Records may include: volunteer hour statistics; volunteer program publicity records; insurance requirement information; and inactive volunteer files containing applications and conditions of volunteer service forms. | Individual volunteer files: 3 years after separation; All other records: 3 years. |
| Work/Time Schedules | Records documenting employee's daily and weekly work schedules. | 4 years. |
| Property and Security (07) | ||
| Records | Description | Retention |
| Blueprints and Specifications | Plans and specifications maintained by an agency for its own facility; used by facilities management to facilitate repairs and upgrades to the building. | As Built plans and specifications: Permanent; Interim and Never Built plans and specifications: 7 years. |
| Building/Grounds Maintenance, Remodeling, and Repair Records | Records documenting the condition, upkeep, and routine maintenance on agency facilities and grounds. | 7 years. |
| Business Continuity Plans | Business recovery plans for man-made and natural disasters. | Until superseded. |
| Capital Construction Project Records | Records relating to the planning, administration, and implementation of capital construction projects; includes project descriptions and requirements, bid records, plan reviews, project schedules, contract changes, consultant contracts, and budgets. | 11 years after completion of project. |
| Depreciation Schedules | Records documenting useful life and depreciation of agency-owned equipment and property, usually for insurance purposes. | 4 years. |
| Employee Identification Records | Records documenting the issuance of employee identification cards, including restricted access. | 4 years after superseded or employee separation. |
| Equipment and Vehicle Maintenance Records | Records documenting service history, mileage, damage repair, routine preventative maintenance and disposition of agency vehicles and equipment. Records type include warranties, operating manuals, service contracts, and service logs for maintenance of agency-owned equipment and vehicles etc.
Updated: April 05, 2017 |
5 years after disposition of vehicle or equipment. |
| Facility Inspection Files and Reports | Records documenting inspection of facilities to comply with standards, rules, and codes affecting health and safety of the occupants; includes security and safety inspections. | 3 years. |
| Federal Property Records | Records documenting the loan or lease of government equipment (federal) by state agencies. | 7 years after expiration of contract or disposal of equipment. |
| Fuel and Oil Usage and Tax Reports | Periodic reports of the consumption of taxable and non-taxable diesel, gas, and oil in government-owned vehicles. | 3 years. |
| Incident Reports | Reports of incidents of suspected criminal activity. | Internal documentation and reports not reported to police: 5 yrs.; Reports reported to police: Retain until settlement of claims |
| Insurance Policies | Records documenting insurance purchase for agency facilities or of membership in risk management cooperatives. | 7 years after expiration of policy or membership. |
| Maintenance Work Orders | Records documenting routine maintenance on facilities and property. | 5 years. |
| Property and Equipment Inventories | Listings of agency-owned property and equipment. | 5 years after superseded. |
| Property Disposition Requests (Surplus Property Records) | Records documenting requests for change in status of state-owned property. | 5 years. |
| Property Insurance Fund Claims | Records documenting requests for payment of insurance claims from the Georgia Department of Administrative Services Risk Management Division. | 5 years after claim is paid or denied. |
| Real Property Ownership Records | Deeds, titles, purchasing records, and supporting documentation for land owned by an agency. | 11 years after the year in which the property was sold or transferred. |
| Receipts of Responsibility | Records documenting property temporarily in use or possession of an employee. | 5 years. |
| Security Access Records | Logs documenting when and who accessed restricted areas. | 5 years. |
| Security Videos | Digital or analog video recordings and images from agency security systems. This series also includes digital or analog voice recordings of radio and telephone communications. | Known Incident/Accident: Retain until settlement of claims; No known incident/accident: 30 days. |
| Security/Fire System Install and Maintenance Records | Records documenting agency security and fire alarm systems. | 3 years after replacement of system. |
| Space Planning/Design Management Project Files | Evaluation and design of space for government agencies. | 3 years after project completion. |
| Vehicle Accident Reports | Records documenting damage to agency-owned vehicles. | 5 years. |
| Vehicle and Equipment Purchases | Records documenting the purchase of equipment and vehicles. | 5 years after disposition of equipment. |
| Vehicle Permits/Security Identification Records | Records documenting the issuance of vehicle decals providing access to secure areas. | 2 years after superseded. |
| Vehicle Title Records | Records documenting agency ownership of vehicles. | Applications: Retain until receipt of title. Title: Retain for duration of ownership. |
| Vehicle Use Authorizations and Requests | Records documenting authorization for the use of state vehicles. Document types include Drive History Consent, Driver Qualification Procedure, Driver Acknowledgment, and Motor Vehicle Report. | 5 years after superseded or obsolete. |
| Visitor Sign-in Logs | Visitor sign-in logs. | 1 year. |
| Records Management (08) | ||
| Records | Description | Retention |
| Destruction Records | Records documenting the destruction of agency records. | Retain in office. |
| Microfilm Records | Records documenting the processing of microfilm to show compliance with standards; the preparation and filming of records; the inspection of film; and the transfer and acceptance of film to a security storage area. | Retain for the life of film. |
| Microfilm Vault Monitoring Reports | Records documenting temperature and humidity conditions within a storage facility. | 5 years. |
| Open Records Act Requests and Correspondence | Inquiries from members of the public requesting access to information under the Georgia Open Records Act. | 3 years. |
| Records Schedules | Copies of approved agency records retention schedules. | 5 years after superseded. |
| Records Transmittal Records | Records documenting the transfer of agency records into the custody of a records center facility. | Permanent Records: Retain in office; Temporary Records: 5 years after disposition of transferred record. |
| Reference Requests | Reference pull sheets documenting the retrieval of records from a records center facility. | 4 years. |
Georgia Archives, 5800 Jonesboro Road, Morrow, GA 30260
www.georgiaarchives.org
