Retention Pd.

Accident Reports and Injury Claims (Workers' Compensation)..............................................11 years

Accident reports/claims (settled cases).............7 years

Accounts payable ledgers and schedules........7 years

Accounts receivable ledgers and
schedules.......................................................7 years

Age Work Certification Records for Minors......3 years*
*after termination

Applications (Non-hires)...................................1 year

Attendance Records........................................4 years

COBRA Records..............................................3 years

Audit reports...........................................Permanently

Bank reconciliations........................................2 years

Bank statements..............................................3 years

Capital stock and bond records: ledgers, transfer registers, stubs showing issues, record of interest coupons, options, etc. ............................Permanently

Cash books.............................................Permanently

Charts of accounts..................................Permanently

Checks (canceled-see exception below)...........7 years

Checks (canceled for important payments, i.e. taxes, purchases of property, special contracts, etc. Checks should be filed with the papers pertaining to the underlying transaction)...........................Permanently

Contracts, mortgages, notes, and leases (expired)..........................................................7 years
(still in effect)..........................................Permanently

Correspondence (general)...............................2 years

Correspondence (legal and important matters only).......................................................Permanently

Correspondence (routine) with customers and/or vendors...........................................................2 years

Deeds, mortgages, and bills of sale........Permanently

Depreciation schedules..........................Permanently

Duplicate deposit slips....................................2 years

Employments applications.............................3 years

Employee Benefit Plans................................2 years*
*following termination of plan

Employee Medical Records and Analysis as required by OSHA..The duration of employment plus 30 years

Employment Advertisements...........................3 years

ERISA Retirement and Pension Records...Indefinitely

(Employee Retirement Income Security Act) Expense analyses/expense distribution schedules.........7 years

Financial statements (year-end, other  optional).................................................Permanently

Garnishments..................................................7 years

General/private ledgers, year-end trial balance..................................................Permanently

I-9 form (Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986)..............................................................3 years*
*after employment begins or 1 year beyond termination, whichever is later.

Insurance policies (expired).............................3 years

Insurance records, current accident reports, claims, policies, etc............................................Permanently

Internal audit reports (longer retention periods may be desirable)........................................................3 years

Internal reports (miscellaneous).......................3 years

Inventories of products, materials, and
supplies...........................................................7 years

Invoices (to customers, from vendors)..............7 years

Journals.................................................Permanently

Labor Contracts.........................................Indefinitely

Retention Pd.

Magnetic tape and tab cards............................1 year

Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) or some identification of substance used or found..................*
*The duration of employment plus 30 years

Medical and Exposure Records relating to toxic substances.....................................................40 years

Minute books of directors, stock-holders, bylaws, and charter....................................................Permanently

Notes receivable ledgers and schedules..........7 years

Option records (expired)..................................7 years

OSHA Logs - (Occupational Safety and Health Act) Employers must maintain a log that records worker's job-related injuries or illnesses, the dates, and nature of the incidents..............................................5 years*
*following the end of the year to which they relate, plus current year.

OSHA Training Documentation......................3 years

Patents and related papers.....................Permanently

Paychecks........................................................8 years

Payroll records - including name, address, social security number, wage rate, number of hours worked daily, weekly gross wages, deductions, allowances claimed, and net wages..................................6 years

Personnel file records - including application, pre-employment tests, performance appraisal, rate/position changes, transfers, promotions, demotions, documentation of disciplinary actions, and job descriptions..............................................6 years*
*after termination

Petty cash vouchers.........................................3 years

Physical inventory tags....................................3 years

Plant cost ledgers............................................7 years

Property appraisals by outside appraisers
...............................................................Permanently

Property records, including costs depreciation reserves, year-end trial balances, depreciation schedules, blueprints, and plans..............................Permanently

Purchase orders (except purchasing department copy)................................................................1 year

Purchase orders (purchasing department copy)..............................................................7 years

Receiving sheets.............................................1 year

Records pertaining to unfair or discriminatory employment practices and Americans with Disabilities Act........Until the final deposition of charge or action

Retirement and pension records.............Permanently

Requisitions......................................................1 year

Sales commission reports................................3 years

Sales records...................................................7 years

Scrap and salvage records (inventories, sales, etc.).................................................................7 years

Stenographers' notebooks.................................1 year

Stock and bond certificates (canceled)............7 years

Stockroom withdrawal forms.............................1 year

Subsidiary ledgers..........................................7 years

Tax returns and worksheets, revenue agents' reports, and other documents relating to determination of income tax liability.................................Permanently

Time books/cards.............................................7 years

Trademark registrations and copyrights...Permanently

Training manuals...................................Permanently

Union agreements..................................Permanently

Voucher register and schedules......................7 years

Vouchers for payments to vendors, employees, etc. (includes allowances and reimbursement of employees, officers, etc., for travel and entertainment expenses)........................................................7 years

Withholding tax statements.............................7 years