New York Expands Employee Access To Personnel Files Under New Law

Earlier this year, Bond’s labor and employment attorneys reported on proposed legislation that would significantly expand New York employees’ rights to access and respond to information contained in their personnel files. That legislation is now law, creating new obligations for New York employers.

On Sept. 9, 2026, Governor Kathy Hochul signed A.2107/S.3460 into law, granting current and former employees new rights concerning their personnel records. Among other things, the new law gives employees the right to access their personnel records, requires employers to provide notice when certain “negative information” is placed in a personnel record and an opportunity for employees to respond and permits employees to add certain information to their records. The law takes effect on Nov. 8, 2026 (60 days after signing).

Access to Personnel Records

The new law gives current and former New York employees the right to review their personnel records up to two times per calendar year. Upon receiving a written request, employers must furnish the requested records within five business days.

Employers must also maintain a complete copy of an employee’s personnel record, without deletions or changes, from the employee’s date of hire through three years after the employee’s termination.

Notification of “Negative Information”

Employers must notify an employee within ten days after placing “negative information” in their personnel records. Negative information includes information affecting the employee’s qualification for employment, promotion, transfer, additional compensation or potential discipline.

An employer and employee may agree to correct or remove disputed information. If they do not reach an agreement, employees may submit a written statement responding to negative information and the employer must include that statement in the employee’s personnel record.

Enforcement and Remedies

The law allows employees to seek injunctive relief to remove information from their personnel records that their employer knew or should have known was false.

The New York Attorney General is empowered to seek civil penalties ranging from $500 to $2,500 against violators of the statute. In addition, workers who experience discrimination or retaliation for asserting their rights under the law have a private right of action.

What Employers Should Do Now

With the Nov. 8, 2026 effective date approaching, New York employers should begin taking steps now to prepare for their new obligations. In particular, employers should:

1. Establish a process for personnel file requests: identify who will receive and respond to employee requests and ensure that personnel records can be located, reviewed and produced within the law’s five-business-day deadline.
2. Review what is maintained in personnel files: employers should understand what documents and information are being placed in personnel records.
3. Create a procedure for “negative information”: employers should establish a process for identifying information subject to the law’s notice requirement and ensuring that employees receive the required notice within 10 days after the information is placed in their personnel records.
4. Train managers and HR personnel: supervisors should understand that placing disciplinary or other negative information in an employee’s personnel record may trigger the new notice requirements.
5. Review existing policies and forms: employers should update personnel record, disciplinary and recordkeeping policies and consider whether procedures should be revised to account for the new requirements.

Employers should use the period before November 8 to identify gaps in their current practices and implement a workable process for responding to personnel record requests and complying with the law’s new notice and recordkeeping requirements.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.