​Whether a company has hard-copies of employee documents or uses an electronic document management system, close attention should be paid as to how the employment documents must be organized.  Human Resources is the holder of many confidential employee documents and is responsible for the confidentiality of the documents. 
 
For example, certain documents must be maintained in segregated personnel files:
              1) Pre-employment testing results and background check information.
              2) I-9 forms.
              3) Benefits plan and employee medical records.
              4) Health and safety records.
              5) General employee personnel records.
Employment documents must be retained for designated period of time and varies among the documents.  Below is a list of general guidelines for Record Retention. You may also request a copy at [email protected]​
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As of January 2024, Texas employers must post a notice to employees providing contact information in reporting workplace violence or suspicious activities.  Concerns should be reported to the Texas Department of Public Safety.  Employers should also have workplace safety guidelines and processes in place to provide a safe workplace. The Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers’ Compensation publishes a Workplace Violence Fact Sheet that is very informative about protecting employees. For the documents, go to:

www.txsafetyatwork.com
workplace-violence-poster-twc.pdf (texas.gov)

As the frequency and cost of data breaches continues to rise, companies may want to look at purchasing Cyber Insurance. Small to mid-size companies are buying Cyber Insurance because of the support, guidance on how to effectively respond to a cyber-attack, financial protection and guidance on the needed infrastructure.
 
Key considerations include cost and coverage, limits on what the policy will recover, the policy term limits, as well as what guidance the insurance company can provide. With more employees working remotely, the risk of cyber attacks has increased, as it is more difficult for companies to control the employees’ home environment. Cyber Insurance may be another way that companies can protect themselves, especially if the insurance companies provide help with best practices.