New York law grants workers faster access to personnel files and dispute rights
Effective November 8, New York workers can request their personnel records within five days, with limits on frequency and new notice requirements for negative entries.
Starting November 8, a new statute will let New York employees obtain their personnel records within five days after submitting a written request, but only twice per calendar year. The law, signed by Governor Kathy Hochul as Senate Bill 3460, also obliges employers to notify workers of any newly added negative information—such as items that could affect hiring, promotion, or discipline—within ten days, without counting toward the annual request limit.
Former staff can still request records for up to three years after separation. If an employer disputes a record, they may either agree to remove it or add a written statement of their position to the file. The law imposes fines of $500 to $2,500 per violation, overseen by the New York Attorney General. New York joins 19 states with some form of personnel-file access law, and further amendments are expected in 2027 to clarify ambiguities.
Why it matters
The law gives workers clearer insight into how they are evaluated and protects them from undisclosed negative records.
In this story
