University Archives

Exiting Employees

Purpose

To provide guidance to ensure compliance with the Records Management Policy and related polices on the departure of a Dalhousie University employee.

Objective

Records that are created, used, accessed and retained by an exiting employee must be managed by the unit in accordance with the Records Management Policy and other related policies.

These records document the functions of administrative matters at Dalhousie University. Regardless of format or medium, records are information created, received, and maintained by the university that provide evidence of its transactions or activities. 

These guidelines apply to the records of employees:

  • leaving the employment of Dalhousie University
  • transferring to another unit within Dalhousie University*
  • changing their employment position within the same unit*

*permanently, for a temporary period (e.g., secondment, maternity or other paid or unpaid leave), or an indefinite period (e.g., long-term disability)

Responsibilities

Senior management:

  • Ensure that exiting employees are aware of these guidelines and related policies
  • Ensure that exiting employees’ immediate managers or supervisors are aware of their responsibility with regard to these guidelines
  • Support employees in the completion of these guidelines

Immediate managers or supervisors of exiting employees:

  • Ensure that exiting employees are aware of these guidelines and related policies
  • Allow time for employees to complete exiting guideline-related tasks
  • Ensure that exiting employees’ access to network accounts, including e-mail (if required by Dalhousie University policies) are removed at the appropriate time
  • Ensure that exiting employees’ records are handled according to approved records management procedures and schedules
  • Ensure that custody of all administrative records held by exiting employees is redirected to appropriate employees in a timely fashion

Exiting employees:

  • Ensure that administrative records in their custody are handled according to approved records management procedures and schedules
  • Ensure that their immediate managers, supervisors or other appropriate employees have access to or custody of relevant administrative records in a timely fashion

Records Management Unit Contact or Records Management Office:

  • Provides guidance on records management procedures and related protocols
  • Provides advice and guidance on identifying administrative records and determining their classification and disposition

Guidelines Checklist

Senior management / Supervisors:

  • Paper and other physical records held by exiting employees are:
    • returned to the unit’s custody
    • stored securely and made accessible to appropriate unit employees
  • Electronic documents, not retained in the unit’s central repository, are:
    • placed in a Dalhousie-approved repository and maintained for ongoing record-keeping purposes until they can be transferred to the unit’s formal record-keeping system
    • accessible by appropriate employees within the unit
  • Emails and attachments are:
    • removed from exiting employees’ email accounts
    • secured and accessible by appropriate unit employees
  • Laptops, desktop computers and mobile/wireless devices are returned and checked for records prior to being repurposed
  • Keys (metal) are returned and signed in prior to employee departure
  • Key card(s) access to relevant areas is removed
  • ID card is returned (if required)
  • (If required) copies of specified records are made available to exiting employees with the documented approval of their supervisor*
  • Consult with the Records Management Office as necessary

*Documented approvals will be retained by the unit for five (5) years after access is granted and sent to the Records Management Office for permanent retention in accordance with DalCLASS.

Exiting employees:

  • Remove all personal records from all Dalhousie electronic storage repositories
  • Remove all electronic administrative records from:
    • OneDrive and other storage repositories accessible only by the exiting employee
    • work-issued desktop/laptop C:Drive, OneDrive, and mobile device(s)
  • Return all paper and physical administrative records to the unit’s custody
  • Consult with managers, supervisors, unit records contacts, or Records Management Office (if necessary) to:
    • identify transitory records and non-records for secure shredding or recycling
    • identify active records for reassignment to other unit employees
    • identify documents to be interfiled with existing unit records and incorporate accordingly
    • classify records according to DalCLASS
    • identify records to be closed and packed (physical records) for semi-active storage and/or final disposition
  • File administrative records in the repository identified by the appropriate manager or supervisor
  • Return all electronic devices (mobiles, laptops, etc.) belonging to Dalhousie University to the appropriate unit personnel

For inquiries, please contact the Records Management Office at DalRM@dal.ca.