(1) The director shall adopt rules applicable to each agency to ensure that information relating to employee misconduct or alleged misconduct is destroyed or maintained as follows:

     (a) All such information determined to be false and all such information in situations where the employee has been fully exonerated of wrongdoing, shall be promptly destroyed;

     (b) All such information having no reasonable bearing on the employee's job performance or on the efficient and effective management of the agency, shall be promptly destroyed;

     (c) All other information shall be retained only so long as it has a reasonable bearing on the employee's job performance or on the efficient and effective management of the agency.

     (2) Notwithstanding subsection (1) of this section, an agency may retain information relating to employee misconduct or alleged misconduct if:

     (a) The employee requests that the information be retained; or

     (b) The information is related to pending legal action or legal action may be reasonably expected to result.

     (3) In adopting rules under this section, the director shall consult with the public disclosure commission to ensure that the public policy of the state, as expressed in chapters 42.17 and 42.56 RCW, is adequately protected.

[2005 c 274 § 280; 2002 c 354 § 221; 1993 c 281 § 37; 1982 c 208 § 10.]

NOTES:

     Part headings not law -- Effective date -- 2005 c 274: See RCW 42.56.901 and 42.56.902.

     Short title -- Headings, captions not law -- Severability -- Effective dates -- 2002 c 354: See RCW 41.80.907 through 41.80.910.

     Effective date -- 1993 c 281: See note following RCW 41.06.022.

     Legislative finding -- Purpose -- RCW 41.06.450: "The legislature finds that, under some circumstances, maintaining information relating to state employee misconduct or alleged misconduct is unfair to employees and serves no useful function to the state. The purpose of RCW 41.06.450 is to direct the personnel board to adopt rules governing maintenance of employee records so that the records are maintained in a manner which is fair to employees, which ensures proper management of state governmental affairs, and which adequately protects the public interest." [1982 c 208 § 9.]

     Severability -- 1982 c 208: See RCW 42.40.900.

Application of public disclosure law to information relating to employee misconduct: RCW 42.56.110.

Employee inspection of personnel file: RCW 49.12.240 through 49.12.260.