that is, ask for a copy or go inspect it in person.
Here’s why and this is, of course, my opinion, based on a few open records requests I have done where i asked to see personnel files. In one case, it took months to get a copy; when I did, there was very little information that one would expect in the file. In the other two, there seems to be information missing that, again, one would WANT, regardless of what your job is, to see in your file. For example, if you had ever done a drug test, or had a background check, or even as simple as listing what your position is and when you started. Also, if there are changes in status, there should be something that shows the reasons why, with all appropriate forms signed. I’m saying that the files I’ve seen look like a mess. As you look at the below, compare with Liz Morgan’s file from Glen Rose Medical Center- you remember MS Morgan, who stole money from a local church Notice that her personnel file showed her job title position, a description, had a performance evaluation and competency assessment, review, with supervisor comments, and signed signatures.
Here are two examples. One is for Cindy Gray, Here is the personnel file that I received through open records early in 2024. Was Gray hired in as a deputy treasurer? If so, then why did Somervell County have her listed as payroll clerk and at what point did her title change to Director of Payroll? There was nothing in the file to indicate this, no change records, in other words. At some point Gray was also put in charge of HR, but there was, again, nothing in the file to indicate when that changed and how or any signatures or change records. I also think that the description of what her job is should not have to be separately looked up from the Somervell County website but a copy included in her file.. for every job change.
More recently, I wondered whether Gray’s personnel file reflected any type of writeup about why she was fired, in particular the debacle at the Pow Wow. The records I received this time did not even include the records I had previously gotten, so are they no longer in her file?
Here is a transfer record which is on 6/1/2024 that does not even show what the heck she was being transferred From/To. If you were someone that was coming in cold, would you have any idea what Gray’s status was, what position she was going to be working in, what her current salary is, or what cell allowance she had, no references to anything previous, nothing. Maybe if you went and looked at the county commissioners court meetings to see what might have been happening on that date you could suss it out, but the court does not keep a record for all time for these. And why isn’t this in the file????? I also believe it would be a good idea for the person being transferred to also sign that he or she saw this
Second thing on this. The termination form was also in the records I was sent, and the one for which I had a question about whether this included Gray receiving unemployment benefits. There is apparently NO WRITEUP about what she did that got her terminated. Why not? I assume that others that may have been written up for this or that have it in their file. How would anyone that is contemplating hiring Gray for any position within the Somervell County government know what it was that got her fired? It should be immediately apparent from her file, but Weedon, who was her supervisor at that point, did not do a report.
Now compare with David Hankins, who was fired from the Expo in this year. I called him to get permission to look at his file and he told me that he had been fired by Gray, his firing was due to a health issue that to him looked like a bogus reason, had not received unemployment benefits, and had no writeup report in his file. Indeed, that seems to be the case
Look at the below. There are NO signatures on this form, including from Gray or HR. Now maybe if he was terminated right away on the 1st, no one could get Hankins signature, but that doesn’t excuse the lack of professionalism from Gray and whoever the HR person was that at that point. AND no report to reference as to why he was fired aside from a short “3 days of no call no show”. According to Hankins, this was due to a health issue that was under the care of a doctor and at least possibly could have been resolved by taking vacation pay. Would a signature by Gray have required that he get unemployment?
Anyway, this looks hugely sloppy. At least for awhile, although it’s not possible to tell from Gray’s personnel file, she was in charge also of HR, so this mess at that point could be laid on her doorstep. It does make me wonder about the condition of everybody else’s file that works there.. And I think if you’re an employee, you should LOOK and see that it contains your job, what you make as a salary, if there are any writeups, change requests by which someone would see if you were promoted, if you got a raise, if you changed jobs, and if there is any documentation that is missing. And insist that HR fix this.
