Letter to Incoming Employees
Welcome to the Department of Health and Human Services!
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is the United States Government’s principal agency for protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services, especially for those who are least able to help themselves. As a new HHS employee and Federal public servant, proper Records Management is an important part of your new position. The proper creation and maintenance of Federal records and the application of basic recordkeeping principles will enable you to support the Department in fulfilling its mission and ensure that the Department is accountable to the Administration, Congress, and the American people.
As an HHS employee, you have three basic obligations regarding Federal records management:
- Create records needed to do the business of the agency, record decisions and actions taken, and document activities;
- Take care of records so that information can be found when needed. This means setting up good directories and files, and filing materials (in whatever format) regularly and carefully in a manner that allows the records to be safely stored and efficiently retrieved when necessary; and
- Carry out the disposition of records in accordance with agency records schedules and Federal regulations
As you start your service with HHS, please discuss your recordkeeping requirements with your supervisor or project leader and with your program office records management representative. Attached is the HHS Records Management brochure designed to guide you in documenting your roles and responsibilities, along with lists of HHS Records Management Representatives. The Representatives are available to advise you in the proper maintenance and disposition of hard copy and electronic records.
Welcome!
Sincerely,
Erwin Weston, Department Records Officer
Department of Health and Human Services
Office of the Chief Information Officer
(202) 690-5521
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