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Data, Analysis & Documentation Personnel Documentation

 

Overview

Our Agency issues Governmentwide guidance on documenting individuals' Federal employment. OPM and the agency human resources offices use these documents to make decisions about employees' rights and benefits throughout their careers. Here you'll find instructions for Federal agencies' human resources offices on preparing personnel actions and keeping the Official Personnel Folder.

Related Information

Guide to Processing Personnel Actions

The Guide available on this site is the most current. The Guide to Processing Personnel Actions was last revised January 2016. This document contains information on how to prepare personnel actions, Standard Forms 52 and 50.

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The most recent Updates reflecting changes to pages in the Guide are reflected below. Updates, recent or otherwise, are archived. Collectively, Updates are already included within the Guide available on this site.

Updates to the Guide to Processing Personnel Actions
UpdateDate
Update 71 01/10/16
Update 70 11/01/15
Update 69 1/11/15
Update 68 11/06/14
Update 67 11/06/14
Update 66 04/04/14
Update 65 02/09/14
Update 64 10/06/13
Update 63 07/28/13
Update 62 04/07/13
Update 61 01/27/13

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Contact Information

Personnel Recordkeeping (GPR)

Personnel recordkeeping regulations are found in part 293 of title 5, Code of Federal Regulations. These regulations establish policies and minimum requirements governing the creation, development, maintenance, processing, use, and disposition.

The Guide to Personnel Recordkeeping is written in plain language and provides guidance to assist agencies with day to day personnel recordkeeping requirements.

The most recent Updates reflecting changes to pages in this Guide are reflected below. Updates, recent or otherwise, are archived. Collectively, Updates are already included within the Guide available on this site.

Updates to the Guide to Personnel Recordkeeping
UpdateDate
Update 8 12/14/2001
Update 7 05/31/2001
Update 6 10/31/2000

Contact Information

Requesting Official Personnel Folder (eOPF)

Current Employees

The Official Personnel Folders (OPFs) and electronic official personnel folders (eOPF), including SF 50s, for current Federal employees are stored at the employee’s current employing agency. If you are a current Federal employee seeking guidance regarding specific circumstances of your employment, SF-50, records or if you want to access your OPF or eOPF or have questions about the same, contact your employing agency’s Human Resources Office for assistance.

OPF/eOPF Amendments

If you feel that your official personnel folder is in error, please contact your agency’s HR office.

Former Employees

The Official Personnel Folders (OPFs), including SF 50s, for most former civilian Federal employees are stored at the address below. Please mail your request to:

National Personnel Records Center (NPRC)
1411 Boulder Boulevard
Valmeyer, IL 62295

Or you may fax your hand signed request to the NPRC at telephone number 618-935-3014. More information is available on the NPRC website.

The location of records of former military employees varies depending on the branch of service and date of separation from service. Please visit NARA’s site on Official Military Personnel Files (OMPFs) for details.

OPF/eOPF Amendments

If you feel that your official personnel folder is in error, please submit a written request to:U.S. Office of Personnel Management
Office of the Chief Information Officer
Chief, Records Management and Data Policy
1900 E Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20415-7900

Your request must include your hand written signature and all of the following information:

  • Social Security Number
  • Date of birth
  • Name of last agency where employed
  • Approximate date when you left Federal service
  • Details of the error you wish to be addressed

Have questions? Check out our Personnel Documentation Frequently Asked Questions or contact us at persdoc@opm.gov.

FAQs

  • How can I get a copy of my Official Personnel Folder (SF-50)? View more
    If you have a Privacy Act request requiring a copy of documents within your Official Personnel Folder (OPF), please follow the instructions below; If you are a current Federal employee, please contact the HR office within your agency for access to your records. If you are a former Federal employee, you may get a copy of your most recent SF-50, or a copy of your complete Official Personnel Folder, by requesting it from the National Archives and Records Administration National Personnel Records Center (civilian)  411 Boulder Blvd, Valmeyer, IL 62295. Federal law [5 USC 552a(b)] requires that all requests for records and information be submitted in writing. Each request must be hand signed (in cursive) and dated (within the last year). Please identify the documents or information needed and explain the purpose of your request. Certain basic information is needed to locate civilian personnel records and to respond to your request, including: 1. Full name. 2. Date of birth. 3. Social security number. 4. Last employing agency (including duty station) and approximate date(s) of the employment (for former Federal employees). 5. Signature The National Personnel Records Center provides this fax # for requests:  618-935-3014.
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  • How can I access my e-OPF? View more
    You may access the portal at https://eopf.nbc.gov/opm/.  For any other questions, you should contact eOPF Help Desk directly to obtain information.  Their e-mail address is eopf_hd@telesishq.com or you can call them on (866) 275-8518.
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  • What is the electronic Official Personnel Folder (eOPF)? View more
    The eOPF is an electronic version of the paper OPF and a system for accessing the electronic folder online. The eOPF system combines document management with workflow capabilities.   The eOPF allows each employee to have an electronic personnel folder instead of a paper folder. Benefits of eOPF include: *   Immediate access to personnel forms and information for a geographically dispersed workforce. *   E-mail notification to employee when documents are added to their eOPF. *   Multi-level secure environment with security rules for sensitive information. *   No loss of official personnel documents due to filing and routing errors. *   Reduced costs associated with storage, maintenance, and retrieval of records. *   Electronic transfer of human resources (HR) data. *   Integration with agency’s human resources information systems (HRIS). *   Compliance with OPM and federally mandated HR employee record management regulations.
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  • What goes in my Official Personnel Folder? View more
    Your Official Personnel Folder contains records the Government needs to make accurate employment decisions throughout your Federal career.These documents:
    • Show your Federal appointment was valid (Examples: the Appointment Affidavit; the Declaration for Federal Employment).
    • Verify your military service credit for leave, reduction-in-force, or retirement (Examples: the DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty; the Military Service Deposit Election).
    • Establish your employment history - your grades, occupations and pay (Example: the Standard Form 50, Notification of Personnel Action).
    • Record your choices under Federal benefits programs (Examples: the Health Benefits Registration Form; the Designation of Beneficiary under the Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance Program).
    Check Chapter 3 of The Guide to Personnel Recordkeeping  [588KB] for more detailed information on what goes into the Official Personnel Folder.
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  • Where can I get my military personnel records? View more
    To obtain your military records, please visit the National Archives Center website at http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel/
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  • Who has access to the eOPF? View more
    HR Specialists have read-write access to employees’ eOPF within their service area. Employees are able to view their own eOPF documents, but cannot modify the documents.  eOPF system includes an audit trail that records when and why an individual has reviewed an eOPF.  
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  • How do I contact the eOPF Help Desk? View more
    Contact the eOPF Help Desk use the following preferred method is email at eopf_hd@telesishq.com and alternate method is 1-866-275-8518.  You will need to provide the following: 1.  Full Name 2.  Agency/Organization 3.  Contact information (phone and email)  4.  The Agency URL impacted (the link to the website)  5.  The Web Server number (found above the login and password prompts)  6.  Complete description of the problem (include screen shots if possible)  
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  • Who can look at the records in my Official Personnel Folder? View more
    You.  Anyone you designate.  Government officials who need to see the records to do their jobs.  There are a limited number of special situations where others can see information from your personnel records.  These situations are described in routine uses under the Privacy Act System of Records Notice covering the Official Personnel Folder.For more information on the Privacy Act and the Office of Personnel Management's records systems under the Act, visit Privacy Act Information.
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  • I'm going to take a job in another agency, do I have to resign from my current Federal job? View more
    No.  Your new agency should contact your current agency to let them know when you'll be moving to your new civil service job.  Once your current agency has proof you've been hired, the Human Resources Office should process a Termination Appointment In (new agency).  This way you should avoid unintentional breaks in service.
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  • I'm taking discontinued service retirement but my Standard Form 50 doesn't show retirement as the personnel action. Is my Form 50 wrong? View more
    No. There isn't any official Discontinued Service Retirement action.  These actions are processed as separations.  The circumstances of the separation are what make you eligible for Discontinued Service Retirement.  For more information on Discontinued Service Retirement, refer to Chapter 44 of the CSRS and FERS Handbook  [118KB].
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  • What if I forget my password for eOPF? View more
    If you forget or lose your password, you can click the ‘Forgot Your Password?’ link on the eOPF login screen. If you have logged into eOPF previously and have answered security questions, you are asked to verify your identity and, once successfully verified, you will be able to create a new password. If you have never previously logged into eOPF,  contact your agency's human resource office.  
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  • Why does the Office of Personnel Management have so many rules for processing personnel actions? View more
    Two reasons.
    1. To make sure important items in your employment history are documented consistently.  This ensures your rights and benefits as a Federal employee are protected over time, no matter where in Government you work.
    2. To collect information on human resources activities Governmentwide.  The Office of Personnel Management, Office of Management and Budget, Congress and others use this information to manage the Federal workforce.
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  • What is an Official Personnel Folder (OPF)? View more
    The Official Personnel Folder (Standard Form 66) is a file containing records for an individual’s federal employment career. Employees with OPFs are those in the Executive Branch service, as listed in Title V of the United States Code and some federal employees not under Title V. The long-term records in the file are included to protect the legal and financial rights of the government and the employee. The OPF is part of the government-wide system of records, OPM/GOVT-1.
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  • I noticed that a document in my eOPF is incorrect. What do I do? View more
    While every effort has been made to ensure that the information in your eOPF is correct, errors can occur.  Any errors or omissions regarding content should be immediately reported to your agency's human resource servicing office for proper identification and resolution.
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  • If something's not in my Official Personnel Folder, where would it be? View more
    These files are generally retained in the agency that created them.  The National Archives and Records Administration publishes records schedules that describe various files and how long agencies are to keep them.  Refer to General Records Schedule 1 for information on personnel files.  To review the Schedule, go to http://www.archives.gov/records-mgmt/grs/grs01.html
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  • What should I do if my records are wrong? View more
    If you disagree with the action that was taken rather than the way it was documented, then it's not a case where the records are wrong.  In these cases, you have to file a grievance or appeal within the required time limits.  If the records don't document what actually happened, then the records are wrong.  If you're still employed, you should contact your Human Resources Office.  If you're no longer employed, write to: Deputy Associate Director Office of the Chief Information Officer Office of Personnel Management 1900 E Street, NW Washington, DC 20415-6000 Include enough information to: *   Identify the record (your name and social security number, the name and date of the record). *   Explain why you think it's wrong, including any evidence supporting your position. *   Show how you would correct the record.
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  • Do other agencies use electronic Official Personnel Folders (eOPF)? View more
    As of April 2010, approximately 70 agencies are in the process of, or have completed, their eOPF implementation.  Over 1.1 million records have been converted to eOPF. Numerous agencies have made eOPF available to their employees. The list of agencies using eOPF continues to grow.  
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  • How do I get training on the eOPF system? View more
    eOPF, like other web-based systems, is intuitive. During setup and installation selected human resource personnel attend classroom training, and end-user training is available at your agency's discretion.
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  • What measures are being taken to ensure that eOPF data is not lost? View more
    OPM is hosting the eOPF system for all federal government agencies. Nightly incremental backups are conducted, which include all new documents and any related information added on a given day. Full system-wide backups occur weekly. OPM performs complete off-site storage of the entire data repository monthly.
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  • How do I access Employee Express? View more
     You can access the Employee Express website at www.employeeexpress.gov  If you have forgotten your Login ID or Password, you can use the "Forgot Login ID” or “Forgot Password" link on the EEX Login Page.  Contact your Human Resources Office if you have questions about your specific personnel or payroll records.
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  • I locked myself out of eOPF trying to reset password. Who can please unlock? V/r AL Claycomb View more
    Due to year-end processing, the Employee Express website will be unavailable to process self-service transactions such as Direct Deposit, Federal Tax, Financial Allotments, etc. from Tuesday, December 29, 2015, through Saturday, January 9, 2016, between 5:00 AM and 9:00 AM EST. During this timeframe, you will be limited to viewing your Earnings and Leave Statements. We apologize for any inconvenience that this may cause.
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  • How do I get help using Employee Express? View more
    If your need assistance with your Employee Express account,  please send an email and include your name, daytime telephone number, and full description of your request to EEXHelp@opm.gov. For security reasons, please do not include your Social Security Number, Login ID or Password. Contact your Human Resources Office if you have questions about your specific personnel or payroll records.
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  • Can I get a new Employee Express PIN if I lose or want to change the one I have? View more
    If you have forgotten your Login ID or Password, you can use the "Forgot Login ID” or “Forgot Password" link on the EEX Login Page.   
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