13.43 Personnel data.
Subdivision 1. Definition. As used in this section, "personnel data" means data on individuals collected because the individual is or was an employee of or an applicant for employment by, performs services on a voluntary basis for, or acts as an independent contractor with a state agency, statewide system or political subdivision or is a member of or an applicant for an advisory board or commission.
Subd. 2. Public data. (a) Except for employees described in subdivision 5, the following personnel data on current and former employees, volunteers, and independent contractors of a state agency, statewide system, or political subdivision and members of advisory boards or commissions is public:
(1) name; actual gross salary; salary range; contract fees; actual gross pension; the value and nature of employer paid fringe benefits; and the basis for and the amount of any added remuneration, including expense reimbursement, in addition to salary;
(2) job title; job description; education and training background; and previous work experience;
(3) date of first and last employment;
(4) the existence and status of any complaints or charges against the employee, regardless of whether the complaint or charge resulted in a disciplinary action;
(5) the final disposition of any disciplinary action together with the specific reasons for the action and data documenting the basis of the action, excluding data that would identify confidential sources who are employees of the public body;
(6) the terms of any agreement settling any dispute arising out of an employment relationship, including a buyout agreement as defined in section 123.34, subdivision 9a, paragraph (a); except that the agreement must include specific reasons for the agreement if it involves the payment of more than $10,000 of public money;
(7) work location; a work telephone number; badge number; and honors and awards received; and
(8) payroll time sheets or other comparable data that are only used to account for employee's work time for payroll purposes, except to the extent that release of time sheet data would reveal the employee's reasons for the use of sick or other medical leave or other not public data; and city and county of residence.
(b) For purposes of this subdivision, a final disposition occurs when the state agency, statewide system, or political subdivision makes its final decision about the disciplinary action, regardless of the possibility of any later proceedings or court proceedings. In the case of arbitration proceedings arising under collective bargaining agreements, a final disposition occurs at the conclusion of the arbitration proceedings, or upon the failure of the employee to elect arbitration within the time provided by the collective bargaining agreement. Final disposition includes a resignation by an individual when the resignation occurs after the final decision of the state agency, statewide system, political subdivision, or arbitrator.
(c) The state agency, statewide system, or political subdivision may display a photograph of a current or former employee to a prospective witness as part of the state agency's, statewide system's, or political subdivision's investigation of any complaint or charge against the employee.
(d) A complainant has access to a statement provided by the complainant to a state agency, statewide system, or political subdivision in connection with a complaint or charge against an employee.
(e) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), clause (5), upon completion of an investigation of a complaint or charge against a public official, or if a public official resigns or is terminated from employment while the complaint or charge is pending, all data relating to the complaint or charge are public, unless access to the data would jeopardize an active investigation or reveal confidential sources. For purposes of this paragraph, "public official" means:
(1) the head of a state agency and deputy and assistant state agency heads;
(2) members of boards or commissions required by law to be appointed by the governor or other elective officers; and
(3) executive or administrative heads of departments, bureaus, divisions, or institutions.
Subd. 2a. Data disclosure by statewide pension plans. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, with respect to data collected and maintained on members, survivors, and beneficiaries by statewide retirement systems that is classified as public data in accordance with subdivision 2, those retirement systems may be only required to disclose name, gross pension, and type of benefit awarded, except as required by sections 13.03, subdivisions 4 and 6; and 13.05, subdivisions 4 and 9.
Subd. 3. Applicant data. Except for applicants described in subdivision 5, the following personnel data on current and former applicants for employment by a state agency, statewide system or political subdivision or appointment to an advisory board or commission is public: veteran status; relevant test scores; rank on eligible list; job history; education and training; and work availability. Names of applicants shall be private data except when certified as eligible for appointment to a vacancy or when applicants are considered by the appointing authority to be finalists for a position in public employment. For purposes of this subdivision, "finalist" means an individual who is selected to be interviewed by the appointing authority prior to selection. Names and home addresses of applicants for appointment to and members of an advisory board or commission are public.
Subd. 4. Other data. All other personnel data is private data on individuals but may be released pursuant to a court order.
Subd. 5. Undercover law enforcement officer. All personnel data maintained by any state agency, statewide system or political subdivision relating to an individual employed as or an applicant for employment as an undercover law enforcement officer are private data on individuals. When the individual is no longer assigned to an undercover position, the data described in subdivisions 2 and 3 become public unless the law enforcement agency determines that revealing the data would threaten the personal safety of the officer or jeopardize an active investigation.
Subd. 6. Access by labor organizations. Personnel data may be disseminated to labor organizations to the extent that the responsible authority determines that the dissemination is necessary to conduct elections, notify employees of fair share fee assessments, and implement the provisions of chapters 179 and 179A. Personnel data shall be disseminated to labor organizations and to the bureau of mediation services to the extent the dissemination is ordered or authorized by the commissioner of the bureau of mediation services.
Subd. 7. Employee assistance data. All data created, collected or maintained by any state agency or political subdivision to administer employee assistance programs similar to the one authorized by section 16B.39, subdivision 2, are classified as private, pursuant to section 13.02, subdivision 12. This section shall not be interpreted to authorize the establishment of employee assistance programs.
Subd. 8. Harassment data. When allegations of sexual or other types of harassment are made against an employee, the employee does not have access to data that would identify the complainant or other witnesses if the responsible authority determines that the employee's access to that data would:
(1) threaten the personal safety of the complainant or a witness; or
(2) subject the complainant or witness to harassment.
If a disciplinary proceeding is initiated against the employee, data on the complainant or witness shall be available to the employee as may be necessary for the employee to prepare for the proceeding.
Subd. 9. Peer counseling debriefing data. (a) Data acquired by a peer group member in a public safety peer counseling debriefing is private data on the person being debriefed.
(b) For purposes of this subdivision, "public safety peer counseling debriefing" means a group process oriented debriefing session held for peace officers, firefighters, medical emergency persons, dispatchers, or other persons involved with public safety emergency services, that is established by any agency providing public safety emergency services and is designed to help a person who has suffered an occupation-related traumatic event begin the process of healing and effectively dealing with posttraumatic stress.
Subd. 10. Prohibition on agreements limiting disclosure or discussion of personnel data. (a) A state agency, statewide system, or political subdivision may not enter into an agreement settling a dispute arising out of the employment relationship with the purpose or effect of limiting access to or disclosure of personnel data or limiting the discussion of information or opinions related to personnel data. An agreement or portion of an agreement that violates this paragraph is void and unenforceable.
(b) Paragraph (a) applies to the following, but only to the extent that the data or information could otherwise be made accessible to the public:
(1) an agreement not to discuss, publicize, or comment on personnel data or information;
(2) an agreement that limits the ability of the subject of personnel data to release or consent to the release of data; or
(3) any other provision of an agreement that has the effect of limiting the disclosure or discussion of information that could otherwise be made accessible to the public, except a provision that limits the ability of an employee to release or discuss private data that identifies other employees.
(c) Paragraph (a) also applies to a court order that contains terms or conditions prohibited by paragraph (a).
Subd. 11. Protection of employee or others. (a) If the responsible authority or designee of a state agency, statewide system, or political subdivision reasonably determines that the release of personnel data is necessary to protect an employee from harm to self or to protect another person who may be harmed by the employee, data that are relevant to the concerns for safety may be released as provided in this subdivision.
(b) The data may be released:
(1) to the person who may be harmed and to an attorney representing the person when the data are relevant to obtaining a restraining order;
(2) to a prepetition screening team conducting an investigation of the employee under section 253B.07, subdivision 1; or
(3) to a court, law enforcement agency, or prosecuting authority.
(c) Section 13.03, subdivision 4, paragraph (c), applies to data released under this subdivision, except to the extent that the data have a more restrictive classification in the possession of the agency or authority that receives the data. If the person who may be harmed or the person's attorney receives data under this subdivision, the data may be used or released further only to the extent necessary to protect the person from harm.
Subd. 12. Sharing of law enforcement personnel background investigation data. A law enforcement agency shall share data from a background investigation done under section 626.87 with the peace officer standards and training board or with a law enforcement agency doing an investigation of the subject of the data under section 626.87.
HIST: 1979 c 328 s 17; 1980 c 603 s 24,25,29; 1981 c 311 s 12,13,17,39; 1982 c 545 s 9,10,24; 1984 c 436 s 17; 1984 c 544 s 89; 1985 c 298 s 12; 1987 c 186 s 15; 1987 c 284 art 1 s 1; 1987 c 351 s 7; 1987 c 384 art 1 s 2; 1988 c 598 s 1; 1990 c 550 s 1; 1991 c 319 s 4-6; 1993 c 351 s 6,7; 1994 c 618 art 1 s 9; 1995 c 259 art 1 s 7-9; 1Sp1995 c 3 art 9 s 1; 1996 c 440 art 1 s 10-12; 1997 c 214 s 2
Official Publication of the State of Minnesota
Revisor of Statutes