Accessing Your Personal File: What You Need to Know
SAFA has recently received questions about how to access your personal (employee) file and your rights in that process. Here’s an overview based on the Collective Agreement and current SAIT practices. For full details, see Section 16 of the CA.
🔍 Your Right to Access Your File
Under the Collective Agreement, you have the right to review your personal file:
- You can request access once per year, or at any time that you are involved in a grievance or complaint.
- Access must be provided within a reasonable timeframe.
- You have the right to bring a SAFA representative with you to your file review, and you can also give permission for a SAFA representative to view the file.
How to Request Access
To review your file:
- Email [email protected] and include your first and last name and employee ID.
- You will be invited to a Teams meeting with a HR Specialist to review digital files.
- During this meeting, they will walk you through the contents of your file.
- After the review, you can request copies of documents for your records.
🔒 Confidentiality
- Your supervisor or Dean is not notified when you request access to your file.
Did you know?
Your personal file includes documentation related to your employment but does not include items such as reference checks or confidential medical information.
Disciplinary records are also part of a file but they are not permanent. Under the Collective Agreement, most disciplinary actions can be removed from your file after 24 months, provided certain conditions are met.
If you’re unsure what is in your file – or whether something should have been removed – reviewing your file is a good first step. Ensuring your file is accurate can be an important part of protecting your rights as a member.
If you have questions or would like support during a review of your file, reach out to your SAFA representative. We’re here to help.
In solidarity,
Craig Coolahan
SAFA Labour Relations Officer
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Who Does What? Understanding SAFA Roles
As you review the candidates on this year’s SAFA election ballot, here’s a quick guide to what each role does and how they support members.
Table Officers
These are your elected SAFA leaders.
- Handle grievances, organizational decisions, and strategic direction.
- Work directly with the SAFA President and Secretary/Treasurer.
- Support members with complex or sensitive issues.
This role focuses on advocacy, decision-making, and leadership at the association level.
Executive Council Representatives
These are your peer representatives across programs and departments.
- Provide two-way communication between members and SAFA.
- Bring forward concerns, questions, and trends.
- Help ensure members’ voices are heard in SAFA discussions.
This role is about representation, communication, and connection.
Academic Council Representatives
These representatives sit on SAIT’s Academic Council.
- Contribute to discussions on academic policy, programming, and governance.
- Bring a faculty perspective to institutional decision-making.
- Help ensure academic decisions reflect the realities of teaching and learning.
This role connects faculty voice to institutional academic decisions.