Government Code section 3255 requires employers give firefighters an opportunity to review any adverse comments before they can be placed in the firefighters "personnel file, or any other file used for any personnel purposes by his or her employer." Likewise, Government Code section 3256.5 give firefighters the right to inspect their files and request corrections. But, some employers have tried to skirt around the law by making adverse comments in secret files or other places. Now the California Supreme Court will weigh in on what constitutes a personnel file under FFOBR when it hears the appeal of Poole v. Orange County Fire Authority.
In Poole v. Orange County Fire Authority, the Court of Appeal ruled firefighters have a right under FFBOR to review and respond to personnel comments entered into "daily logs," even though the employer claimed they were not put in the employee's "personnel file."
The case is about a firefighter with the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA). OFCA keeps personnel files at OFCA's headquarters in Irvine, but a fire captain kept a separate file at the fire station on each of the firefighters he supervised, which he called "daily logs." He used in the preparation of yearly evaluations and did not give firefighters an opportunity to review them before recording them.
When the firefighter found out about the "daily logs," he requested management delete them pursuant to section 3256.5(c). However, OFCA refused, claiming they were not subject to FFBOR because “while the notes were intended to be used for personnel purposes, they were never ‘entered’ into any file.” The Court of Appeal disagreed, noting firefighters should be able to review the daily logs because the purpose of the law is to “facilitate the firefighter’s ability to respond to adverse comments potentially affecting the firefighters employment status.”
The California Supreme Court granted review on February 26, 2014.
