Sample Letter Requesting Your Personnel File in Nevada
Nevada gives many employees a statutory right to inspect the records used to evaluate their qualifications or support discipline. NRS 613.075 also imposes a 60-day window on former employees, which makes timing critical.
When to Use This Letter
Request your file whenever the documents in it are about to matter — and especially before you rely on your memory of what they say.
- After a write-up, performance plan, or investigation
- Immediately after a termination, while the 60-day window is open
- Before signing a severance agreement or a last-chance agreement
- When you suspect a review or discipline record has been altered or backdated
- Before filing a NERC or EEOC charge, to see the employer's version of your record
If you have already been terminated, send this within days rather than weeks. Former employees generally must request access within 60 days after termination.
What Nevada Law Says
NRS 613.075 generally allows an employee to inspect and copy records used to determine the employee's qualifications or to support disciplinary action, to submit a reasonable written explanation, and to challenge information that is inaccurate or incomplete.
The statute has real limits worth knowing before you write. Former employees generally must request access within 60 days after termination. The right to copies generally requires more than 60 days of employment. Confidential reports from prior employers, investigative files, and criminal-investigation information are excluded. The employer may charge only the actual cost of access and copies.
The right to submit a written correction is the underused half of this statute. If your file contains something inaccurate, you can put your own dated response alongside it — which means a later reader sees both versions.
Sample Letter You Can Adapt
Replace the highlighted placeholders with your own facts, and delete anything that does not apply. Keep the tone factual rather than angry — assume this letter will later be read by human resources, an outside investigator, a state agency, or a judge.
[Your name]
[Your mailing address]
[Personal email and phone]
[Date]
To: [HR representative or employer legal name]
[Address]
Re: Request to inspect and copy personnel records — NRS 613.075
Dear [Name],
I am [currently employed as a (job title) / formerly employed as a (job title),
with employment ending on (date)]. Pursuant to NRS 613.075, I request access to
inspect and copy the records the company has used to determine my qualifications
for employment, promotion, additional compensation, or transfer, and any records
used to support disciplinary action.
Specifically, I request:
- Performance evaluations, reviews, and ratings
- Disciplinary records, warnings, and written counseling
- Records relating to [the (date) incident / my (date) discipline / my termination]
- Attendance, schedule, and timekeeping records
- Compensation history, including rate changes and bonus determinations
- Acknowledgments and policies I signed
- Job descriptions and postings applicable to my position
I understand that the company may charge the actual cost of access and copies.
Please tell me that amount in advance and I will arrange payment.
Please advise when and where the records will be available for inspection. I
would prefer to receive copies [electronically at the email address above / at
the mailing address above].
I am requesting this within the time allowed under NRS 613.075. Please confirm
receipt of this request in writing.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Employee ID, if known]How to Send It and What to Keep
Because a deadline applies to former employees, send this so the date is provable. Certified mail plus email is the safe combination.
- If you have been terminated, send within days — the window is generally 60 days
- Keep proof of mailing and a PDF of the sent email
- Send to HR and, if you have been terminated, to the employer's legal entity address
- Log the date you sent it and the date any response arrives
When the records arrive, read them against your own memory and note every discrepancy. If something is inaccurate or incomplete, follow up with a short, factual written correction and ask that it be kept with the record. Attach any document that supports your version.
Mistakes That Weaken the Letter
- Missing the 60-day window after termination. This is the most common and least recoverable error.
- Asking vaguely for "my file." List the categories of records you want so there is no ambiguity about what was requested.
- Not exercising the correction right. The statute allows a reasonable written explanation; a file with only the employer's version is worse than one with both.
- Expecting investigative files. Investigative and criminal-investigation information and confidential prior-employer reports are generally excluded.
- Waiting until after you sign a severance agreement. Read your file first.
What Usually Happens After You Send It
Most employers respond in one of four ways: they fix the problem, they open an internal investigation, they answer with a denial, or they say nothing. Each response tells you something useful. A correction resolves the issue. An investigation creates records that may matter later. A denial locks the employer into an explanation that can be compared against the documents. Silence, on a written and dated request, is itself evidence that notice was given and ignored.
Keep a short log of what happens after the letter goes out: dates of meetings, who attended, what was said, and any change to your schedule, duties, pay, or reviews. Employees often remember the letter clearly and forget the three weeks that followed, which is usually the period that matters most.
Writing to Your Employer Is Generally Protected
Nevada and federal law protect employees who report conduct they reasonably believe is unlawful. NRS 613.340 prohibits retaliation against workers who oppose unlawful employment practices or take part in an investigation, charge, or hearing. That protection can apply even when the underlying complaint is never proven, provided the belief was reasonable and held in good faith.
If discipline, a schedule cut, a demotion, reassignment, or termination follows shortly after your letter, the timing itself can support a retaliation claim that is separate from the original problem. Do not resign in response without advice — quitting can complicate both the claim and any unemployment filing.
Watch the Deadlines
A letter to your employer does not extend any legal deadline. Discrimination, harassment, and retaliation claims typically require a charge with the Nevada Equal Rights Commission or the EEOC before a lawsuit, and those windows can be short. Wage claims run on their own timetable: NRS 608.135 authorizes a civil action within two years for violations of NRS 608.020 through 608.050. Send the letter, then confirm your actual deadlines with counsel rather than waiting on a reply.
¿Prefiere español? Lea la versión en español: Cómo solicitar una copia de tu archivo personal en Nevada.
More templates and guides: letter templates · Nevada employment resources · practice areas · FAQ.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to request my file after being fired?
Former employees generally must request access within 60 days after termination under NRS 613.075. Send the request promptly rather than counting days.
Can I get copies, or only look at the records?
NRS 613.075 generally provides for inspection and copying, but the right to copies generally requires more than 60 days of employment. The employer may charge the actual cost of access and copies.
Can I correct something inaccurate in my file?
Yes. The statute generally allows you to submit a reasonable written explanation and to challenge information that is inaccurate or incomplete. Keep your correction short, factual, and dated, and attach supporting documents.
What is not included?
Confidential reports from prior employers, investigative files, and criminal-investigation information are generally excluded from what must be produced.
Related Pages
Talk With a Las Vegas Employment Lawyer
If this situation sounds familiar, request a confidential consultation. Call 702-605-5409 or send a message.
This page is for general informational purposes and is not legal advice. Nevada and federal employment laws change, and deadlines and remedies depend on the facts. Contact an attorney about your situation.