Record retention is one of the most common—and most misunderstood—areas of payroll and HR compliance. Employers know they’re required to keep records, but far fewer are confident they can produce the right records, for the right years, on demand when an audit or inquiry occurs.
That’s why ResNav released a new whitepaper:
How Long Must Employers Keep Payroll & HR Records? A Federal & State-by-State Guide for Audit Readiness
Why This Topic Matters Now
Wage and hour audits, employee complaints, litigation, and payroll system changes continue to rise. Federal laws like the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) set minimum retention standards, but state laws often extend those requirements—sometimes significantly. For multi-state employers, understanding which rules apply and how long records must be accessible can quickly become complex.
The real risk isn’t just knowing the rules—it’s proving compliance years later, often after payroll systems have changed or legacy platforms have been retired.
What the Whitepaper Covers
This guide was built to answer the questions employers search for most, including:
- How long payroll and HR records must be retained under federal law
- Where state requirements exceed federal minimums
- Which records auditors most commonly request during wage and hour investigations
- Why static reports and legacy system access often fall short in audits
- How payroll system changes introduce hidden compliance risk
The whitepaper also includes a 50-state payroll and HR record retention overview, giving employers a practical reference for navigating state-by-state differences.
How ResNav Supports Audit Readiness
Throughout the guide, we outline how ResNav helps organizations remain audit-ready by preserving complete, searchable historical payroll and HR data—without requiring employers to keep costly legacy payroll systems running.
By separating historical data preservation from active payroll processing, ResNav enables long-term compliance at a fraction of the cost, while ensuring records are available when regulators, auditors, or legal teams request them.
Who Should Read It
This whitepaper is especially valuable for:
- HR and payroll leaders
- Finance and compliance teams
- Multi-state employers
- Organizations planning or recovering from a payroll system change