From the Hotline

By Teri Henning, General Counsel
Pennsylvania Newspaper Association

Q: Are records reflecting bonuses paid by school districts to employees public records?

A: Yes. The definition of “public record” includes “accounts, vouchers and contracts” related to the expenditure of public funds with a few, limited exceptions. There is no blanket exception for personnel records in the Right to Know Act and there are numerous cases where the courts have held that personnel-related records, including payroll records, are open records. The mere fact that the bonus is not part of the regular salary of the employee does not change this conclusion.

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