California State Jobs Exam Records Management and Document Control 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: According to California state records retention schedules, what MUST an agency do before destroying any official record?
- Shred all copies without documentation
- Verify the retention period has been met and obtain required approval per agency policy (Correct answer)
- Obtain approval from the Governor's office for each record
- Convert the record to microfilm first
Correct answer: Verify the retention period has been met and obtain required approval per agency policy
California Government Code requires agencies to confirm retention schedules are satisfied and follow destruction approval procedures.
Question 2: Which of the following is the PRIMARY purpose of a records retention schedule in a California state agency?
- To limit the amount of paper purchased annually
- To define how long each type of record must be kept before it may be destroyed or transferred (Correct answer)
- To rank records by importance for funding purposes
- To assign ownership of records to individual employees
Correct answer: To define how long each type of record must be kept before it may be destroyed or transferred
Retention schedules establish legally required timeframes for keeping different record types, ensuring compliance and efficient storage.
Question 3: A California state employee receives a public records request under the California Public Records Act. The agency must respond:
- Within 30 business days
- Within 10 days of receipt, either providing the records or explaining a valid delay (Correct answer)
- Only after the requester pays an administrative fee
- Only if the request is submitted in writing by a California resident
Correct answer: Within 10 days of receipt, either providing the records or explaining a valid delay
The California Public Records Act requires agencies to respond within 10 days, though production of records may be reasonably extended.
Question 4: Which document classification level applies to state records containing personal identifying information (PII) such as Social Security numbers?
- Public
- Confidential (Correct answer)
- Internal use only
- Archival
Correct answer: Confidential
Records containing PII are classified as confidential and must be protected under California Information Practices Act requirements.
Question 5: When filing hard-copy documents in a numerical filing system, a document numbered 10-4823 should be filed:
- Before document 10-4822
- After document 10-4822 and before document 10-4824 (Correct answer)
- At the beginning of the 10-series drawer
- After all other documents regardless of number
Correct answer: After document 10-4822 and before document 10-4824
Numerical filing systems place documents in sequential order, so 10-4823 follows 10-4822 and precedes 10-4824.
Question 6: An employee discovers a misfiled record that is three months old. The CORRECT action is to:
- Leave it in place to avoid creating confusion
- Remove it from the incorrect location, correct the file, and note the correction in the filing log if applicable (Correct answer)
- Destroy the misfiled record and recreate it
- Report the misfiling to law enforcement
Correct answer: Remove it from the incorrect location, correct the file, and note the correction in the filing log if applicable
Correcting misfiles promptly ensures records remain retrievable and accurate within the agency's filing system.
California State Jobs Exam Records Management and Document Control 1
According to California state records retention schedules, what MUST an agency do before destroying any official record?