Which of the following records MUST be kept for the four years?

• A. Hours worked
• B. Voided payroll checks
• C. Time cards
• D. OSHA records

Answer: (B)

Payroll record retention is about keeping an audit trail for compliance and potential audits. Voided payroll checks are kept for four years because they document adjustments to payments and provide proof of prior disbursements, which is essential if an employee disputes a paycheck or an audit requires tracing funds back to the original issue. Keeping these voided checks for four years ensures you can verify the sequence of events, amounts, and dates, and reconcile the payroll ledger with bank records. Other common retention periods differ: records of hours worked or time cards are typically kept for around three years under wage-and-hour rules, while OSHA injury and illness records are kept longer, usually five years.