Retention Scheduling & Disposition Flashcards

A 'certificate of destruction' serves what primary purpose in the records disposition process?

Answer: It provides documented proof that records were destroyed in accordance with the approved retention schedule

A certificate of destruction is a written attestation that records were destroyed on a specific date in an authorized manner, creating an audit trail and demonstrating compliance.

Which destruction method is considered most appropriate for confidential paper records?

Answer: Cross-cut or micro-cut shredding

Cross-cut or micro-cut shredding renders confidential information unreadable and is the standard secure destruction method for paper records containing sensitive data.

When electronic records reach the end of their retention period, 'sanitization' of the storage media refers to:

Answer: Using approved methods to render data on the media unrecoverable before reuse or disposal

Media sanitization involves degaussing, overwriting, or physical destruction of storage media so that previously stored data cannot be recovered, meeting security and privacy requirements.

The principle of 'defensible disposition' means that an organization can demonstrate that records destruction was:

Answer: Authorized, documented, consistent, and suspended when a legal hold was in effect

Defensible disposition requires that destruction be performed according to an approved schedule, properly documented, applied consistently, and halted whenever a legal hold applies to relevant records.

Which of the following is a common consequence of failing to apply a legal hold to relevant records?

Answer: Sanctions for spoliation, including adverse inference instructions or monetary penalties

Destroying records subject to a legal hold constitutes spoliation, which can result in severe court sanctions including adverse inference instructions, fines, or default judgment.

Records that have been identified for permanent preservation and transferred to an archival repository are said to have undergone:

Answer: Accession

Accession is the formal transfer of records of permanent or historical value from a creating office to an archival repository, along with legal and physical custody.

Which statement best describes the difference between 'disposition authority' and 'disposition instruction'?

Answer: Disposition authority is the legal permission to dispose of records; disposition instruction specifies the method and timing of that action

Disposition authority is the legal or regulatory approval (e.g., NARA approval or schedule approval) that permits an organization to dispose of records, while disposition instructions describe the specific how and when of carrying out that approved action.