If requested, does former employer have to give me a copy of my employee file?

Basically No. You can request tax information, 401K but personnel files are not available unless required by law. As an EMPLOYEE, some states allow you to see and copy, some see only, some require you to go to their corporate office. As a FORMER employee, you are very restricted. Texas law does not require an employer to allow an employee to access his or her personnel file (exception: public employees may request copies of their personnel file documents under the Public Information Act (http://www.oag.state.tx.us/open/index.shtml)).

They can give you some of the basic information, also, they can charge you for the copies.