# Presentation: 658335

## PRIVACY ACT AND SYSTEMS OF RECORDS

**Denise Schossler **
**Department of Transportation**
** ****and **
**Paul Klingenberg **
**Department of Labor**

## PRIVACY ACTANDSYSTEMS OF RECORDS

**WHAT WOULD**** ****YOU**** ****DO?**

## WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

**	**

**ATTORNEY IN A THIRD PARTY           ACTION**

**- INVESTIGATING SPECIFIC ALLEGATION OF FRAUD**

**- EXPLORING POSSIBLE FRAUD**

**BUDGET OFFICE**

**- AUDITING PROGRAM MANAGEMENT**

_**WHAT WOULD **__**YOU**__** DO?**_

## WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

**EEO INVESTIGATOR**

**AGENCY SAFETY AND HEALTH MANAGER**

**UNION REPRESENTATIVE**

**SECURITY OFFICE**

_**WHAT WOULD**__ __**YOU**__ __**DO?**_

## PRIVACY ACT/ SYSTEMS OF RECORDS

**WHAT IS THE PRIVACY ACT?**
**WHAT INFORMATION CAN BE RELEASED ABOUT A WORKERS’ COMPENSATION CASE? TO WHOM?**
**WHAT IS A SYSTEM OF RECORDS AND HOW DOES IT FIT IN THE PICTURE?**

## PRIVACY ACT

**BASIC POLICY OBJECTIVES**

**PRIVACY ACT**

## PRIVACY ACT

**BALANCE GOVERNMENT’S NEED TO**
**MAINTAIN INFORMATION**

**WITH THE RIGHTS OF INDIVIDUALS**
**TO BE PROTECTED AGAINST THE UNWARRANTED INVASION OF THEIR PRIVACY**

**PRIVACY ACT**

## PRIVACY ACT

**1. RESTRICT DISCLOSURE**

**2. GRANT INDIVIDUALS INCREASED RIGHTS  OF ACCESS**

**PRIVACY ACT**

## PRIVACY ACT

**“****FAIR INFORMATION PRACTICES”**

**3. GRANT INDIVIDUALS RIGHT TO  SEEK AMENDMENT OF AGENCY RECORDS**

**PRIVACY ACT**

## PRIVACY ACT

**BUT**
**THERE ARE ORAL DISCLOSURES AS WELL**

**AND **_**ALL**_** DISCLOSURES ARE COVERED BY PRIVACY ACT PRINCIPLES**

**PRIVACY ACT**

## PRIVACY ACT

**1. AMENDMENT LAWSUIT**

**2. ACCESS LAWSUIT**

**3. ACCURACY LAWSUIT FOR DAMAGES**

**4. OTHER DAMAGES LAWSUIT**

**PRIVACY ACT**

## PRIVACY ACT

**PRIVACY ACT**

## PRIVACY ACT

**1. ****FEDERAL EMPLOYEE****  DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION PROHIBITED FROM  DISCLOSURE**

**--MISDEMEANOR, FINE NOT > $5,000**

**PRIVACY ACT**

## PRIVACY ACT

**--MISDEMEANOR, FINE NOT > $5,000**

**PRIVACY ACT**

**2. ****FEDERAL EMPLOYEE**** WILLFULLY **
**MAINTAINS A SYSTEM OF RECORDS**
**WITHOUT MEETING NOTICE REQUIREMENTS****  **

**--MISDEMEANOR, FINE NOT > $5,000**

## PRIVACY ACT

**THEY CREATE NO PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION AGAINST A FEDERAL EMPLOYEE INDIVIDUALLY**

**PRIVACY ACT**

## PRIVACY ACT

**IN OTHER WORDS, IF YOU VIOLATE AN INDIVIDUAL’S PRIVACY, THE INDIVIDUAL CAN ONLY SUE THE GOVERNMENT**
**BUT**** ****THE GOVERNMENT CAN PROSECUTE YOU**

## SYSTEMS OF RECORDS

**DEFINED IN THE PRIVACY ACT:**
**- “a group of any records under**
** ****the control of any agency from which**
** ****information is retrieved by ... name...**
** ****identifying number, symbol, or**
** ****other identifying particular to the**
** ****individual”**
**PUBLISHED IN FEDERAL REGISTER**

## SYSTEMS OF RECORDS

**- Authority**
** **
**- Purpose**
**- Types of records**
**- ****ROUTINE USES**

## SYSTEMS OF RECORDS

**ROUTINE USE:**
**“****means, with respect to the**
** ****disclosure of a record, the**
**use of such record for a**
_**purpose which is compatible**_
_**with the purpose for which it**_
_**was collected**_**”**

## SYSTEMS OF RECORDS

**WORKERS’ COMPENSATION**
**RECORDS BELONG TO DOL, **
_**AND DOL ONLY**_

_**ANY**_** RECORDS THE AGENCY**
**HAS, INCLUDING COPIES, **
**BELONG TO DOL**

## SYSTEMS OF RECORDS

**WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?**

**ANY RECORDS THE AGENCY HAS BELONG TO DOL, AND CAN ONLY BE RELEASED IN ACCORDANCE WITH DOL’S PUBLISHED ROUTINE USES, ****AND WITH DOL’S INTERPRETATION**** **

## SYSTEMS OF RECORDS

**WHAT ARE THEY AND WHERE **
**ARE THEY?**

**WHAT:**
**DOL/GOVT-1**
**SYSTEM NAME: OWCP,**
**Federal Employees’ **
**Compensation Act File**

## SYSTEMS OF RECORDS

**WHERE:**
**REFERENCED IN THE FECA**
**REGULATIONS AT**
**20 CFR 10.10-10.13**

## SYSTEMS OF RECORDS

**WHAT ARE DOL’S PUBLISHED**
**ROUTINE USES?**
**There are 16 of them...**
**- third party in a third party action**
**- employing agency at time of**
**injury to verify billing, check status **
**of claim, consider rehire, etc.**
**- potential employers for return to **
**work consideration**

## SYSTEMS OF RECORDS

**- Rehab agencies for evaluation**
**- Physicians for use in treatment**
**- Labor union acting on behalf**
** ****of the employee**
**- IRS concerning earnings**** **
**- OSHA**
**- Credit bureaus determining**
** ****ability to pay debts**** **

## SYSTEMS OF RECORDS

**- Health insurance or medical/**
**welfare plans for clarification of **
**billing responsibility**
**- Contractors evaluating the agency’s implementation of FECA**
**- Contractors providing ADP or other services in connection with program administration**
**- DoD and USPS computer**
**matching programs**

## SYSTEMS OF RECORDS  

**- To an agency for obtaining**
**information concerning eligibility**
**for benefits; whether dual benefits are being paid; and for salary**
**offset and debt collection**
**- To a Member of Congress or Congressional Staff Person**
**- To individuals and attorneys seeking alimony and child support**
**  **

## SYSTEMS OF RECORDS

**Plus, THERE ARE 12 ROUTINE**
**USES IN THE GENERAL **
**PREFATORY STATEMENT OF**
**DOL/GOVT-1**

## SYSTEMS OF RECORDS

**SO...WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?**

**WORKERS’ COMP DATA CAN**
**BE RELEASED ****ONLY**** FOR THE**
**ROUTINE USES ESTABLISHED**
**BY DOL **

## SYSTEMS OF RECORDS

**WHEN YOU RELEASE DATA, **
**YOU CAN RELEASE  ****ONLY **
**THAT PART OF THE RECORD**
**THAT IS NECESSARY TO MEET**
**THE ROUTINE USE**

## SYSTEMS OF RECORDS

**IT IS A VIOLATION OF THE **
**PRIVACY ACT IF YOU GIVE**
**ANY INFORMATION NOT **
**COVERED BY THE ROUTINE**
**USES TO ANYONE**
**WHEN IN DOUBT, ****CALL OWCP**

## WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

**SECURITY OFFICE**

**UNION REPRESENTATIVE                   **

**EEO INVESTIGATOR**

**BUDGET OFFICE**

**ATTORNEY IN A THIRD PARTY **
**ACTION**

## WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

**AGENCY SAFETY AND HEALTH**
**MANAGER**
**OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL**