[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 174 (Tuesday, September 9, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47525-47527]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-23985]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION


Privacy Act of 1974, As Amended; Revisions to Existing System of 
Records

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Proposed revisions to an existing system of records.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended 
(Privacy Act), the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing 
public notice of its intent to modify an existing system of records 
(system), NRC-21, ``Payroll Accounting Records--NRC,'' to add four new 
routine uses and update other sections of the system notice.

EFFECTIVE DATE: The revised system of records will become effective 
without further notice on October 9, 1997, unless comments received on 
or before that date cause a contrary decision. If changes are made 
based on NRC's review of comments received, NRC will publish a new 
final notice.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to the Secretary of the Commission, U.S. 
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, Attention: 
Docketing and Service Section. Hand deliver comments to 11555 Rockville 
Pike, Rockville, Maryland, between 7:30 am and 4:15 pm Federal 
workdays. Copies of comments may be examined, or copied for a fee, at 
the NRC Public Document Room at 2120 L Street, NW., Lower Level, 
Washington, DC.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jona L. Souder, Freedom of 
Information/Local Public Document Room Branch, Office of Information 
Resources Management, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, 
DC 20555-0001, telephone: 301-415-7170.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The NRC is proposing to amend the system 
notice for NRC-21, ``Payroll Accounting Records--NRC,'' to add three 
new routine use disclosures pursuant to the Personal Responsibility and 
Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (Act). NRC will disclose 
data from NRC-21 to the Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE), 
Administration for Children and Families, Department of Health and 
Human Services (DHHS) for use in its Federal Parent Locator System 
(FPLS) and Federal Tax Offset System, DHHS/OCSE No. 09-90-0074, last 
published in the Federal Register on July 25, 1996 (61 FR 38754).
    FPLS is a computerized network through which States may request 
location information from Federal and State agencies to find non-
custodial parents and/or their employers for purposes of establishing 
paternity and securing support. Effective October 1, 1997, the FPLS 
will be enlarged to include the National Directory of New Hires, a 
database containing information on employees commencing employment, 
quarterly wage data on private and public sector employees, and 
information on unemployment compensation benefits.
    Effective October 1, 1998, the FPLS will be expanded to include a 
Federal Case Registry. The Federal Case Registry will contain abstracts 
on all participants involved in child support enforcement cases. When 
the Federal Case Registry is instituted, its files will be matched on 
an ongoing basis against the files in the National Directory of New 
Hires to determine if an employee is a participant in a child support 
case anywhere in the country. If the FPLS identifies a person as being 
a participant in a State child support case, that State will be 
notified of the participant's current employer. State requests to the 
FPLS for location information will also continue to be processed after 
October 1, 1998.
    The data to be disclosed by NRC to the FPLS includes employees 
names, social security numbers, home addresses, wage amounts, reporting 
periods, and employers names and addresses. Names and social security 
numbers submitted by NRC to the FPLS will be disclosed by the Office of 
Child Support Enforcement to the Social Security Administration for 
verification to ensure that the social security number provided is 
correct.
    The data disclosed by NRC to the FPLS will also be disclosed by the 
Office of Child Support Enforcement to the Secretary of the Treasury 
for use in verifying claims for the advance payment of the earned 
income tax credit or to verify a claim of employment on a tax return.
    A new routine use permitting disclosures to the National Archives 
and Records Administration and the General Services Administration for 
records management inspections conducted under 44 U.S.C. 2904 and 2906 
is also being added to the system notice at this time.
    In addition, NRC is updating the following sections of the system 
notice: System Location; Authority for Maintenance of the System; 
Policies and Practices for Storing, Retrieving, Accessing, Retaining, 
and Disposing of Records in the System; System Manager(s) and Address; 
Notification Procedure; Record Access Procedure; Contesting Record 
Procedure; and Record Source Categories.
    A report on the proposed revisions to this system of records, 
required by 5 U.S.C. 552a(r) and the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) Circular No. A-130, Appendix I, ``Federal Agency Responsibilities 
for Maintaining Records About Individuals,'' is being sent to the 
Committee on Governmental Affairs of the U.S. Senate, the Committee on 
Government Reform and Oversight of the U.S. House of Representatives, 
and OMB.
    Accordingly, the NRC proposes to amend NRC-21 in its entirety to 
read as follows:
NRC-21

SYSTEM NAME:
    Payroll Accounting Records--NRC.

SYSTEM LOCATION:
    Primary system--Division of Accounting and Finance, Office of the 
Controller, NRC, 11545 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland.
    Duplicate systems--Duplicate systems exist, in whole or in part, at 
the locations listed in Addendum I, Parts 1 and 2.

CATEGORIES OF INDIVIDUALS COVERED BY THE SYSTEM:
    Current and former NRC employees, special Government Employees, and 
consultants.

CATEGORIES OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM:
    Pay, leave, and allowance histories, which includes, but is not 
limited to, individuals' names and social security numbers.

AUTHORITY FOR MAINTENANCE OF THE SYSTEM:
    Pub. L. 104-193, Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity 
Reconciliation Act of 1996; 5 U.S.C. 6334 (1994); 31 U.S.C. 716, 1104, 
1108, 1114, 3325, 3511, 3512, 3701, 3711, 3717, 3718 (1994); Executive 
Order 9397, November 22, 1943.

ROUTINE USES OF RECORDS MAINTAINED IN THE SYSTEM, INCLUDING CATEGORIES 
OF USERS AND THE PURPOSES OF SUCH USES:
    In addition to the disclosures permitted under subsection (b) of 
the Privacy Act, the NRC may disclose information contained in this 
system of records without the consent of the subject individual if the 
disclosure is compatible with the purpose for which

[[Page 47526]]

the record was collected under the following routine uses:
    a. For transmittal of data to U.S. Treasury to effect issuance of 
paychecks to employees and consultants and distribution of pay 
according to employee directions for savings bonds, allotments, 
financial institutions, and other authorized purposes including the 
withholding and reporting of Thrift Savings Plan deductions to the 
Department of Agriculture's National Finance Center;
    b. For reporting tax withholding to the Internal Revenue Service 
and appropriate State and local taxing authorities;
    c. For FICA deductions to the Social Security Administration;
    d. For dues deductions to labor unions;
    e. For withholding for health insurance to the insurance carriers 
and the Office of Personnel Management;
    f. For charity contribution deductions to agents of charitable 
institutions;
    g. For annual W-2 statements to taxing authorities and the 
individual;
    h. For transmittal to the Office of Management and Budget for 
review of budget requests;
    i. For withholding and reporting of retirement, reemployed 
annuitants, and life insurance information to the Office of Personnel 
Management;
    j. For transmittal of information to State agencies for 
unemployment purposes;
    k. For transmittal to the Office of Child Support Enforcement, 
Administration for Children and Families, Department of Health and 
Human Services Federal Parent Locator System and Federal Tax Offset 
System for use in locating individuals and identifying their income 
sources to establish paternity, establish and modify orders of support, 
and for enforcement action.
    l. For transmittal to the Office of Child Support Enforcement for 
release to the Social Security Administration for verifying social 
security numbers in connection with the operation of the Federal Parent 
Locator System by the Office of Child Support Enforcement;
    m. For transmittal to the Office of Child Support Enforcement for 
release to the Department of Treasury for purposes of administering the 
Earned Income Tax Credit Program (Section 32, Internal Revenue Code of 
1986) and verifying a claim with respect to employment in a tax return;
    n. To the National Archives and Records Administration or to the 
General Services Administration for records management inspections 
conducted under 44 U.S.C. 2904 and 2906;
    o. For any of the routine uses specified in the Prefatory Statement 
of General Routine uses.

DISCLOSURE TO CONSUMER REPORTING AGENCIES:
    Disclosure pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552A(B)(12): Disclosures of 
information to a consumer reporting agency are not considered a routine 
use of records. Disclosures may be made from this system to ``consumer 
reporting agencies'' as defined in the Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 
U.S.C. 1681a(f) or the Federal Claims Collection Act of 1966, as 
amended (31 U.S.C. 3701(a)(3)).

POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR STORING, RETRIEVING, ACCESSING, RETAINING, 
AND DISPOSING OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM:
STORAGE:
    Information is maintained in computerized form, on microfiche, and 
in paper copy. Computerized form includes information stored in memory, 
on disk and magnetic tape, and on computer printouts.

RETRIEVABILITY:
    Information is accessed by name and social security number.

SAFEGUARDS:
    Records in the primary system of records are maintained in 
buildings where access is controlled by a security guard force. File 
folders, microfiche, tapes, and disks, including backup data, are 
maintained in secured locked rooms after working hours. All records are 
in areas where access is controlled by keycard and is limited to NRC 
and contractor personnel and to others who need the information to 
perform their official duties. Access to computerized records requires 
use of proper passwords and user identification codes.

RETENTION AND DISPOSAL:
    a. Individual employee pay record for each employee and consultant 
maintained in the electronic PAY/PERS system is updated as required in 
accordance with General Records Schedule (GRS) 2-1.a.
    b. Individual employee pay records containing pay data on each 
employee and consultant maintained in the Annual and Quarterly Employee 
History Records on microfiche are transferred to the National Personnel 
Records Center and destroyed when 56 years old.
    c. Copies of non-current payroll data maintained on microfiche are 
destroyed 15 years after close of pay year in which generated in 
accordance with GRS 2-2.
    d. Employee and consultant payroll records:
    1. U.S. savings bond authorizations are destroyed when superseded 
or after separation of employee in accordance with GRS 2-14.a.
    2. Combined Federal Campaign allotment authorizations are destroyed 
after Government Accounting Office (GAO) audit or when 3 years old, 
whichever is sooner, in accordance with GRS 2-15.a.
    3. Union dues and savings allotment authorizations are destroyed 
after GAO audit or when 3 years old, whichever is sooner, in accordance 
with GRS 2.15.b.
    4. Payroll Change Files consisting of records used to change or 
correct an individual's pay transaction are destroyed after GAO audit 
or when 3 years old, whichever is sooner, in accordance with GRS 2-
23.a.
    5. Tax Files consisting of State and Federal withholding tax 
exemption certificates, such as Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Form W-4 
and the equivalent State form are destroyed 4 years after form is 
superseded or obsolete or upon separation of employee in accordance 
with GRS 2-13.a.
    6. Agency copy of employee wages and tax statements, such as IRS 
Form W-2 and State equivalents, are destroyed when 4 years old in 
accordance with GRS 2-13.b.
    7. Leave record prepared upon transfer or separation of employee 
maintained in the Payroll office is destroyed when 3 years old in 
accordance with GRS 2-9.b.
    e. Time and attendance source records maintained by Time and 
Attendance clerks and certifying officials are destroyed after GAO 
audit or when 6 years old, whichever is sooner, in accordance with GRS 
2.7.
    f. Electronic time and attendance input records maintained in the 
PAY/PERS system are destroyed after GAO audit or when 6 years old, 
whichever is sooner, in accordance with GRS 2-8.
    g. Payroll system reports providing fiscal information on agency 
payroll consisting of hardcopy and microfiche reports generated by the 
PAY/PERS system are destroyed when 3 years old, excluding the long-term 
Employee History Reports, in accordance with GRS 2-22.c.
    h. Payroll system reports serving as error reports, ticklers, 
system operation reports are destroyed when related actions are 
completed or when no longer needed, not to exceed 2 years, in 
accordance with GRS 2-22.a.
    i. Official notice of levy or garnishment (IRS Form 668A or 
equivalent), change slip, work papers, correspondence, release and 
other

[[Page 47527]]

forms, and other records relating to charge against retirement funds or 
attachment of salary for payment of back income taxes or other debts of 
Federal employees are destroyed 3 years after garnishment is terminated 
in accordance with GRS 2-18.

SYSTEM MANAGER(S) AND ADDRESS:
    Chief, Financial Operations Branch, Division of Accounting and 
Finance, Office of the Controller, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 
Washington, DC 20555-0001.

NOTIFICATION PROCEDURE:
    Individuals seeking to determine whether this system of records 
contains information pertaining to themselves should write to the 
Chief, Freedom of Information/Local Public Document Room Branch, Office 
of Information Resources Management, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001 and comply with NRC's Privacy Act 
regulations regarding verification of identity contained in 10 CFR part 
9.

RECORD ACCESS PROCEDURE:
    Same as ``Notification Procedure'' and comply with NRC's Privacy 
Act regulations regarding verification of identity and record access 
procedures contained in 10 CFR part 9.

CONTESTING RECORD PROCEDURE:
    Same as ``Notification Procedure'' and comply with NRC's Privacy 
Act regulations regarding verification of identity and contesting 
record procedures contained in 10 CFR part 9.

RECORD SOURCE CATEGORIES:
    Information in this system of records is obtained from sources, 
including but not limited to the individual to whom it pertains, the 
Office of Human Resources and other NRC officials, and other agencies 
and entities.

EXEMPTIONS CLAIMED FOR THE SYSTEM:
    None.

    Dated at Rockville, MD, this 3rd day of September, 1997.
    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
A.J. Galante,
Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 97-23985 Filed 9-8-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P