SYSTEM NAME:
Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act Appeal Files.
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION:
None.
SYSTEM LOCATION:
Office of the Solicitor, Division of Legislation and Legal Counsel, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20210.
CATEGORIES OF INDIVIDUALS COVERED BY THE SYSTEM:
This system encompasses all individuals who submit administrative appeals under the Freedom of Information and Privacy Acts.
CATEGORIES OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM:
Each file generally contains the appeal letter, the initial request, the initial agency determination, and other records necessary to make a determination on the appeal, including copies of unsanitized records responsive to the request. When a determination is made on the appeal, the determination letter is added to the file.
AUTHORITY FOR MAINTENANCE OF THE SYSTEM:
The Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552); the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a); and 5 U.S.C. 301.
PURPOSE(S):
These records are maintained to process an individual's administrative appeal made under the provisions of the Freedom of Information and the Privacy Acts. The records are also used to prepare the Department's annual reports to OMB and Congress required by the Privacy and the Freedom of Information Acts.
ROUTINE USES OF RECORDS MAINTAINED IN THE SYSTEM INCLUDING CATEGORIES OF USERS AND THE PURPOSES OF SUCH USES:
These records, and information in these records, that is relevant and necessary may be used:
a. To disclose information to Federal agencies (e.g., Department of Justice) in order to obtain advice and recommendations concerning matters on which the agency has specialized experience or competence, for use by the Office of the Solicitor in making required appeal determinations and related dispositions under the Freedom of Information Act or the Privacy Act of 1974.
b. To disclose information to any source from which additional information is requested (to the extent necessary to identify the individual, inform the source of the purpose of the appeal, and to identify the type of information involved in an appeal), where necessary to obtain information relative to a decision concerning a Freedom of Information or Privacy Act appeal.
c. To disclose, in response to a request for discovery or for appearance of a witness, information that is relevant to the subject matter involved in a pending judicial or administrative proceeding.
DISCLOSURE TO CONSUMER REPORTING AGENCIES:
None.
POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR STORING, RETRIEVING, ACCESSING, RETAINING, AND DISPOSING OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM:
STORAGE:
Files are stored electronically and/or on paper.
RETRIEVABILITY:
Files are retrieved by the name of the individual making the appeal. Electronic records are retrieved by the name of the appellant, the appellant's law firm, the original requester, the subject, the denying officer, the disposition date, and the case number.
SAFEGUARDS:
Access by authorized personnel only. Computer security safeguards are used for electronically stored data and locked locations for paper files.
RETENTION AND DISPOSAL:
Records are retained for six years until after final agency determination or three years after final court adjudication, whichever is later.
SYSTEM MANAGER(S) AND ADDRESS:
Solicitor of Labor, U.S. Department of Labor, Washington DC 20210.
NOTIFICATION PROCEDURE:
Inquiries should be mailed to the System Manager.
RECORD ACCESS PROCEDURES:
A request for access should be mailed to the System Manager.
CONTESTING RECORD PROCEDURES:
A petition for amendment should be mailed to the System Manager.
RECORD SOURCE CATEGORIES:
Information contained in this system is obtained from:
a. The individual who is the subject of the records;
b. Official personnel documents of the agency, including records from any other agency system or records included in this notice;
c. Agency officials who responded initially to the Freedom of Information and Privacy Act requests;
d. Other sources whom the agency believes have information pertinent to an agency decision on a Freedom of Information or Privacy Act appeal.
SYSTEMS EXEMPTED FROM CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF THE ACT:
The Department of Labor has claimed exemptions for several of its other systems of records under 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(1), (2),(3),(5), and (6). During the course of processing a Freedom of Information or Privacy Act appeal, exempt materials from those other systems may become part of the case record in this system. To the extent that copies of exempt records from those other systems are entered into these Freedom of Information and Privacy Act appeals files, the Department has claimed the same exemptions for the records as they have in the original primary system or records of which they are a part.