Content created by Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Division
System name:
Pay, Leave and Attendance Records, HHS/PSC/HRS.
Security classification:
None.
System location:
HRS, Personnel and Pay Systems Division, Silver Spring Centre, Room 1154, 8455 Colesville Road, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910.
FMS, Division of Information Systems and Technology, Room 17–66, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, Maryland 20857.
NIH, Center for Information Technology, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, Maryland 20205.
Inactive records: Federal Retirement Record Center, Boyers, PA.
In addition, records are maintained by timekeepers and payroll liaisons. Contact the System Manager at the location identified below for specific locations.
Categories of individuals covered by the system:
All employees paid through the Department of Health and Human Services civilian payroll system.
Categories of records in the system:
This system consists of a variety of records relating to pay, allowance and leave determinations made about each employee paid through the HHS civilian payroll system such as employee's name, date of birth, Social Security Number, home address; employing organization, pay plan and grade, hours worked, leave, timekeeper number, income taxes, withholdings and allotments, insurance, retirement, Thrift Savings Plan, voluntary leave transfer, etc.
Authority for maintenance of the system:
Title 5 U.S. Code, Chapter 55—Pay Administration Title 5 U.S. Code, Chapter 63—Leave
Purpose(s):
Records in this system are used to:
1. Ensure that each employee in the payroll system receives proper pay and allowances.
2. Ensure that proper deductions and authorized allotments are made from employees' pay.
3. Ensure that employees are credited and charged with the proper amount of sick and annual leave.
4. Provide information to the Federal Parent Locator System (FPLS), the Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE), locating individuals and identifying their income sources to establish paternity, establish and modify orders of support and for enforcement action in accordance with 42 U.S.C. 653.
5. Provide information to OCSE for release to the Social Security Administration for verifying Social Security Numbers in connection with the operation of the FPLS.
6. Provide information to OCSE for release to the Department of Treasury for purpose 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.
7. Provide information to the HHS Voluntary Leave Transfer Program websites for Departmentwide announcement and produce summary descriptive statistics and analytical studies in support of the functions for which the records are collected and maintained and for related personnel management functions or pay studies, and other purposes compatible with the intent for which the record system was created.
8. Provide information to HHS components seeking to collect an overdue debt owed to the Federal Government, but only to the extent necessary to collect that overdue debt.
9. Provide Department management with information systems reports.
Routine uses of records maintained in the system, including categories of users and the purposes of such uses:
Information from these records may be used:
1. To prepare W–2 Forms to submit to the Internal Revenue Service and to disclose to State and local government agencies having taxing authority pertinent records relating to employees, including name, home address, earned income, and amount of taxes withheld.
2. To a Federal, State or local agency maintaining civil, criminal or other relevant enforcement records or other pertinent records, such as current licenses, if necessary to obtain a record relevant to an agency decision concerning the hiring or retention of an employee, the issuance of a security clearance, the letting of a contract, or the issuance of a license, grant or other benefit.
3. In the event that this system of records indicates a violation or potential violation of law, whether civil, criminal or regulatory in nature, and whether arising by general statute or particular program statute, or by regulation, rule or order issued pursuant thereto, the relevant records in the system of records may be referred, as routine uses to the appropriate agency, whether State or local, charged with the responsibility of investigating or prosecuting such violation or charged with enforcing or implementing the statute, or rule, regulation or order issued pursuant thereto.
4. When a contract between a component of the Department and a labor organization recognized under E.O. 11491 of 5 U.S.C. Chapter 71 provides that the agency will disclose personal records when relevant and necessary to the labor organization's duties of exclusive representation concerning personnel policies, practices, and matters affecting working conditions.
5. To financial organizations designated to receive labor organizations or management association dues withheld from employees' pay, in order to account for the amounts withheld.
6. Records may be disclosed to federal agencies and Department contractors that have been engaged by HHS to assist in accomplishment of an HHS function relating to the purposes of the system (i.e., providing payroll services) and that need to have access to the records in order to assist HHS. Any contractor will be required to maintain Privacy Act safeguards with respect to such records. These safeguards are explained in the section entitled “Safeguards.”
7. To disclose to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management that information that is relevant and necessary to carry out its role as the oversight agency responsible for promoting the effectiveness of personnel management and ensuring compliance with personnel laws and regulations.
8. To disclose to the Merit Systems Protection Board (including its Office of the Special Counsel) that information that is relevant and necessary to carry out its role as the oversight agency responsible for protecting the integrity of Federal merit systems and the rights of Federal employees working in the systems.
9. To disclose information to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission when requested in connection with investigations of alleged or possible discrimination practices, or other functions vested in the Commission.
10. To disclose to the Federal Labor Relations Authority (including the General Counsel of the Authority and the Federal Service Impasses Panel) that information that is relevant and necessary to carry out its oversight role for the Federal service labor-management relations program.
11. To the Department of Labor to make compensation determination in connection with a claim filed by the employee for compensation on account of a job-connected injury or disease.
12. To respond to court orders for garnishments of an employee's pay for alimony or child support.
13. To the Department of Treasury to disclose information such as name, home address, Social Security Number, earned income, withholding status, and amount of taxes withheld for the following purposes: preparation and issuance of salary, retired pay, and annuity checks; issuance of U.S. Savings Bonds; recording of income information; and collection of income taxes.
14. To State officers of unemployment compensation in connection with claims filed by former HHS employees for unemployment compensation.
15. To a congressional office from the record of an individual in response to an inquiry from the congressional office made at the request of that individual.
16. To the Department of Justice, a court or other tribunal when: (a) HHS, or any component, thereof; or (b) any HHS employee in his or her official capacity; or (c) any HHS employee in his or her individual capacity where the Department of Justice (or HHS, where it is authorized to do so) has agreed to represent the employee; or (d) the United States or any agency thereof where HHS determines that the litigation is likely to affect HHS or any of its components, is a party to litigation or has interest in such litigation, and HHS determines that the use of such records by the Department of Justice, the court or other tribunal is relevant and necessary to the litigation and would help in the effective representation of the governmental party, provided, however, that in each case, HHS determines that such disclosure is compatible with the purpose for which the records are collected.
17. To disclose pertinent information to appropriate Federal, State, or local agencies; international agencies; or foreign governments responsible for investigating, prosecuting, enforcing or implementing statutes, rules, regulations or orders when PSC becomes aware of evidence of potential violation of civil or criminal law.
18. To disclose information for the purpose of conducting computer matching programs designed to reduce fraud, waste and abuse in Federal, State and local public assistance programs and operations.
19. To disclose information to other Federal organizations to collect an overdue debt owed to the Federal Government, but only to the extent necessary to collect that overdue debt.
20. To publicly recognized charitable organizations for payroll deductions or when necessary to adjudicate a claim.
21. Provide information to charities, financial organizations at the request of the employee for the purposes of facilitating an employee's request for direct deposit or contribution to a charity, starting or modifying a savings program, etc.
22. To a Federal agency in response to a written request from the agency head specifying the particular portion desired and the law enforcement activity for which the record is sought. The request for the record must be connected with the agency's auditing and investigative functions designed to reduce fraud, waste and abuse; it must be based on information which raises questions about an individual's eligibility for benefits or payments; and it must be made reasonably soon after the information is received.
23. To respond to court orders when an employee is involved in garnishment proceedings arising because an employee is involved in a personal debt collection action.
24. To thrift and savings institutions to adjudicate a claim under a program, or to conduct analytical studies of benefits being paid under such programs, provided such disclosure is consistent with the purpose for which the information was ordinarily collected.
25. To the Federal Thrift Savings Plan to maintain employees thrift accounts, loans or loan repayment records.
26. Records may be disclosed to appropriate federal agencies and Department contractors that have a need to know the information for the purpose of assisting the Department’s efforts to respond to a suspected or confirmed breach of the security or confidentiality of the information maintained in this system of records, if the information disclosed is relevant and necessary for that assistance.
Policies and practices for storing, retrieving, accessing, retaining, and disposing of records in the system:
Storage:
Automated records are stored on disks, microfiche, electronic media, magnetic tapes and on websites. Nonautomated (hard-copy) files are kept in locked offices, and may be stored in locked shelves, safes, cabinets, bookcases or desks.
Retrievability:
Records are maintained by pay period and are retrieved by name and/or Social Security Number and timekeeper number within each pay period.
Safeguards:
1. Authorized Users
Automated Records. Access to and use of automated records is limited to: (1) Personnel employed in the PSC and the HHS Operating Division personnel offices, (2) authorized officials in HHS components and organizations whose official duties require such access, and (3) authorized officials in other Federal agencies for whom the PSC is providing personnel and/or payrolling service.
Nonautomated records. Access to and use of nonautomated records is limited to departmental employees whose official duties require such access or to individuals needing access to the information for purposes stated under routine uses. These individuals are permitted access to records only after they have satisfactorily identified themselves as having an official need to review the information and have provided satisfactory proof of their identities. Access is also granted to individuals who have written permission to review the record when that permission has been obtained from the individual to whom the record pertains. All individuals from outside the Department, to whom disclosure is made pursuant to a routine use, must complete Privacy Act nondisclosure oaths and must submit written requests for access to these records showing the name and employing office of the requester, the date on which the record is requested and the purpose for reviewing the information in the record. This written request is then placed into the record.
2. Physical safeguards
Automated records. Terminals by which automated records are accessed are kept in offices secured with locks. Automated records on magnetic tape, disks and other computer equipment are kept in rooms designed to protect the physical integrity of the records media and equipment. These rooms are within inner offices to which access is permitted only with special clearance. Outer offices are secured with locks.
Nonautomated records. Nonautomated records are kept in such a way as to prevent observation by unauthorized individuals while the records are actively in use by an authorized employee. When records are not in use, they are secured in filing cabinets inside secured office space which is locked at all times. Access to the office space requires a key card to enter and access is permitted only to authorized personnel.
3. Procedural safeguards
Automated records. Automated records are secured by assigning individual access codes to authorized personnel, and by the use of passwords for specific records created by authorized personnel. Access codes and passwords are changed on a random schedule. In addition, programming for automated record allows authorized personnel to access only those records that are essential to their duties. Remote access to automated data from remote terminals is restricted to the PSC, and OPDIV personnel officials. No access is permitted to OPDIVs that do not have automated personnel recordkeeping systems that comply with Privacy Act requirements.
Nonautomated records. All files are secured when employees are absent from the premises and are further protected by locks on entry ways. Official records may not be removed from the physical boundaries of PPSD. When records are needed at a remote location, copies of the records will be provided. When copying records for authorized purposes, care is taken to ensure that any imperfect or extra copies are not left in the copier areas where they can be read, but are destroyed or obliterated.
4. Contractor Guidelines.
A contractor who is given records under routine use 6 must maintain the records in a secured area, allow only those individuals immediately involved in the processing of the records to have access to them, prevent any unauthorized persons from gaining access to the records, and return the records to the System Manager immediately upon completion of the work specified in the contract. Contractor compliance is assured though inclusion of Privacy Act requirements in contract clauses, and through monitoring by contract and project officers. Contractors who maintain records are instructed to make no disclosure of the records except as authorized by the System Manager and stated in the contract.
Retention and disposal:
When an employee is separated leave records are incorporated into the Official Personnel Folder (OPF) maintained by the servicing personnel office (SPO) and payroll retirement information is transferred to the Federal Retirement Records Center in Boyers, PA. The OPF is forwarded to the new employing agency by the SPO. These procedures are in accordance with U.S. Office of Personnel Management policies and procedures.
When an employee retires or dies, the employee or his/her beneficiary receives a payment for his/her annual leave balance and the retirement information is transferred to the Federal Retirement Records Center in Boyers, PA. The SPO transfers the OPF to the Federal Records Center. These procedures are in accordance with U.S. Office of Personnel Management policies and procedures.
System manager(s) and address:
Director, Personnel and Pay Systems Division, Human Resources Service, PSC, HHS, Suite 700, 8455 Colesville Road, Silver Spring, MD 20910.
Notification procedure:
The same as Access Procedures. Requesters should also reasonably specify the record contents being sought.
Record access procedures:
1. General procedures. A subject individual, or parent, or legal guardian of an incompetent individual, who appears in person at a specific location seeking access to or disclosure of records relating to him/her may initially contact his/her agency personnel office or payroll liaison for information about obtaining access to the records. Such individuals will be required to verify their identity to the satisfaction of the agency employee providing access. Refusal to provide sufficient proof of identity will result in denial of the request for access until such time as proof of identity can be obtained.
2. Requests by mail. Written requests must be addressed to the System Manager or the appropriate Payroll Liaison Representative. A comparison will be made of that signature and the signature maintained in a file prior to release of the material request. Copies of the records to which access has been requested will be mailed to the individual.
3. Requests by phone. Unless positive identification of the caller can be established, telephone requests for access to records will not be honored.
4. Accounting of disclosures. An individual who is the subject of the records in this system may also request an accounting of all disclosures outside the Department, if any, that have been made from the individual's records.
Contesting record procedures:
Contact the System Manager at the address specified under System Location above and reasonably identify the record. Specify the information being contested. State the corrective action sought, with supporting justification, along with information to show how the record is inaccurate, incomplete, untimely or irrelevant.
Record source categories:
Information is supplied directly by the individual, derived from information supplied by the individual, or supplied by timekeepers and other authorized officials.
System exempted from certain provision of the Act:
None.