27VA047

Categories of individuals covered by the system:
All VA employees (including Consultants and Attendings).

Categories of records in the system:
PAID Master Records, Record of Salary Payments, Time and Attendance Report File, Earnings and Leave Statement, Individual Retirement Record, Payroll Folder Files, Personnel Action Records and Basic Authorizations, Training and Incentive Awards Record, Carpool and Ridesharing Program Records (i.e., name, address, office location at the facility).

Authority for maintenance of the system:
Statutory provisions, Executive Order 12191 (45 FR 7997 (Feb. 6, 1980)) and other Executive Orders of the President, and rules and regulations of certain Federal regulatory departments and agencies.

Routine uses of records maintained in the system, including categories of users and the purposes of such uses:

1. To produce and maintain the personnel and payroll records, including reports and statistical data, of VA employees for use by Federal, State and local agencies and organizations authorized by law or regulation to have access to such information.
2. Transfer payroll information to complete payroll checks, bond deductions and withholding taxes to the Treasury Department in order to effect delivery of payroll checks and saving bonds to VA employees.
3. Transfer payroll information to the Social Security Administration in order to credit quarterly posting for social security.
4. Transfer withholding tax information to State and/or city governments to effect payment of taxes to city and/or State governments and to create W-2's.
5. Transfer retirement record information to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) in order to provide a hisotry of service and retirement deductions.
6. Transfer employee Payroll Folder File, Record of Salary Payments, and Time and Attendance Reports to the National Archives and Records Administration in order to provide a history of all salaries, deductions and time and leave.
7. Transfer unemployment compensation information to State agencies to compile unemployment compensation data.
8. Transfer personnel data to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) in order to provide the OPM with a readily accessible major data source for meeting work force information needs of OPM, national planning agencies, the Congress, the White House and the public.
9. The Department of Veterans Affairs, on its own initiative, may disclose any information in this system, except veterans' names and addresses, which is relevant to a suspected violation or reasonably imminent violation of law, whether civil, criminal, or regulatory in nature and whether arising by general or program statute or by regulation, rule, or order issued pursuant thereto, to any Federal, foreign, State, or local government agency charged with the responsibility of investigative or prosecuting such violations, or charged with enforcing or implementing the statute, rule, regulation, or order issued pursuant thereto.
10. A record from this system of records may be disclosed as a ``routine use'' to a Federal, State or local agency, or to a non- governmental organization maintaining civil, criminal or other relevant information, such as current licenses, registration or certification, if necessary to obtain information relevant to an agency decision concerning the hiring or retention of an employee, the use of an individual as a consultant, attending or to provide fee basis health care, the issuance of a security clearance, the letting of a contract, or the issuance of a license, grant or other benefits.These records may also be disclosed as part of an ongoing computer matching program to accomplish these purposes.
11. A record from this system of records may be disclosed to a Federal, State or local agency, in response to its request, in connection with the hiring or retention of an employee, the issuance of a security clearance, the reporting of an investigation of an employee, the letting of a contract or the issuance of a license, grant, or other benefit by the requesting agency, to the extent that the information is relevant and necessary to the requesting agency's decision on the matter.
12. Relevant information from this system of records, including the nature and amount of a financial obligation, may be disclosed as a routine use, in order assist VA in the collection of unpaid financial obligations owed to VA, to a debtor's employing agency or commanding officer so that the debtor-employee may be counseled by his or her Federal employer or commanding officer. This purpose is consistent with the Federal Claims Collection Act (31 U.S.C. chapter 37, subchapters I and II) 4 CFR parts 101-105, and 38 CFR 1.900- 1.954.
13. To provide State and local taxing authorities employee names, home addresses, social security numbers, gross compensation paid for a given period, taxes withheld for the benefit of the recipient jurisdiction or other jurisdictions, according to the provisions of State and/or local law.
14. Relevant information from this system of records, including available identifying data regarding the debtor, such as name of debtor, last known address of debtor, name of debtor's spouse, social security account number of debtor, VA insurance number, VA loan number, VA claims number, place and date of birth of debtor, name and address of debtor's employer or firm, and dates of employment, may be disclosed to other Federal agencies, State probate courts, State drivers' license bureaus, and State automobile title and license bureaus as a routine use in order to obtain current address, locator and credit report assistance in the collection of unpaid financial obligations owed to the U.S. This purpose is consist with the Federal Claims Collection Act (31 U.S.C. chapter 37, subchapters I and II) 4 CFR parts 101-105, and 38 CFR 1.900-1.954.
15. Disclosure may be made 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. Information and records in this system may be disclosed to the National Archives and Records Administration and the General Services Administration in records management inspections conducted under the authority of 44 U.S.C. 2904 and 2906 and the implementing regulations.
17. The name and general geographic location where an employee resides (not specific home address) may be disclosed by the facility Employee Transportation Coordinator to other employees in order to promote the car/vanpooling and ridesharing program established in accordance with Executive Order 12191 and to enable the VA to verify membership in car and vanpools.
18. Any information in this system may be disclosed to a Federal grand jury, a Federal court or a party in litigation, or a Federal agency or party to an administrative proceeding being conducted by a Federal agency, in order for the VA to respond to and comply with the issuance of a Federal subpoena.
19. Any information in this system may be disclosed to a State or municipal grand jury, a State or municipal court or a party in litigation, or to a State or municipal administrative agency functioning in a quasi-judicial capacity or a party to a proceeding being conducted by such agency, in order for the VA to respond to and comply with the issuance of a State or municipal subpoena.
20. The name of the employee, social security number, beginning and ending pay period dates, the number of hours worked during a given pay period, the gross salary and duty station information may be disclosed to the Department of Labor (DOL) Inspector General's office (IG) in order for the DOL IG to conduct a computer match of these records with various state unemployment benefit files. The purpose of this computer matching program will be to determine if Federal employees have been properly drawing state unemployment benefit payments. These payments are ultimately reimbursed to the state by the Federal Government.
21. Relevant information from this system of records concerning full time VA physicians and dentists, including name, social security number, and date of birth, may be disclosed to Federal, State and local agencies, and to independent insurance carriers (processors or medical claims), for the purpose of conducting computer matches to determine if their outside professional income is accurately reported and obtained only from santioned professional activities.
22. Records from this system of records may be disclosed to a Federal Agency or to a State or local government licensing board and/ or to the Federation of State Medical Boards or a similar nongovernment entity which maintains records concerning individuals' employment histories or concerning the issuance, retention or revocation of licenses, certifications, or registration necessary to practice an occupation, profession or specialty , in order for the Agency to obtain information relevant to an Agency decision concerning the hiring, retention or termination of an employee or to inform a Federal Agency or licensing boards or the appropriate nongovernment entities about the health care practices of a terminated, resigned or retired health care employee whose professional health care activity so significantly failed to conform to generally accepted standards of professional medical practice as to raise reasonable concern for the health and safety of patients in the private sector or from another Federal Agency. These records may also be disclosed as part of an ongoing computer matching program to accomplish these purposes.
23. Any information in this system of records may be disclosed to any State, local, or foreign civil or criminal law enforcement governmental agency or instrumentality charged under applicable law with the protection of the public health or safety for the purpose of protecting public health or safety if qualified representative of such agency or instrumentality has made a written request that such information be provided in order to meet a statutory reporting requirement.
24. Relevant information from this system of records may be disclosed to the National Practitioner Data Bank and/or State Licensing Board in the State(s) in which a practitioner is licensed, in which the VA facility is located, and/or in which an act or omission occurred upon which a medical malpractice claim was based when VA reports information concerning: (1) Any payment for the benefit of a physician, dentist, or other licensed health care practitioner which was made as the result of a settlement or judgment of a claim of medical malpractice if an appropriate determination is made in accordance with agency policy that payment was related to substandard care, professional incompetence or professional misconduct on the part of the individual; (2) a final decision which relates to possible incompetence or improper professional conduct that adversely affects the clinical privileges of a physician or dentist for a period longer than 30 days; or, (3) the acceptance of the surrender of clinical privileges or any restriction of such privileges by a physician or dentist either while under investigation by the health care entity relating to possible incompetence or improper professional conduct, or in return for not conducting such an investigation or proceeding. These records may also be disclosed as part of a computer matching program to accomplish these purposes.
25. Any informationin this system may be disclosed to the Department of Treasury, Internal Revenue Service (IRS), where required by law or regulation to report withholding information and to effect payment of taxes withheld to IRS and to create W-2's.
26. Relevant information from this system of records, including social security number, date of birth, home address, and the amount of contributions, interfund transfers, or other financial informaiton may be disclosed to the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board in order to effect employee participation in the Thrift Savings Plan.g
27. Relevant information from this system of records concerning residents and interns employed at VA Medical Centers, including names, social security numbers, occupational titles, and dates of service, may be disclosed to the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) as part of an ongoing computer matching program. The purpose of this computer matching program is to help assure that no intern or resident is counted as more than one full-time equivalent in accordance with program regulations governing Medicare education costs.
28. Information from this system of records may be disclosed in response to legal processes, including interrogatories, served on the Agency in connection with garnishment proceedings against current or former VA employees under 5 U.S.C. 5520a.
29. Relevant information from this system of records may be disclosed to individuals, organizations, private or public agencies, etc., with whom VA has a contract or agreement to perform such services as VA may deem practicable for the purposes of laws administered by VA, in order for the contractor to perform the services of the contract or agreement. In accordance with the provisions of the contract or agreement, the contractor may disclose relevant information from this system of records to a third party. This includes the situation where relevant information may be disclosed to a third party upon the presentation or submission to the contractor by that third party of specific authorization or access data (e.g., an authorization code or number), which is obtained from VA or the VA contractor only by the individual employee to whom the information pertains. The employee's release of the specific authorization or access data to a third party indicates the employee's authorization for the disclosure of such information to that third party.
30. The names, social security numbers, home addresses, dates of birth, dates of hire, quarterly earnings, employer identifying information, and State of hire of employees may be disclosed to the Office of Child Support Enforcement, Administration for Children and Families, Department of Health and Human Services Federal Parent Locator System (FPLS) for the purpose of locating individuals to establish paternity, establishing and modifying orders of child support, identifying sources of income, and for other child support enforcement actions as required by the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (Welfare Reform Law, Pub. L. 104- 193).
31. Information from this system of records may be released to the Social Security Administration for verifying social security numbers in connection with the operation of the Federal Parent Locator System (FPLS) by the Office of Child Support Enforcement.
32. Information from this system of records may be released to the Department of the 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.
33. To disclose information to the Federal Labor Relations Authority (including its General Counsel when requested in connection with the investigation and resolution of allegations of unfair labor practices, in connection with the resolution of exceptions to arbitrator awards when a question of material fact is raised, in connection with matters before the Federal Service Impasses Panel, and to investigate representation petitions and conduct or supervise representation elections.
34. VA may disclose information from this system of records to a court administrative entity, or custodial parent of a child in order to provide documentation of payroll deductions for child healthcare insurance coverage in accordance with a court or administrative order as required by 5 U.S.C. 8905(h), as enacted by Public Law 106-394 and in accordance with the procedures stated in the applicable Office of Personnel Management Benefits Administration and Payroll Office Letters. VA may also disclose information from this system of redords to healthcare insurance carriers in order to enroll employees and their children in healthcare insurance plans in accordance with Public Law 106-394.

Policies and practices for storing, retrieving, accessing, retaining, and disposing of records in the system:

Storage:
Paper documents, microfiche, magnetic media.

Retrievability:
VA personnel records are filed by name. Automated data processing records are indexed by social security number within station.

Safeguards:

Physical Security:
Access to Payroll Folder Files is restricted to fiscal officers and employees of the Payroll Section. Access to Official Personnel Folder Files is restricted to personnel officers and employees authorized access under Federal Personnel Manual and VA Manual, MP-5, Personnel Policy. Personnel and Fiscal offices are locked after working hours and are protected from outside access by the Federal Protective Service and other security officers. Access to data by means of on-line (query) data base or down-loading with a Decentralizing Hospital Computer Program (DHCP) is restricted to authorized employees by means of unique user identification and passwords. User identifications and passwords will be seven (7) characters in length. These codes are to be mailed in a sealed envelope to an employee's business address and will be opened only by the addressed employee. No user identification or password will be given to an employee except those authorized access under Federal Personnel Manual and VA Manual, MP-5, Personnel Policy.

Retention and disposal:
Payroll Folder File - Retired to the National Personnel Records Center three years after close of calendar year following transfer or separation of employee and after audit clearance of related pay records - disposed of 56 years after date of last entry on card. Official Personnel Service Folder File - Retired to the National Personnel Records Center 30 days after separation - disposed of 75 years after birth of employee.

System manager(s) and address:
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Financial Management (047), DVA Central Office, Washington, DC 20420.

Notification procedure:
Individuals seeking information concerning the existence of a record pertaining to themselves must submit a written request to the VA station of employment. Addresses of stations may be found in VA Appendix 1 at the end of this document. Inquiries should include the employee's full name, social security number, office and return address.

Record access procedures:
Employees or representatives designated in writing seeking information regarding access to and contesting of VA records may write, call or visit the VA office of employment. Contesting record procedures: (See Record Access Procedures above.) Record source categories: Personnel records information received from employees, VA officials, other Government and State Agencies.

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