Effective Date: July 3, 2002
(67 F.R. 44658)
SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION NOTICE OF SYSTEM OF RECORDS REQUIRED BY THE PRIVACY ACT OF 1974
System number: 60-0305
System name:
SSA Mass Transportation Subsidy Program System/Social Security Administration/Office of Personnel
Security classification:
None.
System location:
Social Security Administration
Office of Human Resources
Office of Personnel
and SSA Regional Offices, Centers for Human Resources (SSA Headquarters).
Social Security Administration
Social Security Administration
26 Federal Plaza
Social Security Administration
Social Security Administration
Social Security Administration
Social Security Administration
Social Security Administration
Social Security Administration
Social Security Administration
Social Security Administration
701
Social Security Administration
Office of Central Operations
Center for Management Support
Room 7030
Categories of individuals covered by the system:
This system covers SSA employees who are applicants for or participants in SSA's Mass Transportation Subsidy Program.
Categories of records in the system:
Records in the system include any paper and electronic records required by SSA to administer the mass transportation subsidy program in accordance with legal requirements. Paper records may include: copies of applications and certifications; distribution lists; correspondence to applicants/participants; and administrative reports. Electronic records may include data from the employee applications and may contain information reflecting: the distribution of transit passes and authorized cash reimbursements to program participants; names, office addresses, telephone and fax numbers for Local Transit Coordinators; the frequency of transit benefit distributions; transit benefit amounts received by participants during distributions; and the form and method by which transit passes are issued to program participants. Paper and electronic records may include information related to program applicants/participants such as: names; Social Security numbers; office addresses; office telephone numbers; bargaining unit status; transit providers and monthly transportation costs; and names, office addresses and office telephone numbers of supervisors.
Authority for maintenance of the system:
5 U.S.C. § 7905, 26 U.S.C. § 132(f), and Executive Order 13150.
Purpose(s):
Information in the system will be used to administer the SSA Mass Transportation Subsidy Program. Specifically, the information will assist SSA in managing and verifying the scheduling and distribution of transportation subsidies, in accounting for funds expended under the SSA Mass Transportation Subsidy Program, and in ensuring the integrity of the program.
Routine uses of records maintained in the system, including categories of users and the purposes of such uses:
Disclosures may be made for routine uses as indicated below. However, disclosure of any information constituting "return or return information" within the scope of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) (26 U.S.C. § 6103) will not be disclosed unless disclosure is authorized by that statute.
1. To the Office of the President for the purpose of responding to an individual pursuant to an inquiry received from that individual or from a third party on his or her behalf.
2. To a congressional office in response to an inquiry from that office made at the request of the subject of a record.
3. To the Department of Transportation (DOT), so that it may correctly purchase and distribute transit passes to employees; verify employee eligibility and participation in the program, and account to SSA for funds expended in administering SSA's Mass Transportation Subsidy Program.
4. To a Federal agency for the purpose of responding to surveys and preparing reports on mass transportation subsidy programs, including compliance with applicable laws and executive orders relating to such programs.
5. To the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and to State and local government tax agencies in response to inquiries regarding an employee's receipt of qualified transportation fringe benefits.
6. To the Department of Justice (DOJ), a court, or other tribunal, or other party before such tribunal when:
a) SSA, or any component thereof, or
b) any SSA employee in his/her official capacity; or
c) any SSA employee in his/her individual capacity where DOJ (or SSA where it is authorized to do so) has agreed to represent the employee; or
d) the
is a party to litigation or has an interest in such litigation, and SSA determines that the use of such records by DOJ, a court, or other tribunal is relevant and necessary to the litigation, provided, however, that in each case, SSA determines that such disclosure is compatible with the purpose for which the records were collected.
Wage and other information which are subject to disclosure provisions of the IRC (26 U.S.C. § 6103) will not be disclosed under this routine use unless disclosure is expressly permitted by the IRC.
7. To other Federal agencies having the power to subpoena records, for example, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) or the Civil Rights Commission, in response to a subpoena for information contained in this system of records.
8. To the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) when requested in connection with investigations into alleged or possible discriminatory practices in the Federal sector, examination of Federal affirmative employment programs, compliance by Federal agencies with the Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures, or other functions vested in the Commission.
9. To the Federal Labor Relations Authority, the General Counsel, the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, the Federal Service Impasses Panel, or an arbitrator when information is requested in connection with investigations of allegations of unfair practices, matters before an arbitrator or the Federal Service Impasses Panel.
10. To student volunteers, individuals working under a personal services contract, and other individuals performing functions for SSA but technically not having the status of agency employees, if they need access to the records in order to perform their assigned agency functions.
11. Non-tax return information which is not restricted from disclosure by federal law may be disclosed to the General Services Administration (GSA) and the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) under 44 U.S.C. § 2904 and § 2906, as amended by NARA Act of 1984, for the use of those agencies in conducting records management studies.
Disclosure to Consumer Reporting Agencies:
Disclosure pursuant to 5 U.S.C. § 552a(b)(12) may be made 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 (31 U.S.C. § 3701, et. Seq.) as amended. The disclosure will be made in accordance with 31 U.S.C. § 3711(e) when authorized by sections 204(f), 808(e), or 1631(b)(4) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 404(f), 1008(e), or 1383(b)(4)). The purpose of this disclosure is to aid in the collection of outstanding debts owed to the Federal government, typically, to provide an incentive for debtors to repay delinquent Federal government debts by making these debts part of their credit records. The information to be disclosed is limited to the individual's name, address, SSN, and other information necessary to establish the individual's identity, the amount, status, and history of the debt and the agency or program under which the debt arose.
Policies and practices for storing, retrieving, accessing, retaining and disposing of records in the system:
Storage:
Records are maintained in both electronic and paper form at the system locations identified above.
Retrievability:
Records are retrieved by employee name and/or SSN.
Safeguards:
Only authorized personnel who have a need for the information in the performance of official duties will be permitted access to the information in this system of records.
Retention and disposal:
Records in this system are retained for three years at which time they are destroyed. The means of disposal will be appropriate to the storage medium (e.g., deletion of individual electronic records or shredding of paper records).
System manager(s) and address(es):
For Paper Files - In Headquarters:
Associate Commissioner
Office of Personnel
Office of Human Resources
Social Security Administration
In the Field:
Center for Human Resources, Office of the Regional Commissioner (see systems location above for addresses).
For Electronic Records:
Associate Commissioner
Office of Personnel
Office of Human Resources
Social Security Administration
Notification procedure(s):
An individual can determine if this system contains a record about him/her by writing to the systems manager(s) at the above address and providing his/her name, SSN or other information that may be in the system of records that will identify him/her. An individual requesting notification of records in person should provide the same information, as well as provide an identity document, preferably with a photograph, such as a driver’s license. If an individual does not have identification documents sufficient to establish his/her identity, the individual must certify in writing that he/she is the person claimed to be and that he/she understands that the knowing and willful request for, or acquisition of, a record pertaining to another individual under false pretenses is a criminal offense.
If notification is requested by telephone, an individual must verify his/her identity by providing identifying information that parallels the record to which notification is being requested. If it is determined that the identifying information provided by telephone is insufficient, the individual will be required to submit a request in writing or in person. If an individual is requesting information by telephone on behalf of another individual, the subject individual must be connected with SSA and the requesting individual in the same phone call. SSA will establish the subject individual’s identity (his/her name, SSN, address, date of birth and place of birth along with one other piece of information such as mother’s maiden name) and ask for his/her consent in providing information to the requesting individual.
If a request for notification is submitted by mail, an individual must include a notarized statement to SSA to verify his/her identity or must certify in the request that he/she is the person claimed to be and that he/she understands that the knowing and willful request for, or acquisition of, a record pertaining to another individual under false pretenses is a criminal offense. These procedures are in accordance with SSA Regulations (20 C.F.R.§ 401.40).
Record access procedure(s):
Same as "Notification" procedures. Requesters also should reasonably specify the record contents they are seeking. These procedures are in accordance with SSA Regulations (20 C.F.R. 401.50).
Contesting record procedure(s):
Same as "Notification" procedures. Requesters also should reasonably identify the record, specify the information they are contesting, and state the corrective action sought and the reasons for the correction with supporting justification showing how the record is untimely, incomplete, inaccurate or irrelevant. These procedures are in accordance with SSA Regulations (20 C.F.R. 401.65).
Record source categories:
Information in this system of records is:
(1) supplied directly by the individual;
(2) supplied by the Department of Transportation; or
(3) supplied by SSA officials.
Systems exempted from certain provisions of the Privacy Act:
None.