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SSA
ORGANIZATION MANUAL
Chapter S9
THE
OFFICE OF THE GENERAL COUNSEL
I.
Mission
The Office of the
General Counsel advises the Commissioner on legal matters, is responsible
for providing all legal advice to the Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner, and
all subordinate organizational components (except OIG) of SSA in connection
with the operation and administration of SSA. Responsible for the policy
formulation and decision making related to the collection, access, and
disclosure of such information in the records of the Social Security
Administration; and processing of Freedom of Information requests and
appeals (under the Freedom of Information and Privacy Acts.
II. Organization
A.
The General Counsel (S9).
B.
The Deputy General Counsel (S9).
C.
The Immediate Office of the General Counsel (S9A)
1.
The Executive Operations Staff (S9A-3).
2.
The
IT Resource Management Staff
(S9A-4).
D.
The Office of General Law (S9B).
E.
The Office of Program Law (S9E).
F.
The Office of Privacy and Disclosure (S9H).
G.
The Offices of the Regional Chief Counsels (S9G-F1-S9G-
FX).
III.
Functions
A.
The
General Counsel (S9) is directly responsible to the Commissioner for
carrying out the OGC mission and providing general supervision to the major
components of OGC.
B.
The Deputy General Counsel (S9) assists the General Counsel in
carrying out his/her responsibilities and performs other duties as the
General Counsel may prescribe. In the event of the General Counsel's absence
or disability, or in the event of a vacancy in the position of General
Counsel, the Deputy General Counsel acts for him/her unless the Commissioner
directs otherwise. The Deputy General Counsel also serves as the Designated
Agency Ethics Official with responsibility for coordinating and managing the
Social Security Administration's (SSA) ethics program.
C.
The Immediate Office of the General Counsel (S9A) includes the
Executive Operations Staff (S9A-3).
1.
The Executive Operations Staff (S9A-3) provides internal
organizational planning, management analysis and review, staff support and
assistance to the General Counsel, Deputy General Counsel, OGC Executive
Staff, OGC Executive Officer, and other OGC managers. Plans, develops, and
coordinates OGC's financial, personnel, and administrative management
regional offices. Plans, directs and provides day-to-day operational support
services on all areas of administrative, budget, space and facilities,
communications, and systems management. Identifies, coordinates, and
implements OGC's training program. Formulates, justifies, and presents
annual and multi- year budget submissions. Controls the collection,
recording, and reporting of all financial, personnel, and administrative
data in connection with budget and staffing formulation and executive
functions.
2.
The IT Resource Management Staff (S9A-4) designs, develops, manages,
supports, plans, maintains, and executes all aspects of systems planning and
operations for the OGC. This includes the full range of hardware, software,
and IT service initiatives and issues impacting OGC operations nationwide. Conducting
research and analysis of Title II and title XVI disability issues, focusing on
the susceptibility of SSA policies and processes to disability fraud
- The Office of General Law (S9B) provides all legal services
to the Commissioner and every Headquarters component of the Agency on all
non-program legal issues affecting the Agency’s operations and employees.
-
The Office of Program Law
(OPL) (S9E) is responsible
for providing a full range of legal services and advice (including
administrative and court litigation) to the Social Security Administration (SSA)
related to the operation and administration of its various programs
under the Social Security Act.
OPL is responsible for drafting and/or reviewing SSA
regulations, Federal Register materials, and legal instruments within OPL’s
areas of jurisdiction; proposals for legislation and specifications for such
proposed legislation; reports and letters to congressional committees, the
Office of Management and Budget, and others on proposed legislation and
legislative matters and proposed testimony of SSA officials before
Congress.
OPL
also coordinates program litigation strategy nationwide
and is responsible for comprehensive analyses of litigation trends. OPL
represents SSA, in concert with the Department of Justice, in litigation
challenging its policies and procedures, the constitutionality of provisions
of the Social Security Act, and benefit claim determinations.
- The Office of Privacy and Disclosure (S9H).
The Office
of Public Disclosure (OPD) (S9H) develops and interprets SSA policy
governing the collection, use, maintenance and disclosure of personally
identifiable information under the Privacy Act, section 1106 of the
Social Security Act, section 6103 of the Internal Revenue Code and
related privacy statutes and regulations. OPD also develops national
guidelines and assists in policies related to requests for information
made under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). It
develops national standards relating to the release and exchange of
personal data in SSA databases to Federal, state, and local agencies,
and serves as the Agency’s focal point for all data sharing activities
with outside organizations. It ensures Agency-wide sensitivity to the
importance of privacy considerations in all situations involving
disclosure of SSA data about individuals and ensures necessary privacy
protections are built into new systems and processes developed to
deliver more efficient service to Agency customers. In this capacity,
it serves as the Agency’s focal point for conducting and preparing
Privacy Impact Assessments under the E-Government Act of 2002. It
reviews Agency projects and initiatives to ensure compliance with the
Privacy Act and related laws and regulations. It examines public
service issues related to handling various information requests from the
public. It acts on Privacy Act and FOIA appeals. It directs FOIA
activities in SSA, develops SSA’s FOIA policies and procedures, prepares
the Annual Report to Congress on these activities, and reviews requests
and determines whether records are required to be disclosed to members
of the public.
- The Offices of Regional Chief Counsels (S9G-F1 - S9G-FX) provide the Commissioner
and the various regional components of SSA with legal services and support
as follows:
1.
Provide
professional legal and managerial expertise for the OGC in their respective
geographic locations.
2.
Provide
litigation support and legal services and advice to the SSA Regional
Commissioners in the various areas set out above regarding OGC offices.
SSA ORGANIZATION MANUAL
Chapter S9B
OFFICE
OF GENERAL LAW
I. Mission
As a component of the Office of
the General Counsel, the Office of General Law (OGL) provides all legal services
to the Commissioner and every Headquarters component of the Agency on all
non-program legal issues affecting the Agency’s operations and employees.
II.
Organization
The Associate
General Counsel for General Law (S9B)
-
The Deputy
Associate General Counsel for General Law (S9B)
-
The Immediate
Office of the Associate General Counsel for General Law (S9B)
-
The Contracts
and Claims Division (S9BA)
-
The Ethics
and Disclosure Division (S9BB)
-
The
Representative Conduct and Civil Rights Division (S9BC)
III. Functions
-
The
Associate General
Counsel for General Law (S9B) leads OGL in executing its
mission, acts as the Agency’s Alternative Designated Agency Ethics Official,
Claims Officer and Touhy Officer, and performs other duties as the General
Counsel or Deputy General Counsel may prescribe.
-
The
Deputy Associate
General Counsel for General Law (S9B) assists the Associate General
Counsel in carrying out his/her responsibilities and performs other
duties as the Associate General Counsel may prescribe.
-
The
Immediate
Office of the Associate General Counsel for General Law (S9B)
provides the Associate General Counsel and Deputy Associate General
Counsel with staff and technical assistance on the full range of
his/her responsibilities.
-
The Contracts
and Claims Division (S9BA) is responsible for providing all non-program
legal issues affecting the Agency’s operations and employees with an
emphasis on contract formation, administration and litigation as well as the
handling and adjudication of tort and related claims.
-
The
Ethics and
Disclosure Division (S9BB) is responsible for providing all
non-program legal issues affecting the Agency’s operations and
employees with an emphasis on the education and enforcement of the
Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch,
the Hatch Act and related ethics regulations as well as the
provision of legal services incident to the Agency’s duties and
responsibilities under the Privacy Act, the Freedom of Information
Act and related statutes.
-
The Representative
Conduct and Civil Rights Division (S9BC) is responsible for
providing all non-program legal issues affecting the Agency’s
operations and employees with an emphasis on enforcing the Agency’s
representative conduct regulations as well as investigating claims
of discrimination and misconduct made by members of the public
concerning the Agency’s conduct of its programs.
SSA ORGANIZATION MANUAL
Chapter
S9E
OFFICE OF
PROGRAM LAW
I. Mission
The Office of Program Law (OPL)
is responsible for providing a full range of legal services and advice
(including administrative and court litigation) to the Social Security
Administration (SSA) related to the operation and administration of its
various programs under the Social Security Act.
OPL is responsible for
drafting and/or reviewing SSA regulations, Federal Register materials, and
legal instruments within OPL’s areas of jurisdiction; proposals for
legislation and specifications for such proposed legislation; reports and
letters to congressional committees, the Office of Management and Budget,
and others on proposed legislation and legislative matters; and proposed
testimony of SSA officials before Congress.
OPL also coordinates program
litigation strategy nationwide and is responsible for comprehensive analyses
of litigation trends. OPL represents SSA, in concert with the Department of
Justice, in litigation challenging its policies and procedures, the
constitutionality of provisions of the Social Security Act, and benefit
claim determinations.
II. Organization
-
The Associate General Counsel for Program Law (S9E)
-
The Deputy Associate General Counsel for Program Law (S9E)
-
The Immediate Office of the Associate General Counsel for
Program Law (S9E).
1.
The Management Information and Process Analysis Staff (S9E-1)
-
The Disability Program Division (S9EA)
-
The Title II Program Division (S9EB)
-
The Title VIII and XVI Programs Division (S9EC)
III. Functions
-
The
Associate General Counsel for Program Law (S9E) is directly
responsible to the General Counsel for carrying out OPL’s mission
and provides general supervision to the components of OPL.
-
The Deputy
Associate General Counsel for Program Law (S9E) assists the
Associate General Counsel in carrying out his/her responsibilities
and performs other duties as the Associate General Counsel may
prescribe.
-
The Immediate Office of the Associate General
Counsel (S9E) provides the Associate General Counsel with staff
assistance on the full range of his/her responsibilities.
-
The Management
Information and Process Analysis Staff (S9E-1) is responsible
for developing and analyzing a variety of management information
related to litigation trends and outcomes. As part of this
function, the Staff provides analysis and recommendations
regarding litigation strategies and challenges to SSA’s policies and procedures.
-
The
Disability Program Division (S9EA) is responsible for providing
legal advice to SSA’s components on disability issues in order to
ensure the integration of Agency policies and coordinating disability
program litigation strategy. This Division also represents SSA, in
concert with the Department of Justice, in litigation challenges to
the disability program.
-
The Title II Program Division (S9EB) is responsible for
providing legal advice to SSA’s components on non-disability issues arising
under the Title II insurance program in order to ensure the integration of
Agency policies and coordinating litigation strategies relative to
non-disability issues. This Division also represents SSA, in concert with
the Department of Justice, in litigation challenges to the Retirement and
Survivors Insurance program, non-disability entitlement, coverage and
administrative policies and procedures.
-
The Title VIII and XVI Programs Division
(S9EC) is responsible for providing legal advice to SSA’s components on non-disability issues
arising under Titles VIII and XVI in order to ensure the integration of
Agency policies and coordinating litigation strategies relative to the
Special Benefits for certain World War II Veterans and Supplemental Security
Income issues. This Division also represents SSA, in concert with the
Department of Justice, in litigation challenges to Title VIII and
Title XVI policies and procedures.
SSA
ORGANIZATION MANUAL
Chapter
S9H
OFFICE OF
PRIVACY AND DISCLOSURE
I. Mission
The Office of Privacy and Disclosure (OPD) (S9H) develops and interprets SSA policy
governing the collection, use, maintenance and disclosure of personally
identifiable information under the Privacy Act, section 1106 of the Social
Security Act, section 6103 of the Internal Revenue Code and related privacy
statutes and regulations. OPD also develops national guidelines and assists
in policies related to requests for information made under the provisions of
the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). It develops national standards
relating to the release and exchange of personal data in SSA databases to
Federal, state, and local agencies, and serves as the Agency’s focal point
for all data sharing activities with outside organizations. It ensures
Agency-wide sensitivity to the importance of privacy considerations in all
situations involving disclosure of SSA data about individuals and ensures
necessary privacy protections are built into new systems and processes
developed to deliver more efficient service to Agency customers. In this
capacity, it serves as the Agency’s focal point for conducting and preparing
Privacy Impact Assessments under the E-Government Act of 2002. It reviews
Agency projects and initiatives to ensure compliance with the Privacy Act
and related laws and regulations. It examines public service issues related
to handling various information requests from the public. It acts on
Privacy Act and FOIA appeals. It directs FOIA activities in SSA, develops
SSA’s FOIA policies and procedures, prepares the Annual Report to Congress
on these activities, and reviews requests and determines whether records are
required to be disclosed to members of the public.
II. Organization
-
The Executive Director for Privacy and Disclosure (S9H)
-
The Deputy Executive Director for Privacy
and Disclosure (S9H)
-
The Immediate Office of the Executive Director for Privacy and Disclosure (S9H)
1.
The
eFOIA Project Staff (S9H-1)
-
Disclosure Policy Development and Services Division 1 (S9HA)
-
Disclosure Policy Development and Services Division 2 (S9HB)
III. Functions
- The Executive Director for Privacy
and Disclosure (S9H) is directly responsible
to the General Counsel for carrying out the OPD mission and providing
general supervision to the components of OPD.
- The Deputy Executive Director for
Privacy and Disclosure (S9H) assists in
carrying out the other duties as the Executive Director may prescribe. The
Deputy Executive Director for Public Disclosure also serves as SSA’s Freedom
of Information Officer and Privacy Officer.
- The Immediate Office of the
Executive Director for Privacy and Disclosure (S9H)
provides the Executive Director and Deputy Executive Director with
administrative staff assistance, technology leadership, planning, and customer relations support on the full range of their responsibilities.
1. The eFOIA Project
Staff (S9H-1)
-
Develops strategies
to re-engineer, improve and make more efficient SSA’s FOIA systems and work
processes performed and housed in different SSA locations.
-
Works closely with
contractors and Agency staff in maintaining, supporting, and enhancing the eFOIA system.
-
Assists in training
and support services to all users and administrators of the eFOIA system for
the use, analysis, design, expansion, and installation of all system
components.
- The Disclosure Policy Development and Services
Division 1 (S9HA)
-
Provides the full
range of disclosure policy guidance and services that are part of OPD’s
mission to SSA regional components in the Boston, New York, Philadelphia,
Atlanta, and Kansas City regions (Regions I, II, III, IV, and VII).
-
Provides the full
range of disclosure policy guidance and services that are part of OPD’s
mission to SSA headquarters components.
-
Reviews requests and
determines whether records are required to be disclosed to members of the
public under the FOIA.
-
Acts on Privacy and FOIA appeals.
-
The Disclosure Policy Development and Services Division 2 (S9HB).
-
Provides the full
range of disclosure policy guidance and services that are part of OPD’s
mission to SSA regional components in the Chicago, Dallas, Denver, San
Francisco, and Seattle regions (Regions V, VI, VIII, IX, and X).
-
Provides the full
range of disclosure policy guidance and services that are part of OPD’s
mission to SSA headquarters components.
-
Reviews requests and
determines whether records are required to be disclosed to members of the
public under the FOIA.
-
Acts on Privacy Act
and FOIA appeals.
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