FY 2009 FOIA Initial Request Backlog Reduction Plan
U.S. Department of Labor
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
(5 U.S.C. ยง 552)
Initial Request: Backlog Reduction Plan for FY 2009
In furtherance of the goal of continually improving the Department's performance of its obligations under FOIA, DOL agencies should take the following steps to reduce the number of requests that are pending without response beyond the statutory time limit of 20 days. Each such request is referred to as "backlogged."
1. Agencies will report backlogs, if any, to the Chief FOIA Officer on a quarterly basis. Each quarter, DOL agencies will submit data demonstrating the following:
► Total Number of Pending FOIA Requests
► Total Number of Backlogged FOIA Requests
► Ten Oldest FOIA Requests
Data calls will occur based upon the schedule below.
► December 2008
► March 2009
► June 2009
► September 2009
2. By the end of the FY 2009, each agency will reduce the total number of backlogs pending at the end of FY 2008 by 15%. Each FOIA component should examine its own FOIA processes and operations to determine how it can best bring about a meaningful reduction in its approaches to reducing its backlog.
3. At a minimum, agencies should close their ten oldest backlogged requests each year.