Effective Date: January 11, 2006
(71 F.R. 1813)
SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION NOTICE OF SYSTEM OF RECORDS REQUIRED BY THE PRIVACY ACT OF 1974
SYSTEM NUMBER: 60-0050
System name:
Completed Determination Record--Continuing Disability Determinations, Social Security Administration, Office of Disability Determinations.
Security classification:
None.
System Location:
Social Security Administration
Office of Systems
Categories of individuals covered by the system:
This file contains a record on allowed disability claimants on which a continuing disability issue has occurred and a decision of continuance or cessation has been approved. This file also covers Title II and Title XVI disability beneficiaries who have been selected to receive a Ticket-to-Work as part of the Ticket-to-Work and Self-Sufficiency Program.
Categories of records in the system:
Name and Social Security number (SSN) of the individual and other data such as date of birth, district office and State agency code, date disability began, type of claim, reason for reopening, continuance or cessation code, date of termination (if applicable), date of completion, etc. In addition, data related to the Ticket-to-Work program, such as Ticket eligibility, receipt, assignment and use, alleged and verified earnings and suspension of continuing disability determinations.
Authority for maintenance of the system:
Sections 221 and 1148 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 421 and 1320b-19).
Purpose(s):
This system is used by the Social Security Administration (SSA) to (1) record the result of continuing disability investigations, and (2) record information related to the administration of the Ticket-to-Work and Self-Sufficiency Program.
Routine uses of records maintained in the system, including categories of users and the purposes of such uses:
Disclosure may be made for routine uses as indicated below. However, disclosure of any information defined as ``return or return information'' under 26 U.S.C. 6103 of the Internal Revenue Code will not be disclosed unless authorized by a statute, the Internal Revenue
Service IRS, or IRS regulations.
1. To a congressional office in response to an inquiry from the office made at the request of the subject of a record.
2. To the Internal Revenue Service, Department of the Treasury, as necessary, for the purpose of auditing the Social Security Administration's compliance with the safeguard provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
3. To contractors and other Federal agencies, as necessary, for the purpose of assisting the Social Security Administration (SSA) in the efficient administration of its programs. We will disclose information under this routine use only in situations in which SSA may enter into a contractual or similar agreement with a third party to assist in accomplishing an agency function relating to this system of records.
4. To the General Services Administration and the National Archives Records Administration (NARA) under 44 U.S.C. 2904 and 2906, as amended by the NARA Act of 1984, information which is not restricted from disclosure by Federal law for the use of those agencies in conducting records management studies.
5. To the Department of Justice (DOJ), a court or other tribunal, or another party before such tribunal when:
(a) The Social Security Administration (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 United States or any agency thereof where SSA determines that the litigation is likely to affect the operations of SSA or any of its components, 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, or another party before such 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.
6. To student volunteers, individuals working under a personal services contract, and other workers who technically do not have the status of Federal employees, when they are performing work for the Social Security Administration (SSA), as authorized by law, and they need access to personally identifiable information in SSA records in order to perform their assigned Agency functions.
7. To the Secretary of Health and Human Services or to any State, the Commissioner shall disclose any record or information requested in writing by the Secretary for the purpose of administering any program administered by the Secretary, if records or information of such type were so disclosed under applicable rules, regulations and procedures in effect before the date of enactment of the Social Security Independence and Program Improvements Act of 1994.
8. To contractors for the purpose of assisting SSA in the efficient administration of the Ticket-to-Work and Self-Sufficiency Program. (These contractors would be limited to the Program Manager, which is directly assisting the Social Security Administration (SSA) in
administering the Ticket program, and to Employment Networks, which are providing services to SSA beneficiaries under the Ticket program.)
9. To a Federal, State, or congressional support agency (e.g., Congressional Budget Office and the Congressional Research Staff in the Library of Congress) for research, evaluation, or statistical studies. Such disclosures include, but are not limited to, release of information in assessing the extent to which one can predict eligibility for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments or Social Security disability insurance benefits; examining the distribution of Social Security benefits by economic and demographic groups and how
these differences might be affected by possible changes in policy; analyzing the interaction of economic and non-economic variables affecting entry and exit events and duration in the Title II Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance and the Title XVI SSI disability
programs; and, analyzing retirement decisions focusing on the role of Social Security benefit amounts, automatic benefit recomputation, the delayed retirement credit, and the retirement test, if the Social Security Administration (SSA):
(a) Determines that the routine use does not violate legal limitations under which the record was provided, collected, or obtained;
(b) Determines that the purpose for which the proposed use is to be made:
(i) Cannot reasonably be accomplished unless the record is provided in a form that identifies individuals;
(ii) Is of sufficient importance to warrant the effect on, or risk to, the privacy of the individual which such limited additional exposure of the record might bring;
(ii) Has reasonable probability that the objective of the use would be accomplished;
(iv) Is of importance to the Social Security program or the Social Security beneficiaries or is for an epidemiological research project that relates to the Social Security program or beneficiaries;
(c) Requires the recipient of information to:
(i) Establish appropriate administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to prevent unauthorized use or disclosure of the record and agree to on-site inspection by SSA's personnel, its agents, or by independent agents of the recipient agency of those safeguards;
(ii) Remove or destroy the information that enables the individual to be identified at the earliest time at which removal or destruction can be accomplished consistent with the purpose of the project, unless the recipient receives written authorization from SSA that it is justified, based on research objectives, for retaining such information;
(iii) Make no further use of the records except:
(1) Under emergency circumstances affecting the health and safety of any individual, following written authorization from SSA;
(2) For disclosure to an identified person, approved by SSA, for the purpose of auditing the research project;
(iv) Keep the data as a system of statistical records. A statistical record is one which is maintained only for statistical and research purposes and which is not used to make any determination about an individual;
(d) Secures a written statement by the recipient of the information attesting to the recipient's understanding of, and willingness to abide by, these provisions.
10. We may disclose information to appropriate Federal, State, and local agencies, entities, and persons when (1) we suspect or confirm that the security or confidentiality of information in this system of records has been compromised; (2) we determine that as a result of the suspected or confirmed compromise there is a risk of harm to economic or property interests, identity theft or fraud, or harm to the security or integrity of this system or other systems or programs of SSA that rely upon the compromised information; and (3) we determine that disclosing the information to such agencies, entities, and persons is necessary to assist in our efforts to respond to the suspected or confirmed compromise and prevent, minimize, or remedy such harm. SSA will use this routine use to respond only to those incidents involving an unintentional release of its records.
Policies and practices for storing, retrieving, accessing, retaining, and disposing of records in the system:
Storage:
Records are maintained in magnetic media (e.g., magnetic tapes).
Retrievability:
The records are retrieved by the SSN.
Safeguards:
Only authorized personnel having a need for this information in the performance of their official duties have access to this data under stringent security measures involving guards, building passes and photographs, etc. Access http://www.socialsecurity.gov/foia/bluebook/app_g.htm for additional information relating to SSA data security measures.
Retention and disposal:
The records are maintained indefinitely.
System manager(s) and address(es):
Social Security Administration
Office of Disability Determinations
Notification procedures:
An individual can determine if this system contains a record about him/her by contacting the system manager at the address shown above and furnishing his or her name, SSN, approximate date and place claim was filed, type of claim (DI, BL, or SSI), and return address. (Furnishing the SSN is voluntary, but it will make searching for an individual's record easier and avoid delay.)
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 or some other means of identification. If an individual does not have any 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 information in 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 CFR 401.40(c)).
An individual who requests access to his or her medical record must also name a representative in writing. The representative may be a physician, other health professional, or other responsible individual who would be willing to explain the contents of the medical record(s) before giving the entire medical record(s) to the individual. These procedures are in accordance with SSA Regulations (20 CFR 401.40(c) and 401.55).
A parent or guardian who requests notification of, or access to, a minor's medical record shall, at the time he/she makes the request, designate a physician or other health professional (other than a family member) who will be willing to explain the contents of the medical record(s) before giving the entire medical record(s) to the parent or guardian. These procedures are in accordance with SSA Regulations (20 CFR 401.40(c) and 401.55).
Record access procedures:
Same as Notification procedures. Requesters also should reasonably specify the record contents being sought. These access procedures are in accordance with SSA Regulations (20 CFR 401.40(c) and 401.55).
Contesting record procedures:
Same as Notification procedures. Also, requesters should reasonably identify the record, specify the information they are contesting and the corrective action sought, and the reasons for the correction, with supporting justification showing how the record is incomplete, untimely, inaccurate or irrelevant. These procedures are in accordance with SSA Regulations (20 CFR 401.65(a)).
Record source categories:
These records summarize information contained in the claims folder which was obtained from the individual or someone acting on the individual's behalf and from this individual's physician or a physician performing a consultative examination or from hospitals and other treatment sources.
Systems exempted from certain provisions of the Privacy Act:
None.