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Privacy Act of 1974; Notice of System of Records
Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.
[Federal Register: October 10, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 197)]
[Notices]
[Page 58670-58672]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr10oc03-59]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-7572-3; OEI-2003-0034]
Privacy Act of 1974; Notice of System of Records
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.
ACTION: Notice; amendment to Notice of Privacy Act System of Records
EPA-1.
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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or Agency) is
amending a Privacy Act system of records to reflect the agency's
migration from its legacy Payroll and Personnel System (EPAYS) to
PeoplePlus, a modern, commercial off the shelf system. PeoplePlus
allows the agency to fully integrate its payroll and HR systems and
supports the government-wide initiative led by the Office of Personnel
Management (OPM) to consolidate executive branch payroll providers.
This advance in technology paves the way for EPA to become a payroll
customer of USDA's National Finance Center at the start of FY2005.
The PeoplePlus system consists of two separate applications. One
application will perform HR functions, and the other will perform
payroll, and time and labor functions. The records and routine uses of
the information in the HR application remain covered by a government-
wide notice published by OPM April 27, 2000 at 65 FR 24732. The EPA
notice published today is a technical amendment to EPA's system of
records to notify the public of the routine uses for the new payroll,
time, and labor application. This notice does not affect any Privacy
Act rights already accorded individuals who are the subject of agency
payroll records. PeoplePlus will not change the nature of the records
currently kept by EPA, and no new uses of information are proposed.
This action simply gives notice that EPAYS is being replaced by
PeoplePlus. The records are needed to administer EPA's pay and leave
requirements, including processing, accounting and reporting
requirements.
Today's notice rescinds the portions of EPA's notice published in
the Federal Register February 22, 2002, at 67 FR 8246 that pertain to
the legacy EPAYS system.
DATES: This notice is effective October 10, 2003.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Melvin Visnick, Chief, Washington
Finance Center, Office of the Chief Financial Officer, U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., (MC
2734R), Washington, DC 20460, 202-564-4944.
Additional information about implementation of the Privacy Act at
EPA is available on the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/privacy/.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA prepares and processes payroll for its
employees and for employees of the Department of Transportation's
Surface Transportation Board (STB). EPA's legacy Payroll and Personnel
System (EPAYS) is more than 30 years old, and the Agency is replacing
it with PeoplePlus, a modern, fully integrated human resources (HR),
payroll, time and labor system. PeoplePlus will not be used to prepare
and process payroll for STB.
Replacing EPAYS is part of an overall e-government effort led by
the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to consolidate executive
branch payroll providers and to simplify and standardize civilian
payroll procedures across the Federal government. The e-payroll
initiative will transform the current federal civilian payroll service
delivery environment and realize efficiencies government-wide.
Implementation of PeoplePlus at EPA helps establish the technical
infrastructure for EPA to become a payroll customer of the National
Finance Center at the start of FY 2005, supporting government-wide
payroll consolidation through a phased approach that incorporates
modern technology.
The PeoplePlus system consists of two separate applications. One
application performs HR functions, and the other performs payroll,
time, and labor functions. The records and routine uses of the
information in the HR application remain covered by OPM/GOVT-1, a
government-wide notice published by OPM April 27, 2000 at 65 FR 24732.
The EPA notice published today is a technical amendment to EPA's system
of records to notify the public of the routine uses for the new
payroll, time, and labor application in PeoplePlus. This notice does
not affect any Privacy Act rights accorded individuals who are the
subject of agency payroll records. The nature of the records kept by
EPA remains the same, and no new uses of the information are proposed.
This action simply gives notice that EPAYS is being replaced by the
PeoplePlus payroll, time, and labor application. The records are needed
to administer EPA's pay and leave requirements, including processing,
accounting and reporting requirements.
Today's notice rescinds the portions of EPA's notice published in
the Federal Register February 22, 2002, at 67 FR 8246 that pertain to
the EPA-1 system of records.
To Obtain Copies of This Document and Related Information
EPA has established an official public docket for this action under
Docket ID No. OEI-2003-0034. The official public docket is the
collection of materials that is available for public viewing at the
Office of Environmental Information (OEI) Docket in the EPA Docket
Center, (EPA/DC) EPA West, Room B102, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW.,
Washington, DC. The EPA Docket Center Public Reading Room is open from
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal
holidays. The telephone number for the Reading Room is (202) 566-1744,
and the telephone number for the OEI Docket is (202) 566-1752.
An electronic version of the public docket is available through
EPA's electronic public docket and comment system, EPA Dockets. You may
use EPA Dockets at http://www.regulations.gov/ to view public comments,
access the index listing of the contents of the official public docket,
and to access those documents in the public docket that are available
electronically. Although not all docket materials may be available
electronically, you may still access any of the publicly available
docket materials through the docket facility identified above.
More information on implementation of the Privacy Act at EPA is
available at http://www.epa.gov/privacy/.
[[Page 58671]]
Dated: October 3, 2003.
Richard D. Otis, Jr.,
Deputy Assistant Administrator, Office of Environmental Information.
EPA-1
System Name:
PeoplePlus Payroll, Time and Labor Application.
System Location:
National Computer Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Research
Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711.
Categories of Individuals Covered by the System:
Current and former EPA employees including Health and Human
Services Public Health Service Commissioned Officers assigned to EPA
and employees of the Surface Transportation Board (formerly the
Interstate Commerce Commission), Department of Transportation.
Categories of Records Covered by the System:
This system contains personnel, basic benefits, pay, cash awards,
and leave records. This includes, but is not limited to, employee
information such as: Name(s), date of birth, social security number,
home and mailing addresses, grade, employing organization, salary, pay
plan, number of hours worked, overtime, compensatory time, leave
accrual rate, leave usage and balances, Civil Service Retirement and
Federal Retirement System contributions, FICA withholdings, Federal,
State, and city tax withholdings, Federal Employee Group Life Insurance
withholdings, Federal Employee Health Benefits withholdings, charitable
deductions, allotments to financial organizations, garnishments,
savings bonds allotments, union dues withholdings, deductions for
Internal Revenue Service levies, court ordered child support levies,
Federal salary offset deductions, and information on the Leave Transfer
Program and the Leave Bank Program.
Authority for Maintenance of the System:
5 U.S.C. 5101 et seq.; 5 U.S.C. 5501 et seq.; 5 U.S.C. 5525 et
seq.; 5 U.S.C. 5701 et seq.; 5 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.; 31 U.S.C. 3512;
Executive Order 9397 (Nov. 22, 1943).
Purpose(s):
The records are needed to administer EPA's pay and leave
requirements, including processing, accounting and reporting
requirements.
Routine Uses of Records Maintained in the System, Including Categories
of Users, and the Purposes of Such Uses:
A. To the Department of Treasury to issue checks, make payments,
make electronic funds transfers, and issue U.S. Savings Bonds.
B. To the Department of Agriculture National Finance Center to
credit Thrift Savings Plan deductions and loan payments to employee
accounts.
C. To the Department of Labor in connection with a claim filed by
an employee for compensation due to a job connected injury or illness.
D. To the Internal Revenue Service; Social Security Administration;
and State and local tax authorities in connection with the withholding
of employment taxes.
E. To State Unemployment Offices in connection with a claim filed
by former employees for unemployment benefits.
F. To the officials of labor organizations as to the identity of
employees contributing union dues each pay period and the amount of
dues withheld from each employee.
G. To the Office of Personnel Management and to Health Benefit
carriers in connection with enrollment and payroll deductions.
H. To the Office of Personnel Management in connection with
employee retirement and life insurance deductions.
I. To the Combined Federal Campaign in connection with payroll
deductions for charitable contributions.
J. To the Office of Management and Budget and Department of the
Treasury to provide required reports on financial management
responsibilities.
K. To provide information as necessary to other Federal, State,
local or foreign agencies conducting computer matching programs to help
eliminate fraud and abuse and to detect unauthorized overpayments made
to individuals. When disclosures are made as part of computer matching
programs, EPA will comply with the Computer Matching and Privacy
Protection Act of 1988.
L. To the Internal Revenue Service in connection with withholdings
for tax levies.
M. To the Social Security Administration and the Department of
Health and Human Services to provide information on newly hired
employees for child support enforcement purposes.
N. To the Department of Health and Human Services in connection
with the master personnel and payroll files for their Public Health
Service Officers.
General Routine Uses of EPA Systems of Records:
A. Disclosure for Law Enforcement Purposes--Information may be
disclosed to the appropriate Federal, State, local, tribal, or foreign
agency responsible for investigating, prosecuting, enforcing, or
implementing a statute, rule, regulation, or order, if the information
is relevant to a violation or potential violation of civil or criminal
law or regulation within the jurisdiction of the receiving entity.
B. Disclosure Incident to Requesting Information--Information may
be disclosed to any source from which additional information is
requested (to the extent necessary to identify the individual, inform
the source of the purpose of the request, and to identify the type of
information requested), when necessary to obtain information relevant
to an agency decision concerning retention of an employee or other
personnel action (other than hiring), retention of a security
clearance, the letting of a contract, or the issuance or retention of a
grant, or other benefit
C. Disclosure to Requesting Agency--Disclosure may be made to a
Federal, State, local, foreign, or tribal or other public authority of
the fact that this system of records contains information relevant to
the retention of an employee, the retention of a security clearance,
the letting of a contract, or the issuance or retention of a license,
grant, or other benefit. The other agency or licensing organization may
then make a request supported by the written consent of the individual
for the entire record if it so chooses. No disclosure will be made
unless the information has been determined to be sufficiently reliable
to support a referral to another office within the agency or to another
Federal agency for criminal, civil, administrative, personnel, or
regulatory action.
D. Disclosure to Office of Management and Budget--Information may
be disclosed to the Office of Management and Budget at any stage in the
legislative coordination and clearance process in connection with
private relief legislation as set forth in OMB Circular No. A-19.
E. Disclosure to Congressional Offices--Information may be
disclosed to a congressional office from the record of an individual in
response to an inquiry from the congressional office made at the
request of the individual.
F. Disclosure to Department of Justice--Information may be
disclosed to the Department of Justice, or in a proceeding before a
court, adjudicative body, or other administrative body before which the
Agency is authorized
[[Page 58672]]
to appear, when: (1) The Agency, or any component thereof; (2) Any
employee of the Agency in his or her official capacity; (3) Any
employee of the Agency in his or her individual capacity where the
Department of Justice or the Agency have agreed to represent the
employee; or (4) The United States, if the Agency determines that
litigation is likely to affect the Agency or any of its components, is
a party to litigation or has an interest in such litigation, and the
use of such records by the Department of Justice or the Agency is
deemed by the Agency to be relevant and necessary to the litigation
provided, however, that in each case it has been determined that the
disclosure is compatible with the purpose for which the records were
collected.
G. Disclosure to the National Archives--Information may be
disclosed to the National Archives and Records Administration in
records management inspections.
H. Disclosure to Contractors, Grantees, and Others--Information may
be disclosed to contractors, grantees, consultants, or volunteers
performing or working on a contract, service, grant, cooperative
agreement, job, or other activity for the Agency and who have a need to
have access to the information in the performance of their duties or
activities for the Agency. When appropriate, recipients will be
required to comply with the requirements of the Privacy Act of 1974 as
provided in 5 U.S.C. 552a(m).
I. Disclosures for Administrative Claims, Complaints, and Appeals--
Information from this system of records may be disclosed to an
authorized appeal grievance examiner, formal complaints examiner, equal
employment opportunity investigator, arbitrator or other person
properly engaged in investigation or settlement of an administrative
grievance, complaint, claim, or appeal filed by an employee, but only
to the extent that the information is relevant and necessary to the
proceeding. Agencies that may obtain information under this routine use
include, but are not limited to, the Office of Personnel Management,
Office of Special Counsel, Merit Systems Protection Board, Federal
Labor Relations Authority, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and
Office of Government Ethics.
J. Disclosure to the Office of Personnel Management--Information
from this system of records may be disclosed to the Office of Personnel
Management pursuant to that agency's responsibility for evaluation and
oversight of Federal personnel management.
K. Disclosure in Connection with Litigation--Information from this
system of records may be disclosed in connection with litigation or
settlement discussions regarding claims by or against the Agency,
including public filing with a court, to the extent that disclosure of
the information is relevant and necessary to the litigation or
discussions and except where court orders are otherwise required under
section (b)(11) of the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. 552a(b)(11).
Policies and Practices For Storing, Retrieving, Accessing, Retaining,
and Disposing of Records in the System:
Storage:
These records are maintained in hard copy formats and computer
processable storage media such as computer tapes and disks. The
computer storage devices are located in the National Computer Center,
Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. Backup tapes will be maintained
at a disaster recovery site.
Retrievability:
These records are retrieved by the employee identification number
or name.
Safeguards:
Computer records are maintained in a secure password protected
environment. Access to computer records is limited to those who have a
need to know. Permission level assignments will allow users access only
to those functions for which they are authorized. Paper records are
maintained in locked metal file cabinets. All records are maintained in
secure, access-controlled areas or buildings.
Retention and Disposal:
The retention of data in the system will in accordance with the
U.S. EPA Records Schedule, as been approved by the National Archives
and Records Administration. Employee records are retained on magnetic
tapes for an indefinite period. Hard copy records are maintained for
varying periods of time, at which time they are disposed of by
shredding.
System Manager(s) and Address:
David Bloom, Acting Director, Financial Services Division, Office
of the Comptroller, Office of Chief Financial Officer, U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., (MC
2734R), Washington, DC 20460, 202-564-3013.
Notification Procedures:
Individuals who want to know whether this system of records
contains information about them, who want to access to their records,
or who want to contest the contents of a record, should make a written
request to the System Manager. Individuals must furnish the following
information for their records to be located and identified:
A. Full name.
B. Date of birth.
C. Social security number.
D. Last employing organization (include duty station location) and,
for former EPA employees, approximate date(s) of employment.
E. Signature.
Record Access Procedure:
Individuals wishing to request access to their records should
follow the Notification Procedures. Individuals requesting access will
also be required to provide adequate identification, such as a driver's
license, employee identification card, or other identifying document.
Additional identification procedures may be required in some instances.
Contesting Record Procedure:
Individuals requesting correction or amendment of their records
should follow the Notification Procedures and also identify the record
or information to be changed. Complete EPA Privacy Act procedures are
set out in 40 CFR part 16.
Record Source Categories:
Information in this system of records is provided by
A. The individual on whom the record is maintained.
B. Agency officials such as managers and supervisors.
C. Consumer reporting agencies, debt collection agencies,
Department of Treasury, and other Federal agencies.
System Exempted From Certain Provisions of the Act:
None.
[FR Doc. 03-25807 Filed 10-9-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P