Notice2025-01686
Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records
Primary source
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Published
January 24, 2025
Effective
February 24, 2025
Issuing agencies
Federal Reserve System
Abstract
Pursuant to the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974, notice is given that the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Board) proposes to modify an existing system of records, entitled BGFRS-4, "FRB--General Personnel Records." This system of records contains personnel records and is designed to assist the Board in its personnel management and decisions and in the administration of its benefits programs.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 15 (Friday, January 24, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 15 (Friday, January 24, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8129-8132]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-01686]
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FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM
Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records
AGENCY: Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
ACTION: Notice of a modified system of records.
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974, notice
is given that the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
(Board) proposes to modify an existing system of records, entitled
BGFRS-4, ``FRB--General Personnel Records.'' This system of records
contains personnel records and is designed to assist the Board in its
personnel management and decisions and in the administration of its
benefits programs.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before February 24, 2025. This
new system of records will become effective February 24, 2025, without
further notice, unless comments dictate otherwise.
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB), which has oversight
responsibility under the Privacy Act, requires a 30-day period prior to
publication in the Federal Register in which to review the system and
to provide any comments to the agency. The public is then given a 30-
day period in which to comment, in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552a(e)(4)
and (11).
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by BGFRS-4 ``FRB--
General Personnel Records,'' by any of the following methods:
<bullet> Agency Website: <a href="https://www.federalreserve.gov/apps/proposals/">https://www.federalreserve.gov/apps/proposals/</a>. Follow the instructions for submitting comments, including
attachments. Preferred Method.
<bullet> Mail: Ann E. Misback, Secretary, Board of Governors of the
Federal Reserve System, 20th Street and Constitution Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20551.
<bullet> Hand Delivery/Courier: Same as mailing address.
<bullet> Other Means: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#3f4f4a5d53565c5c5052525a514b4c7f594d5d11585049"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="78080d1a14111b1b1715151d160c0b381e0a1a561f170e">[email protected]</span></a>. You must include the
docket number in the subject line of the message.
Comments received are subject to public disclosure. In general,
comments received will be made available on the Board's website at
<a href="https://www.federalreserve.gov/apps/proposals/">https://www.federalreserve.gov/apps/proposals/</a> without change and will
not be modified to remove personal or business information including
confidential, contact, or other identifying information. Comments
should not include any information such as confidential information
that would be not appropriate for public disclosure. Public comments
may also be viewed electronically or in person in Room M-4365A, 2001 C
St. NW, Washington, DC 20551, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. during Federal
business weekdays.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Matthew C. Glover, Senior Counsel,
[[Page 8130]]
(202) 736-1994 or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#076a6673736f6270296429606b687162754761756529606871"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="4d202c393925283a632e632a21223b283f0d2b3f2f632a223b">[email protected]</span></a>; Legal Division, Board of
Governors of the Federal Reserve System, 20th Street and Constitution
Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20551. If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or
have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunication
relay services.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Board is replacing its enterprise
resource planning system and therefore is modifying this system of
records to reflect the transition. The Board is making two principal
modifications to the system--to the category of individuals and
category of records sections. The Board is also making minor updates to
other sections as described below.
The Board is amending the category of individuals to expressly note
that the system may contain information about past and present Federal
Reserve System employees rather than only Board employees. The Board is
also replacing the reference to surviving spouses and children with
references to a broader range of individuals affiliated with employees
to include their beneficiaries, dependents, survivor annuitants, and
emergency contacts. In addition, the Board is specifying that
applicants and contract workers are included in the category of
individuals covered by the system.
The Board is modifying the categories of records to (1) add new
information that will now be collected; (2) describe the information
associated with individuals newly added to the ``category of
individuals'' section; and (3) remove references to information no
longer collected and correct outdated terminology. First, the Board is
amending the categories of records to include the collection of new
information consisting of prior federal service information, military
service and status information, information on relatives at the Board,
passport and/or visa information, attendance tracking information, and
gender, gender identity, and personal pronouns. Second, the system will
now include associated information on beneficiaries, dependents, and
survivor annuitants such as biographical information, marital or
disability status information as applicable, relationship to employee,
basic contact information, and benefits information. The system will
also contain emergency contact information. Finally, the Board no
longer retains employee records of jury duty in this system and
therefore is deleting the reference to ``jury duty'' records from the
categories of records. The Board is also updating the references to
``PMP ratings,'' to refer to ``performance rating'' or ``performance
evaluation''.
The Board is also modifying the system's purpose as it is designed
to assist the Board in personnel management rather than only personnel
actions as well as updating the system manager and the system location.
The Board is also amending the record retention schedule for certain
records that have a longer retention requirement, modifying the
policies and practices for retrieval of records as searches can be
conducted using identifiers other than name and employee identification
number, and modifying the record source categories to refer to gaining
information from other government agencies or Reserve Banks rather than
simply the personnel files of such entities.
The Board is amending system specific Routine Use 3 to permit
disclosures when necessary to adjudicate a claim under a thrift or
health and welfare benefits program of the Board, a Federal Reserve
Bank, or a listed federal agency. The Board is also amending the
language in the routine use that permits disclosure to ``an agency to
conduct an analytical study or audit of benefits being paid under such
programs'' to instead qualify that such disclosure would be made only
to ``an agency with governing authority over such programs.'' This
change matches the Board's practice. In addition, the Board is updating
the routine use section to incorporate a link to the Board's general
routine uses.
The Board is also making technical changes to BGFRS-4 consistent
with the template laid out in OMB Circular No. A-108. Accordingly, the
Board has made technical corrections and non-substantive language
revisions to the following sections: ``Policies and Practices for
Storage of Records,'' ``Policies and Practices for Retrieval of
Records,'' ``Policies and Practices for Retention and Disposal of
Records,'' ``Administrative, Technical and Physical Safeguards,''
``Record Access Procedures,'' ``Contesting Record Procedures,'' and
``Notification Procedures.'' The Board has also created and populated
the following new sections: ``Security Classification'' and
``History.''
SYSTEM NAME AND NUMBER:
BGFRS-4, ``FRB-General Personnel Records''.
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION:
Unclassified.
SYSTEM LOCATION:
Certain records will be maintained at the Board's central offices
located at: Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, 20th
Street and Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20551. Records are
also stored by the Board's supplier, Workday, Inc., whose main
headquarters is located at 6110 Stoneridge Mall Road Pleasanton, CA
94588. Additional records may be held by outside suppliers, including
the Board's primary benefits provider Alight, whose main headquarters
is located at 4 Overlook Point #4OP, Lincolnshire, IL 60069.
SYSTEM MANAGER(S):
Lewis Andrews, Assistant Director, Division of Management, Board of
Governors of the Federal Reserve System, 20th Street and Constitution
Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20551, (202) 452-3082, or
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#650900120c164b004b040b0117001216250317074b020a13"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="721e17051b015c175c131c1600170501321400105c151d04">[email protected]</span></a>.
AUTHORITY FOR MAINTENANCE OF THE SYSTEM:
Sections 10 and 11 of the Federal Reserve Act (12 U.S.C. 244 and
248), and Executive Order 9397.
PURPOSE(S) OF THE SYSTEM:
These records are collected and maintained to assist the Board in
its personnel management and decisions and in the administration of its
benefits programs.
CATEGORIES OF INDIVIDUALS COVERED BY THE SYSTEM:
Past and present employees of the Board and the Federal Reserve
System and their beneficiaries, dependents, survivor annuitants, and
emergency contacts. The system also contains information on applicants
and contract workers and their emergency contacts.
CATEGORIES OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM:
For past and present employees of the Board or the Federal Reserve
System, this system contains information relating to employment
determinations; salary and job classification actions; leave;
placement; personnel actions; academic assistance; training and
development activities; performance rating (but not the performance
evaluation itself); minority group and medical disability designators;
records relating to benefits and designation of beneficiary; emergency
contact information; address and name changes; information concerning
awards; prior federal service; military service and status; relatives
at the Board; passport and/or visa information; time and attendance
tracking information; and other information relating to the status of
the individual while employed.
[[Page 8131]]
For past and present employees, information about the employee's
beneficiaries, dependents, and survivor annuitants includes, but is not
limited to, identifying and biographical information (e.g., name,
address, birth date, Social Security number), marital status and
disability status (as applicable), relationship to employee, contact
information (address, phone number, etc.), and benefits information.
For past and present employees, applicants, and contractors, the
records may include identifying information, such as name, date of
birth, home address, mailing address, Social Security number, gender,
gender identity, personal pronouns, and personal telephone numbers. The
system also contains emergency contact information for these
individuals which includes, but is not limited to name, relationship to
employee, and contact information (address, phone number, etc.).
RECORD SOURCE CATEGORIES:
Information is provided by the individual to whom it applies (or is
derived from the information the individual supplied); Board officials;
the OPM Personnel Management Records System; other government agencies;
Federal Reserve Banks; and official transcripts from schools when
authorized by the employee.
ROUTINE USES OF RECORDS MAINTAINED IN THE SYSTEM, INCLUDING CATEGORIES
OF USERS AND PURPOSES OF SUCH USES:
General routine uses A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, and J apply to this
system. These general routine uses are located at: <a href="https://www.federalreserve.gov/files/SORN">https://www.federalreserve.gov/files/SORN</a> page general-routine-uses-of-board-
systems-of-records.pdf and are published in the Federal Register at 83
FR 43872 (August 28, 2018) at 43873-74. Records may also be used:
1. to disclose information to government training facilities
(federal, state, and local) and to nongovernment training facilities
(private vendors of training courses or programs, private schools,
etc.) for training purposes;
2. to disclose information to educational institutions on
appointment of a recent graduate to a position at the Board, and to
provide college and university officials with information about their
students who are working in internships or other similar programs
necessary to a student's obtaining credit for the experience gained;
3. to disclose information to a Federal Reserve Bank or the
Department of Labor, Department of Veterans Affairs, Social Security
Administration, Department of Defense, or any federal agencies that
have special civilian employee retirement programs; or to a national,
state, county, municipal, or other publicly recognized charitable or
income security administration agency (e.g., state unemployment-
compensation agencies), when necessary to adjudicate a claim under the
retirement, thrift, insurance, unemployment, or health and welfare
benefits programs of the Board, a Federal Reserve Bank, or any agency
cited above, or to an agency with governing authority over such
programs to conduct an analytical study or audit of benefits being paid
under such programs;
4. to disclose to the Office of Personnel Management's Federal
Employees Group Life Insurance Program or any contractor, information
necessary to verify election, declination, or waiver of regular and/or
optional life insurance coverage, eligibility for payment of a claim
for life insurance, or a Thrift Savings Program (TSP) election change
and designation of beneficiary;
5. to disclose to an employee, agent, contractor, or administrator
of any Board, Federal Reserve System, or federal government employee
benefit or savings plan, any information necessary to carry out any
function authorized under such plan, or to carry out the coordination
or audit of a benefit or savings plan;
6. to disclose information to any source from which additional
information is requested (to the extent necessary to identify the
individual, inform the source of the purpose(s) of the request, and to
identify the type of information requested), when necessary to obtain
information relevant to a Board decision to hire or retain an employee,
issue a security clearance, conduct a security or suitability
investigation of an individual, classify jobs, let a contract, or issue
a license, grant, or other benefits;
7. to disclose information to the executor of an individual's
estate, the government entity probating a will, a designated
beneficiary, or to any person who is responsible for the care of an
individual to the extent necessary when the individual to whom a record
pertains is deceased, mentally incompetent, or under other legal
disability, and to disclose information to an individual's emergency
contact, or, if the emergency contact is unavailable, to any person who
the Board believes is assisting the individual, when necessary to
assist that individual in obtaining any employment benefit or any
working condition, such as an accommodation under the Rehabilitation
Act of 1973;
8. to disclose information to a federal, state, or local agency to
the extent necessary to comply with laws governing reporting of
communicable diseases or when it is reasonably believed that an
individual might have contracted an illness or been exposed to or
suffered from a health hazard while employed in the federal work force;
9. to disclose to prospective nonfederal employers the following
information about a specifically identified current or former Board
employee: (1) tenure of employment; (2) civil service status; (3)
length of service at the Board and in the government; and (4) when
separated, the date and nature of action as shown on the job action;
10. to disclose information to a federal, state or local
governmental entity or agency (or its agent) when necessary to locate
individuals who are owed money or property either by a federal, state,
or local agency, or by a financial or similar institution;
11. to disclose to a spouse or dependent child (or court-appointed
guardian thereof) of a Board employee enrolled in the Federal Employees
Health Benefits Program when the employee has changed from a self-and-
family to a self-only health benefits enrollment and to disclose to a
spouse information regarding the employee's pension and Thrift plan;
12. to verify for an entity preparing to make a loan to an employee
the individual's employment status and salary;
13. to disclose information to officials of labor organizations
recognized under applicable law, regulation, or policy when relevant
and necessary to their duties of exclusive representation concerning
personnel policies, practices, and matters affecting working
conditions;
14. to disclose information to officials of foreign governments for
clearance before a Board employee is assigned to that country;
15. to disclose information to a federal, state, or local agency
for determination of an individual's entitlement to benefits in
connection with Federal Housing Administration programs or other
federal programs;
16. to consider and select employees for incentive awards and other
honors and to publicize those granted (this may include disclosure to
other public and private organizations, including news media, which
grant or publicize employee awards);
17. to disclose specific Board or civil service employment
information required under law by the Department of Defense on
individuals identified as members of the Ready Reserve to ensure
continuous mobilization readiness of Ready Reserve units and members,
and
[[Page 8132]]
to identify demographic characteristics of Board or civil service
retirees for national emergency mobilization purposes;
18. to disclose relevant information with personal identifiers of
Board employees to authorized federal agencies and nonfederal entities
for use in computer matching. The matches will be performed to help
eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse in governmental programs; to help
identify individuals who are potentially in violation of civil or
criminal law or regulation; and to collect debts and overpayments owed
to federal, state, or local governments and their components. The
information disclosed may include, but is not limited to, the name,
Social Security number, date of birth, gender, annualized salary rate,
service computation date of basic active service, veteran's preference,
retirement status, occupational services, health plan code, position
occupied, work schedule (full time, part time, or intermittent), duty
station location, standard metropolitan statistical area, special
program identifier, and submitting office number of Board employees;
and
19. to disclose information to the Office of Child Support
Enforcement, Administration for Children and Families, Department of
Health and Human Services, Federal Parent Locator System and Federal
Offset System for use in locating individuals, verifying Social
Security numbers, and identifying their incomes sources to establish
paternity, establish and modify orders of support for enforcement
action.
POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR STORAGE OF RECORDS:
Paper records in this system are stored in locked file cabinets
with access limited to staff with a need to know. Electronic records
are stored on a secure server with access limited to staff with a need
to know.
POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR RETRIEVAL OF RECORDS:
Records can be retrieved by name or employee identification number
or other identifiers.
POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR RETENTION AND DISPOSAL OF RECORDS:
All records are retained for the appropriate period which ranges
from when superseded or obsolete to 129 years old. The retention for
Official Personal Files for employees separated prior to December 31,
1973, is currently under review. Until review is completed these
records will not be destroyed.
ADMINISTRATIVE, TECHNICAL, AND PHYSICAL SAFEGUARDS:
Paper records are secured by lock and key and electronic files are
stored on secure servers. The system has the ability to track
individual user actions within the system. The audit and accountability
controls are based on NIST and Board standards which, in turn, are
based on applicable laws and regulations. The controls assist in
detecting security violations and performance or other issues in the
system. Access to the system is restricted to authorized users who
require access for official business purposes. Users are classified
into different roles and common access and usage rights are established
for each role. User roles are used to delineate between the different
types of access requirements such that users are restricted to data
that is required in the performance of their duties. Periodic
assessments and reviews are conducted to determine whether users still
require access, have the appropriate role, and whether there have been
any unauthorized changes.
RECORD ACCESS PROCEDURES:
The Privacy Act allows individuals the right to access records
maintained about them in a Board system of records. Your request for
access must: (1) contain a statement that the request is made pursuant
to the Privacy Act of 1974; (2) provide either the name of the Board
system of records expected to contain the record requested or a concise
description of the system of records; (3) provide the information
necessary to verify your identity; and (4) provide any other
information that may assist in the rapid identification of the record
you seek.
Current or former Board employees may make a request for access by
contacting the Board office that maintains the record. The Board
handles all Privacy Act requests as both a Privacy Act request and as a
Freedom of Information Act request. The Board does not charge fees to a
requestor seeking to access or amend his/her Privacy Act records.
You may submit your Privacy Act request to the--Secretary of the
Board, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, 20th Street
and Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20551.
You may also submit your Privacy Act request electronically by
filling out the required information at: <a href="https://foia.federalreserve.gov/">https://foia.federalreserve.gov/</a>.
CONTESTING RECORD PROCEDURES:
The Privacy Act allows individuals to seek amendment of information
that is erroneous, irrelevant, untimely, or incomplete and is
maintained in a system of records that pertains to them. To request an
amendment to your record, you should clearly mark the request as a
``Privacy Act Amendment Request.'' You have the burden of proof for
demonstrating the appropriateness of the requested amendment and you
must provide relevant and convincing evidence in support of your
request.
Your request for amendment must: (1) provide the name of the
specific Board system of records containing the record you seek to
amend; (2) identify the specific portion of the record you seek to
amend; (3) describe the nature of and reasons for each requested
amendment; (4) explain why you believe the record is not accurate,
relevant, timely, or complete; and (5) unless you have already done so
in a related Privacy Act request for access or amendment, provide the
necessary information to verify your identity.
NOTIFICATION PROCEDURES:
Same as ``Access procedures'' above. You may also follow this
procedure in order to request an accounting of previous disclosures of
records pertaining to you as provided for by 5 U.S.C. 552a(c).
EXEMPTIONS PROMULGATED FOR THE SYSTEM:
Certain portions of this system of records may be exempt from 5
U.S.C. 552a(c)(3), (d), (e)(1), (e)(4)(G), (H), and (I), and (f) of the
Privacy Act pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(2) and (k)(5).
HISTORY:
This SORN was previously published in the Federal Register at 73 FR
24984 at 24989 (May 6, 2008). The SORN was also amended to incorporate
two new routine uses required by OMB at 83 FR 43872 (August 28, 2018).
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
Benjamin W. McDonough,
Deputy Secretary of the Board.
[FR Doc. 2025-01686 Filed 1-23-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6210-01-P
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