[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 79 (Monday, April 25, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-9889]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: April 25, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Social Security Administration

 

Privacy Act of 1974; Computer Matching Programs

AGENCY: Social Security Administration, HHS.

ACTION: Publication of Notice of Computer Matching Programs to comply 
with Public Law (Pub. L.) 100-503, the Computer Matching and Privacy 
Protection Act of 1988.

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SUMMARY: We are publishing a notice of an internal computer matching 
program that SSA will conduct that is subject to the requirements of 
Public Law 100-503. The purpose of this publication is to meet the 
publication requirements of Public Law 100-503.

DATES: We will file a report of the subject SSA matching program with 
the Committee on Governmental Affairs of the Senate, the Committee on 
Government Operations of the House of Representatives, and the Office 
of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget. 
The matching program will be effective as indicated below.

ADDRESSES: Interested parties may comment on this notice by writing to 
the Associate Commissioner for Program and Integrity Reviews, 860 
Altmeyer Building, 6401 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland 21235. 
All comments received will be available for public inspection at this 
address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Associate Commissioner for Program 
and Integrity Reviews at the address above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. General

    Public Law 100-503, the Computer Matching and Privacy Protection 
Act of 1988, amended the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552a) by adding certain 
protections for individuals applying for and receiving Federal 
benefits. Section 7201 of Pub. L. 101-508, the Computer Matching and 
Privacy Protection Amendments of 1990, further amended the Privacy Act 
regarding protections for such individuals. The Privacy Act, as 
amended, regulates the use of computer matching by Federal agencies 
when records in a system of records are matched with other Federal, 
State, local government, and (in certain limited circumstances) 
internal agency records. It requires Federal agencies involved in 
computer matching programs to:
    (1) Negotiate written agreements with the other agency, agencies, 
or internal agency components participating in the match;
    (2) Notify applicants and beneficiaries that their records are 
subject to matching;
    (3) Verify match findings before reducing, suspending, terminating, 
or denying an individual's benefits or payments;
    (4) Furnish detailed reports about matching programs to Congress 
and the Office of Management and Budget, and
    (5) Establish a Data Integrity Board that must approve match 
agreements.

B. SSA Computer Matches Subject to Public Law 100-503

    We have taken action to ensure that all of SSA's computer matching 
programs comply with the requirements of the Privacy Act, as amended. 
Below is a brief description followed by a detailed notice of a match 
that SSA will be conducting as of February 1994 or later.
    SSA Matching Between the Deputy Commissioner for Operations, Office 
of Central Records Operations (DCO, OCRO) and the Deputy Commissioner 
for Human Resources, Office of Personnel (DCHR, OPE).
    Purpose: To establish the conditions under which OCRO agrees to the 
matching of names and Social Security Numbers (SSN) of its employees to 
the Master Earnings File (MEF). The MEF is a file housing all the 
earnings and earnings history for workers and self employed 
individuals.
    The output from this match (changes and postings to the MEF 
credited to the employee's SSN) will be used to verify legitimate 
postings, adjustments and permissible self employment occupations as 
outlined in the Code of Conduct and other personnel regulations. The 
veracity of the changes or postings will be verified before SSA takes 
any adverse action with respect to an individual as a result of the 
matching program.
    This matching activity supplements other existing data integrity/
computer security operations to minimize instances where violations are 
not detected, and to ensure the accuracy of SSA's earnings records.

    Dated: April 6, 1994.
Shirley S. Chater,
Commissioner of Social Security.

Notice of Internal Computer Matching Program, Social Security 
Administration's (SSA) Master Earnings File (MEF) With the Office of 
Personnel's (OPE) Personnel File

A. Participating SSA Components

    DCO, OCRO and DCHR, OPE.

B. Purpose of the Matching Program

    The purpose of this matching program is to supplement other 
existing data integrity/computer security operations to minimize 
instances where violations are not detected, and to ensure the accuracy 
of SSA's earnings records.

C. Authority for Conducting the Matching Program

    This match is conducted pursuant to the provisions of 18 U.S.C. 208 
and 42 U.S.C. 405(c)(2)(A).

D. Categories of Records and Individuals Covered by the Match

    A file of the Social Security numbers of the Office of Central 
Records Operation's employees will be extracted from SSA's personnel 
files maintained by OPE and matched against the MEF in the Earnings 
Recording and Self-Employment Income System.

E. Inclusive Dates of the Match

    The matching program shall become effective 40 days after a copy of 
the Internal Statement of Intent (agreement), as approved by the Data 
Integrity Board, is sent to Congress and the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) (or later if OMB objects to some or all of the agreement), 
or 30 days after publication of this notice in the Federal Register, 
whichever date is later. The matching program will continue for 18 
months from the effective date and may be extended for an additional 12 
months thereafter, if certain conditions are met.

F. Address for Receipt of Public Comments or Inquiries

    Individuals wishing to comment on this matching program should 
submit comments to the Associate Commissioner for Program and Integrity 
Reviews, 860 Altmeyer Building, 6401 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, 
Maryland 21235.
[FR Doc. 94-9889 Filed 4-22-94; 8:45 am]
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