[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 198 (Thursday, October 10, 1996)] [Notices] [Pages 53259-53260] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 96-25832] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF STATE [Public Notice 2450] Privacy Act of 1974; Creation of a New System of Records Notice is hereby given that the Department of State proposes to create a new system of records, STATE-61, pursuant to the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended (5 U.S.C. 552a(r)), and Office of Management and Budget Circular No. A-130, Appendix I. The Department's report was filed with the Office of Management and Budget on September 25, 1996. This system of records is being created by the Department of State to support its responsibilities with regard to garnishments of certain employees' wages, retirement benefits and other payments under 42 U.S.C. 659 and 5 U.S.C. 5520a. The information included in the system of records is directly related to garnishment actions. Any persons interested in commenting on this new system of records may do so by submitting comments in writing to Jacquelyn Lilly, Acting Chief, Privacy, Plans, and Appeals Division, Office of Freedom of Information, Privacy and Classification Review, Room 1239; Department of State, 2201 C Street, NW, Washington, DC 20520-1239. This system of records will be effective 40 days from the date of publication, (November 19, 1996), unless the Department receives comments which will result in a contrary determination. The new system description, ``Garnishment of Wages Records, STATE- 61'' will read as set forth below. Dated: September 25, 1996. Ralph Frank, Acting Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Administration. STATE-61 Garnishment of Wages Records. Unclassified and classified. Department of State, 2201 C Street, NW, Washington, DC 20520. Department of State employees (current and retired); employees of the Agency for International Development, United States Information Agency and the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency; and other employees and personal services contractors listed on the Department's payroll and/or Foreign Service retirement records who have been the subject of court orders to garnish the employee's wages or retirement benefits. 5 U.S.C. 301 (Management of Executive Agencies); 22 U.S.C. 2651a (Organization of the Department of State); 22 U.S.C. 3921 (Management of service); 42 U.S.C. (Child support and alimony garnishment); 5 U.S.C. 5520a (Commercial garnishment). Communications between the Office of the Legal Adviser and the Bureau of Finance and Management Policy regarding the employee's garnishment; communications between the Office of the Legal Adviser and the employee who is the subject of the garnishment; communications between the Office of the Legal Adviser and courts or agencies regarding the employee's garnishment proceeding; communications between the Office of the Legal Adviser and a party named in or affected by the garnishment action; and court or agency orders, summons and other documents related to the garnishment action against the employee. Information in the records system is used by the Office of the Legal Adviser to provide advice and services to the Bureau of Finance and Management Policy and other bureaus and offices in order to comply with court or agency ordered garnishments. The principal users of this information outside the Department of State are: Federal, state and local courts; state and local tax collection and child enforcement offices; the Internal Revenue Service; private collection agencies, law firms and/or other individuals authorized to receive garnished wages or benefits by court or agency order or otherwise involved in a garnishment proceeding. The information may also be released to other federal, state and local government agencies having statutory or other lawful authority to maintain such information. Also see the ``Routine Uses'' paragraph of the Prefatory Statement published in the Federal Register. Electronic media; hard copy. By individual name and Social Security Number. All employees of the Department of State have undergone background investigations. Access to the Department and its annexes is controlled by security guards and admission is limited to those individuals possessing a valid identification card or individuals under proper escort. All records containing personal information are maintained in secured file cabinets or in restricted areas, access to which is limited to authorized personnel. Access to computerized files is password-protected and under the direct supervision of the system manager. The system manager has the capability of printing audit trails of access from the computer media, thereby permitting regular and ad hoc monitoring of computer usage. These records will be maintained until they become inactive, at which time they will be retired or destroyed in accordance with published record schedules of the Department of State and as approved by the National Archives and Records Administration. More specified information may be obtained by writing to the Director, Office of Freedom of Information, Privacy, and Classification Review; Room 1239, Department of State; 2201 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 20520-1239. Executive Director; Office of the Legal Adviser; Room 5519A; Department of State; 2201 C Street, NW; Washington, DC 20520. Individuals who have reason to believe that the Office of the Legal Adviser might have records pertaining to them should write to the Director, Office of Freedom of Information, Privacy and Classification Review, Room 1239, Department of State, 2201 C Street, NW, Washington, DC 20520-1239. The individual must specify that he/she wishes the Garnishment of Wages Records to be checked. At a minimum, the individual must include: Name; date and place of birth; current mailing address and zip code; bureau/ [[Page 53260]] agency to which he/she is or was assigned and dates of assignment; retirement system (if applicable); approximate date of when garnishment began; and signature. Individuals who wish to gain access or amend records pertaining to them should write to the Director, Office of Freedom of Information, Privacy and Classification Review (address above). These records contain information obtained directly from: The individual who is the subject of these records; his/her legal representative; federal, state or local courts or agencies; other parties named in or affected by the individual's garnishment proceedings; the Bureau of Personnel; the Bureau of Finance and Management Policy and the Office of the Legal Adviser. Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(2), certain records contained within this system of records are exempted from 5 U.S.C. 552a (c)(3), (d), (e)(1), e(4)(G), (H) and (I) and (f) in accordance with Department of State rules published in the Federal Register. [FR Doc. 96-25832 Filed 10-9-96; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4710-24-M