[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 78 (Friday, April 23, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20011-20013]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-10214]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of the Secretary


Privacy Act of 1974; As Amended; Revisions to an Existing System 
of Records

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Proposed revisions to an existing system of records.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended (5 
U.S.C. 552a), the Office of the Secretary is issuing public notice of 
its intent to modify an existing Privacy Act system of records notice, 
USGS-04, ``Employee Assistance Program Records.'' The revisions will 
update the name and number of the system, the system storage and 
safeguards statements, and the address of the system managers.

EFFECTIVE DATE: 5 U.S.C. 552a(e)(11) requires that the public be 
provided a 30-day period in which to comment on the intended use of the 
information in the system of records. The Office of Management and 
Budget, in its Circular A-130, requires an additional 10-day period 
(for a total of 40 days) in which to make these comments. Any persons 
interested in commenting on this revised system of records may do so by 
submitting comments in writing to the Office of the Secretary Privacy 
Act Officer, U.S. Department of the Interior, National Business Center, 
MS-1414 MIB, 1849 C Street NW, Washington, DC 20240. Comments received 
within 40 days of publication in the Federal Register will be 
considered. The system will be effective as proposed at the end of the 
comment period unless comments are received which would require a 
contrary determination.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Director, Office of Personnel Policy, 
U.S. Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street NW, MS-5221 MIB, 
Washington, DC 20240.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of the Interior is proposing 
to amend the system notice for USGS-04, ``Employee Assistance Program 
Records,'' to expand the scope of the system notice from bureau-wide to 
Department-wide coverage. In the process, it will update the name and 
number of the system to more accurately reflect its new Department-wide 
scope, update the storage and safeguards statements to account for 
those records that are maintained in automated format, and add the 
addresses of the system managers for the Departmental office and the 
remainder of the bureaus. Accordingly, the Department of the Interior 
proposes to amend the ``Employee Assistance Program

[[Page 20012]]

Records,'' USGS-04, system notice in its entirety to read as follows:
Sue Ellen Sloca,
Office of the Secretary, Privacy Act Officer, National Business Center.
INTERIOR/DOI-04

SYSTEM NAME: 
    Employee Assistance Program Records--Interior, DOI-04.

SYSTEM LOCATION:
    Records are located with the contractors providing counseling 
services under the Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

CATEGORIES OF INDIVIDUALS COVERED BY THE SYSTEM: 
    Employees of the Department of the Interior and their families who 
seek, are referred to, and/or receive assistance through the Employee 
Assistance Program.

CATEGORIES OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM:
    Records in this system include documentation of visits to employee 
counselors (Federal, State, local government, or private), the problem 
assessment, the recommended plan of action to correct the major issue, 
referral to community or private resource for assistance with personal 
problems, referral to community or private resource for rehabilitation 
or treatment, results of referral, and other notes or records of 
discussions held with the employee made by the Employee Assistance 
Program counselor. Additionally, records in this system may include 
documentation of treatment by a therapist or at a Federal, State, local 
government, or private institution.

AUTHORITY FOR MAINTENANCE OF THE SYSTEM: 
    42 U.S.C. 290dd-1; 42 U.S.C.
290ee-1.

ROUTINE USES OF RECORDS MAINTAINED IN THE SYSTEM, INCLUDING CATEGORIES 
OF USERS AND THE PURPOSES OF SUCH USES:
    These records are used by an Employee Assistance Program Counselor 
to document the nature of an individual's problem and progress made to 
solve the problem. The primary uses of these records are:
    (1) For the Employee Assistance Program counselor to document the 
nature of an individual's problem and progress made to solve the 
problem.
    (2) To record an individual's participation in and the results of 
community or private referrals for solution of problems, 
rehabilitation, or treatment programs. These records and the 
information in them information may be used to disclose information to 
qualified personnel for the purpose of conducting scientific research, 
management audits, financial audits, or program evaluation, but such 
personnel may not identify, directly or indirectly, any individual 
patient in any report or otherwise disclose patient identities in any 
manner. (When such records are provided to qualified researchers 
employed by the Department of the Interior, all patient identifying 
information will be removed). Note: Disclosure of information 
pertaining to an individual with a history of alcohol or drug abuse 
must be limited in compliance with the restrictions of the 
confidentiality of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Patient Records Regulations, 
42 CFR part 2. Disclosure of records pertaining to the physical and 
mental fitness of employees are, as a matter of Department policy, 
afforded the same degree of confidentiality.

POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR STORING, RETRIEVING, ACCESSING, RETAINING, 
AND DISPOSING OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM:
STORAGE:
    Records maintained in paper format are stored in file folders. 
Records maintained in electronic format are stored on disk and on other 
appropriate media.

RETRIEVABILITY:
    Records are retrieved by the name of the individual receiving 
assistance.

SAFEGUARDS:
    Access to records is strictly limited to those persons employed by 
the contractors who are directly involved in the alcohol and drug abuse 
prevention function of the Department as that term is defined in 42 
CFR, part 2. Paper format records are maintained in locked metal file 
cabinets in secured rooms. Electronic records are maintained with 
safeguards meeting the security requirements of 43 CFR 2.51.

RETENTION AND DISPOSAL:
    Records are retained and disposed of in accordance with approved 
agency schedules. (These include the U.S. Geological Survey's Bureau 
Records Disposition Schedule, RCS/Item 405-04 a and b.)

SYSTEM MANAGER(S) AND ADDRESS:
    (1) Departmental office: Team Leader, Employee and Labor Relations 
Group, Office of Personnel Policy, U.S. Department of the Interior, 
1849 C Street NW, MS-5221 MIB, Washington, DC 20240.
    (2) Bureau offices:
    (a) Director of Administration, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Division 
of Personnel Management, 1951 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 
20245.
    (b) Chief, Branch of Employee/Labor Management Relations, Office of 
Personnel, U.S. Geological Survey, 601 National Center, Reston, 
Virginia 20192.

--Atlanta Personnel Officer, U.S. Geological Survey, 3850 Holcomb 
Bridge Rd, Norcross, Georgia 30092.
--Rolla Personnel Officer, U.S. Geological Survey, 1400 Independence 
Road, Rolla, Missouri 65401.
--Chief, Employee Relations Section, Central Region Personnel Branch, 
U.S. Geological Survey, Denver Federal Center, Denver, Colorado 80225.
--Western Region EAP Administrator, Employee Relations and Development 
Section, Western Region Personnel Branch, 345 Middlefield Road, Menlo 
Park, California 94025.

    (c) Personnel Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of 
Personnel Management and Organization, 1849 C Street NW, Washington, DC 
20240.
    (d) Labor Relations Officer, Bureau of Reclamation, PO Box 25001, 
Denver, CO 80225.
    (e) Personnel Officer, Bureau of Land Management, Division of 
Personnel (530), 1849 C Street NW, Washington, DC 20240.
    (f) Personnel Officer, National Park Service, Division of 
Personnel, Branch of Labor Management Relations, 1849 C Street NW, 
Washington, DC 20240.
    (g) Personnel Officer, Minerals Management Service, Personnel 
Division, 1110 Herndon Parkway, Herndon, VA 22070.
    (h) Personnel Officer, Office of Surface Mining, Division of 
Personnel, 1951 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20245.

NOTIFICATION PROCEDURES:
    An individual requesting notification of the existence of records 
on him or her should address his/her request to the appropriate System 
Manager. The request must be in writing, contain the individual's name 
and date of birth, and be signed by the requestor, as required by 43 
CFR 2.60.

RECORD ACCESS PROCEDURES:
    An individual requesting access to records maintained on him or her 
should address his/her request to the appropriate System Manager. The 
request must be in writing, be signed by the requestor, and comply with 
the Department's Privacy Act Regulations regarding verification of 
identity and access to records as required by 43 CFR 2.63.

[[Page 20013]]

CONTESTING RECORD PROCEDURES:
    An individual requesting amendment of a record maintained on him or 
her should address his/her request to the appropriate System Manager. 
The request must be in writing, be signed by the requestor, and comply 
with the Department's Privacy Act Regulations regarding verification of 
identity and amendment of records as required by 43 CFR 2.71.

RECORD SOURCE CATEGORIES:
    Information in this system of records comes from the individual to 
whom it applies, the supervisor of the individual if the individual was 
referred by a supervisor, the Employer Assistance Program staff member 
who records the counseling session, and the therapists or institutions 
used as referrals or providing treatment.

EXEMPTIONS CLAIMED FOR THE SYSTEM:
    None.

[FR Doc. 99-10214 Filed 4-22-99; 8:45 am]
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