[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 247 (Wednesday, December 27, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 89450-89452]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-28553]


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FEDERAL LABOR RELATIONS AUTHORITY


Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records

AGENCY: Federal Labor Relations Authority.

ACTION: Notice of a modified system of records.

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SUMMARY: The ``Freedom of Information Act Request and Appeal Files'' is 
the system that the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) uses to 
provide the public with a single location to submit and track Freedom 
of Information Act (FOIA) requests and appeals filed with the FLRA, to 
manage internal FOIA administration activities, and to collect data for 
annual reporting requirements to the Department of Justice. FLRA's 
prior system, FOIAOnline, was recently decommissioned. Under the 
Privacy Act of 1974, FLRA's Chief FOIA Officer proposes to update the 
system of records, titled ``Freedom of Information Act Request and 
Appeal Files,'' with information about FLRA's new FOIA system, 
FOIAXPress. This notice replaces the notice FLRA published on October 
27, 2017 at 82 FR 49813.

DATES: This notice action shall be applicable immediately, which will 
become effective January 26, 2024.
    Comments will be accepted on or before: January 26, 2024.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments, which must include the caption ``SORN 
Notice,'' by one of the following methods:
    Email: [email protected]. Include ``SORN Notice'' in the subject 
line of the message.
    Mail: Thomas Tso, Chief FOIA Officer, Federal Labor Relations 
Authority, 1400 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20424-0001.
    Instructions: Do not mail written comments if they have been 
submitted via email. Interested persons who mail written comments must 
submit an original and 4 copies of each written comment, with any 
enclosures, on 8\1/2\ x 11 inch paper. Do not deliver comments by hand.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have any questions, please 
contact Thomas Tso, Solicitor, Chief FOIA Officer, at (771) 444-5779.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Apart from some minor technical corrections 
and updates, the only substantive change to the prior notice relates to 
the replacement of FOIAOnline with FOIAXPress, a commercial off-the-
shelf product, for managing FLRA's FOIA program. FOIAXPress will shift 
storage of records to a FedRAMP-certified third-party cloud 
environment.

SYSTEM NAME AND NUMBER:
    Freedom of Information Act Request and Appeal Files, FLRA/Internal-
17.

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION:
    Not applicable.

SYSTEM LOCATION:
    FLRA Headquarters, Office of the Solicitor.

SYSTEM MANAGER(S):
    Chief FOIA Officer, Office of the Solicitor, Federal Labor 
Relations

[[Page 89451]]

Authority, 1400 K St. NW, Washington, DC 20424.

AUTHORITY FOR MAINTENANCE OF THE SYSTEM:
    Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 552.

PURPOSE(S) OF THE SYSTEM:
    To provide the public with a single location to submit and track 
FOIA requests and appeals filed with the FLRA, to manage internal FOIA 
administration activities, and to collect data for annual reporting 
requirements to the Department of Justice.

CATEGORIES OF INDIVIDUALS COVERED BY THE SYSTEM:
    All persons requesting information or filing appeals under the 
Freedom of Information Act.

CATEGORIES OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM:
    A copy of each Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request received 
by the FLRA and a copy of all correspondence related to the request, 
including the requesters' names, mailing addresses, email addresses, 
phone numbers, Social Security Numbers, dates of birth, any aliases 
used by the requesters, alien numbers assigned to travelers crossing 
national borders, requesters' parents' names, user names and passwords 
for registered users, FOIA tracking numbers, dates requests are 
submitted and received, related appeals, and agency responses. Records 
also include communications with requesters, internal FOIA 
administrative documents (e.g., billing invoices) and responsive 
records.

RECORD SOURCE CATEGORIES:
    Information in this system of records is provided by FLRA employees 
and FOIA requesters.

ROUTINE USES OF RECORDS MAINTAINED IN THE SYSTEM, INCLUDING CATEGORIES 
OF USERS AND PURPOSES OF SUCH USES:
    In addition to the disclosure generally permitted under 5 U.S.C. 
552a(b) of the Privacy Act, these records or information in these 
records may be used pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(b)(3):
    a. To disclose pertinent information to the appropriate Federal, 
State, or local agency responsible for investigating, prosecuting, 
enforcing, or implementing a statute, rule, regulation, or order, when 
the FLRA becomes aware of an indication of a violation or potential 
violation of civil or criminal law or regulation.
    b. To provide information to a congressional office from the record 
of an individual in response to an inquiry from that congressional 
office made at the request of that individual.
    c. In an appropriate proceeding before a court, grand jury, or 
administrative or adjudicative body, when the FLRA determines that the 
records are arguably relevant to the proceeding, or in an appropriate 
proceeding before an administrative or adjudicative body when the 
adjudicator determines the records to be relevant to the proceeding.
    d. To a Federal, State, local, or foreign agency or entity for the 
purpose of consulting with that agency or entity to enable the FLRA to 
make a determination as to the propriety of access to or correction of 
information, or for the purpose of verifying the identity of an 
individual or the accuracy of information submitted by an individual 
who has requested access to or amendment of information.
    e. To a Federal agency or entity that furnished the record or 
information for the purpose of permitting that agency or entity to make 
a decision as to access to or correction of the record or information, 
or to a Federal agency or entity for purposes of providing guidance or 
advice regarding the handling of particular requests.
    f. To a submitter or subject of a record or information in order to 
obtain assistance to the FLRA in making a determination as to access or 
amendment.
    g. To a Member of Congress or staff acting upon the Member's behalf 
when the Member or staff requests the information on behalf of, and at 
the request of, the individual who is the subject of the record.
    h. To disclose information to the National Archives and Records 
Administration, the Office of Government Information Services (OGIS), 
to the extent necessary to fulfill its responsibilities in 5 U.S.C. 
552(h), to review administrative agency policies, procedures and 
compliance with FOIA, and to facilitate OGIS's offering of mediation 
services to resolve disputes between persons making FOIA requests and 
administrative agencies.
    i. To appropriate agencies, entities, and persons when (1) the FLRA 
suspects or has confirmed that there has been a breach of the system of 
records; (2) the FLRA has determined that as a result of the suspected 
or confirmed breach there is a risk of harm to individuals, the FLRA 
(including its information systems, programs, and operations), the 
Federal Government, or national security; and (3) the disclosure made 
to such agencies, entities, and persons is reasonably necessary to 
assist in connection with the FLRA's efforts to respond to the 
suspected or confirmed breach or to prevent, minimize, or remedy such 
harm.
    j. To another Federal agency or Federal entity, when the FLRA 
determines that information from this system of records is reasonably 
necessary to assist the recipient agency or entity in (1) responding to 
a suspected or confirmed breach or (2) preventing, minimizing, or 
remedying the risk of harm to individuals, the recipient agency or 
entity (including its information systems, programs, and operations), 
the Federal Government, or national security, resulting from a 
suspected or confirmed breach.
    k. To contractors, grantees, experts, consultants, students, and 
others performing or working on a contract, service, grant, cooperative 
agreement, or other assignment for the federal government, when 
necessary to accomplish an agency function related to this system of 
records.
    l. To such recipients and under such circumstances and procedures 
as are mandated by federal statute, regulation, or treaty.

POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR STORAGE OF RECORDS:
    Records received using FOIAXPress, a commercial off-the-shelf 
product, are maintained in a secure, password-protected FedRAMP-
certified third-party cloud environment, which utilizes security 
hardware and software, including multiple firewalls, active intruder 
detection, and role-based accessed controls. The contracts are 
maintained by FLRA at 1400 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20424. Any paper 
records are stored in secure FLRA offices and/or lockable file 
cabinets.

POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR RETRIEVAL OF RECORDS:
    Requests are retrieved from the FLRA's FOIAXPress system by 
numerous data elements and key word searches, including name, agency, 
dates, subject, FOIA tracking number, and other information retrievable 
with full-text searching capability.

POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR RETENTION AND DISPOSAL OF RECORDS:
    FOIA records are maintained for three years or longer, in 
accordance with item 001 of General Records Schedule 4.2, as approved 
by the Archivist of the United States. Disposal is by shredding and/or 
by deletion of the electronic record.

ADMINISTRATIVE, TECHNICAL, AND PHYSICAL SAFEGUARDS:
    Computer records are maintained in a secure, password-protected 
computer system. Paper records are maintained in secure offices or 
lockable file cabinets. All records are maintained in secure, access-
controlled areas or buildings.

[[Page 89452]]

RECORD ACCESS PROCEDURES:
    Individuals wishing access to records about them should contact the 
System Manager. Individuals must furnish the following information for 
their records to be located and identified: a. Full name.
    b. Approximate date of FOIA request or appeal.
    Individuals requesting access must comply with the FLRA's Privacy 
Act regulations regarding access to records (5 CFR 2412).

CONTESTING RECORD PROCEDURES:
    Individuals wishing to request amendment of records about them 
should contact the System Manager. Individuals must furnish the 
following information for their records to be located and identified:
    a. Full name.
    b. Approximate date of FOIA request or appeal.
    Individuals requesting amendment must follow the FLRA's Privacy Act 
regulations regarding amendment of records (5 CFR 2412).

NOTIFICATION PROCEDURES:
    Individuals wishing to determine whether this system of records 
contains information about them should contact the System Manager. 
Individuals must furnish the following for their records to be located 
and identified:
    a. Full name.
    b. Approximate date of FOIA request or appeal.
    Individuals making inquiries must comply with the FLRA's Privacy 
Act regulations regarding the existence of records (5 CFR 2412).

EXEMPTIONS PROMULGATED FOR THE SYSTEM:
    None.

HISTORY:
    This system of records was last published at 82 FR 49813 (October 
27, 2017).

Thomas Tso,
Solicitor, Federal Register Liaison, and Chief FOIA Officer, Federal 
Labor Relations Authority.
[FR Doc. 2023-28553 Filed 12-26-23; 8:45 am]
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