Privacy Act of 1974; Matching Program, 15849-15851 [2023-05156]

Agencies

• Social Security Administration

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 49 (Tuesday, March 14, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15849-15851]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-05156]


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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

[Docket No. SSA-2022-0054]


Privacy Act of 1974; Matching Program

AGENCY: Social Security Administration (SSA).

ACTION: Notice of a new matching program.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act, as 
amended, this notice announces a new matching program with the United 
States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Child Support 
Enforcement (OCSE). Under this

[[Page 15850]]

matching program, OCSE will disclose quarterly wage (QW) information to 
SSA to establish or verify eligibility, continuing entitlement, or 
payment amounts, or all of the above, of individuals under the title II 
Disability Insurance (DI) program of the Social Security Act (Act).

DATES: The deadline to submit comments on the proposed matching program 
is April 13, 2023. The matching program will be applicable on June 23, 
2023, or once a minimum of 30 days after publication of this notice has 
elapsed, whichever is later. The matching program will be in effect for 
a period of 18 months.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any one of three methods--
internet, fax, or mail. Do not submit the same comments multiple times 
or by more than one method. Regardless of which method you choose, 
please state that your comments refer to Docket No. SSA-2022-0054 so 
that we may associate your comments with the correct notice. Caution: 
You should be careful to include in your comments only information that 
you wish to make publicly available. We strongly urge you not to 
include in your comments any personal information, such as Social 
Security numbers or medical information.
    1. Internet: We strongly recommend that you submit your comments 
via the internet. Please visit the Federal eRulemaking portal at 
https://www.regulations.gov. Use the Search function to find docket 
number SSA-2022-0054 and then submit your comments. The system will 
issue you a tracking number to confirm your submission. You will not be 
able to view your comment immediately because we must post each 
submission manually. It may take up to a week for your comments to be 
viewable.
    2. Fax: Fax comments to (833) 410-1631.
    3. Mail: Matthew Ramsey, Executive Director, Office of Privacy and 
Disclosure, Office of the General Counsel, Social Security 
Administration, G-401 WHR, 6401 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 
21235-6401, or emailing [email protected]. Comments are also 
available for public viewing on the Federal eRulemaking portal at 
https://www.regulations.gov or in person, during regular business 
hours, by arranging with the contact person identified below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Interested parties may submit general 
questions about the matching program to Cynthia Scott, Division 
Director, Office of Privacy and Disclosure, Office of the General 
Counsel, Social Security Administration, G-401 WHR, 6401 Security 
Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21235-6401, at telephone: (410) 966-1943, or 
send an email to [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: None.

Matthew Ramsey,
Executive Director, Office of Privacy and Disclosure, Office of the 
General Counsel.

Participating Agencies

    SSA and OCSE.

Authority for Conducting the Matching Program

    This matching agreement between OCSE and SSA is executed pursuant 
to the Privacy Act of 1974, (5 U.S.C. 552a), as amended by the Computer 
Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988, and otherwise; and the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Final Guidance interpreting those 
Acts.
    Section 224(h)(1) of the Act provides that the head of any Federal 
agency shall provide information within its possession as the 
Commissioner of Social Security may require for purposes of making a 
timely determination of the amount of the reduction, if any, required 
by section 224 in benefits payable under title II of the Act. 42 U.S.C. 
424a(h). Section 453(j)(4) authorizes OCSE to provide the Commissioner 
of Social Security with all information in the National Directory of 
New Hires (NDNH). 42 U.S.C. 653(j)(4). Disclosures under this agreement 
shall be made in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552a(b)(3), under a routine 
use published in a systems of records notice as required by the Privacy 
Act, and in compliance with the matching procedures in 5 U.S.C. 
552a(o), (p), and (r), which describes matching agreements, 
verification by agencies of information, the opportunity for 
individuals to contest agency findings, and the obligations of agencies 
to report proposals to establish or change matching programs to 
Congress and OMB.

Purpose(s)

    This computer matching agreement, hereinafter ``agreement,'' 
governs a matching program between OCSE and SSA. The agreement covers 
the QW batch match for the DI program. This agreement also governs the 
use, treatment, and safeguarding of the QW information exchanged. OCSE 
is the ``source agency'' and SSA is the ``recipient agency,'' as 
defined by the Privacy Act. 5 U.S.C. 552a(a)(9) and (11).
    The Privacy Act, as amended by the Computer Matching and Privacy 
Protection Act of 1988, provides that no record contained in a system 
of records may be disclosed for use in a computer matching program, 
except pursuant to a written agreement containing specified provisions. 
5 U.S.C. 552a(o). SSA and OCSE are executing this agreement to comply 
with the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, and the regulations and 
guidance promulgated thereunder. SSA and OCSE have entered into 
agreements and renewals for this match since November 5, 2015. See 
appendix A.
    SSA will use the QW information to establish or verify eligibility, 
continuing entitlement, or payment amounts, or all of the above, of 
individuals under the DI program.
    The SSA component responsible for this agreement and its contents 
is the Office of Privacy and Disclosure. The responsible component for 
OCSE is the Division of Federal Systems. This agreement is applicable 
to personnel, facilities, and information systems of SSA and OCSE 
involved in the processing and storage of NDNH information. Personnel 
are defined as employees, contractors, or agents of SSA and OCSE.

Categories of Individuals

    The individuals whose information is involved in this matching 
program are individuals who are applicants or recipients of title II 
benefits.

Categories of Records

    SSA will provide electronically to OCSE the following data elements 
in the finder file:

 Individual's Social Security number (SSN)
 Name (first, middle, last)

    OCSE will disclose electronically to SSA the following data 
elements from the NDNH in the QW file:

 QW record identifier
 For employees:
    (1) Name (first, middle, last)
    (2) SSN
    (3) Verification request code
    (4) Processed date
    (5) Non-verifiable indicator
    (6) Wage amount
    (7) Reporting period
 For employers of individuals in the QW file of the NDNH:
    (1) Name (first, middle, last)
    (2) Employer identification number
    (3) Address(es)
 Transmitter agency code
 Transmitter state code
 State or agency name

System(s) of Records

    SSA's relevant systems of records (SORs) are the Master Beneficiary

[[Page 15851]]

Record (MBR), 60-0090, last fully published on January 11, 2006 at 71 
Federal Register (FR) 1826, amended on December 10, 2007 at 72 FR 
69723, on July 5, 2013 at 78 FR 40542, on July 3, 2018 at 83 FR 31250-
31251, and last amended on November 1, 2018 at 83 FR 54969; the 
Completed Determination Record (CDR)-Continuing Disability 
Determinations (CDD) file, 60-0050, last fully published on January 11, 
2006 at 71 FR 1813, amended on December 10, 2007 at 72 FR 69723, on 
November 1, 2018 at 83 FR 54969, and last amended on April 26, 2019 at 
84 FR 17907.
    OCSE will match SSA information in the MBR and CDR-CDD against the 
QW information maintained in the NDNH. The NDNH contains new hire, QW, 
and unemployment insurance information furnished by state and federal 
agencies and is maintained in the SOR ``OCSE National Directory of New 
Hires,'' System No. 09-80-0381, published in full at 87 FR 3553 
(January 24, 2022). The disclosure of NDNH information by OCSE to SSA 
constitutes a ``routine use,'' as defined by the Privacy Act. 5 U.S.C. 
552a(b)(3). Routine use (9) of the SOR authorizes the disclosure of 
NDNH records to SSA. 87 FR 3553, 3555 (January 24, 2022).

[FR Doc. 2023-05156 Filed 3-13-23; 8:45 am]
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