Office of Personnel Management May 6, 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) proposes to amend part 297 of title 5, Code of Federal Regulations, to implement a 60-day timeframe for individuals to appeal or submit requests for administrative review of initial decisions regarding access and amendment requests involving records maintained in OPM systems of records. This proposed change will allow greater efficiency in processing appeals and requests for administrative review and will also improve the office's records maintenance and disposal policies. OPM's retention of the Privacy Act Case Records are to be maintained in accordance with the NARA General Records Schedule 14 which relies on whether or not the request is appealed to institute a disposal timeframe. The addition of this appeal or administrative review timeframe will allow offices to dispose of records in accordance with the NARA General Records Schedule 14. OPM is also proposing to update the points of contact for Privacy Act matters, including where to address appeals or requests for administrative review of access and amendment denials involving records maintained in OPM systems of records. OPM also proposes to amend part 297 of title 5, Code of Federal Regulations to implement exemptions for the OPM Central-9/Personnel Investigations Records, the OPM Internal 16/Adjudications Officer Control Files, the newly established OPM Internal 20/Integrity Assurance Officer Control Files, and the newly established OPM Internal 19/Investigative Training Records. In this proposed rulemaking, OPM proposes to exempt portions of these system of records from one or more provisions of the Privacy Act to safeguard national security information, and law enforcement information, to protect the identities of sources who furnished information under an express promise of confidentiality, and to safeguard qualifications testing and examination materials that would, if released, compromise the objectivity or fairness of the testing or examination process.