DOI-01 Child Care Subsidy Program

[Federal Register: February 14, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 31)]

[Notices]

[Page 10309-10311]

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

[DOCID:fr14fe01-70]

=======================================================================

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of the Secretary

Privacy Act of 1974, As Amended; Addition of a New System of

Records

AGENCY: Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Proposed addition of a new system of records.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Department of Interior is issuing public notice of its

intent to add a new department-wide Privacy Act system of records to

its inventory of records systems subject to the Privacy Act of 1974 (5

U.S.C. 552a). This action is necessary to meet the requirements of the

Privacy Act to publish in the Federal Register notice of the existence

and character of records systems maintained by the agency (5 U.S. C.

552a(e)(4)). The new system of records is called the ``Interior Child

Care Subsidy Program Records System.''

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 proposed system of records may do so

by submitting comments in writing to the Office of the Secretary

Freedom of Information Act/Privacy Act Officer, U.S. Department of the

Interior, National Business Center, MS 1414 MIB, 1849 C Street NW,

Washington, DC 20240, or by e-mail at osfoia@nbc.gov. 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. In that case the Department will publish any

changes to the routine uses.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sue Ellen Sloca, Office of the

Secretary Freedom of Information Act/Privacy Act Officer, by phone at

202-208-6045, by fax at 202-208-5048, by e-mail at osfoia@nbc.gov, or

by mail at U.S. Department of the Interior, National Business Center,

MS 1414 MIB, 1849 C Street NW, Washington, DC 20240.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Interior Child Care Subsidy Program

Records system will contain information from Interior employees

collected for the purpose of determining their eligibility for the

child care subsidy program and the amounts of their subsidy. The system

will contain information about the employee, the employee's spouse, the

child or children for whom the employee applies for a child care

subsidy, and the employee's child care provider(s). The information

collected will include the employee's name, spouse's name, employee's

title, grade, and salary, the employee's home and work telephone

numbers, the employee's home and work addresses, the organization in

which the employee works, the employee's Social Security Number, the

spouse's Social Security Number, the employee's tax returns, the

spouse's tax returns, the name and Social Security Number of the child

on whose behalf the parent is applying for a subsidy, the child's date

of birth, the date of entry into the Child Care Subsidy Program, and

the amount of subsidy received; the name, address, telephone number,

employer identification number (EIN), license and accreditation status

of the child care center in which the employee's child(ren) is (are)

enrolled, and the dates of attendance. Collection of data will be by

child care subsidy application forms submitted by employees. A copy of

the system notice for ``Interior Child Care Subsidy Program Records,''

DOI-01, follows:

Dated: February 9, 2001.

Sue Ellen Sloca,

Office of the Secretary Freedom of Information Act/Privacy Act Officer,

National Business Center.

INTERIOR/DOI-01

System Name:

Interior Child Care Subsidy Program Records.

Security Classification:

None.

System Location:

U.S. Department of the Interior, Office of the Secretary, Labor/

Employee Relations and Systems Group, MS 5221 MIB, Washington, D.C.

20240.

Categories of Individuals Covered by the System:

(1) Present and former employees of the Department of the Interior

who voluntarily apply for a child care subsidy, their spouses, and

children

[[Page 10310]]

who are enrolled in government-subsidized child care.

(2) Child-care providers of these employees.

Categories of Records in the System:

The information collected will include the employee's name,

spouse's name, employee's title, grade, and salary, the employee's home

and work telephone numbers, the employee's home and work addresses, the

organization in which the employee works, the employee's Social

Security Number, the spouse's Social Security Number, the employee's

tax returns, the spouse's tax returns, the name and Social Security

Number of the child on whose behalf the parent is applying for a

subsidy, the child's date of birth, the date of entry into the Child

Care Subsidy Program, and the amount of subsidy received; the name,

address, telephone number, employer identification number (EIN),

license and accreditation status of the child care center in which the

employee's child(ren) is (are) enrolled, and the dates of attendance.

Authority for Maintenance of the System:

Pub. L. 105-554, section 633 and Executive Order 9397.

Purpose(s):

The primary use of the records maintained in this system is to

establish and verify Department of the Interior employees' eligibility

for child care subsidies in order to provide monetary assistance to

them. Other uses of the records in the system include verifying the

eligibility of child care centers and verifying compliance with

regulations.

Routine Uses of Records Maintained in the System, Including Categories

of Users and the Purposes of such uses:

Disclosures outside the Department of the Interior may be made

under the routine uses listed below without the consent of the

individual if the disclosure is compatible with the purposes for which

the record was collected.

(1) To an expert, consultant, or contractor (including employees of

the contractor) of the Department that performs, on the Department's

behalf, services requiring the use of these records.

(2) To child care providers, in order to verify a covered child's

dates of attendance at the provider's facility.

(3) The Department of Justice, or to a court, adjudicative or other

administrative body, or to a party in litigation before a court or

adjudicative or administrative body, when:

(a) One of the following is a party to the proceeding or has an

interest in the proceeding:

(1) The Department or any component of the Department;

(2) Any Departmental employee acting in his or her official

capacity;

(3) Any Departmental employee acting in his or her individual

capacity where the Department or the Department of Justice has agreed

to represent the employee, or

(4) The United States, when the Department determines that the

Department is likely to be affected by the proceeding; and

(b) The Department deems the disclosure to be:

(1) Relevant and necessary to the proceedings; and

(2) Compatible with the purpose for which we compiled the

information.

(4) To appropriate Federal, State, local or foreign agencies

responsible for investigating or prosecuting the violation of or for

enforcing or implementing a statute, rule, regulation, order or

license, when the Department becomes aware of a violation or potential

violation of a statute, rule, regulation, order or license.

(5) To a congressional office in response to an inquiry an

individual has made to the congressional office.

(6) To the Office of Personnel Management or the General Accounting

Office when the information is required for evaluation of the child

care subsidy program.

Disclosure to Consumer Reporting Agencies:

Not applicable.

Policies and Practices for Storing, Retrieving, Accessing, Retaining,

and Disposing of Records in the System:

Storage:

Records are stored both in file folders, and in electronic form, in

computer systems.

Retrievability:

Records are retrieved by the names and Social Security Numbers of

employees applying for child care subsidies.

Safeguards:

Access to records in the system is limited to authorized personnel

whose official duties require such access. Paper records are maintained

in locked metal file cabinets and/or in secured rooms. Electronic

records are password-protected and maintained with safeguards meeting

the security requirements of 43 CFR 2.51.

Retention and Disposal:

Records are retained and disposed of in accordance with National

Archives and Records Administration guidelines and authorized Office of

the Secretary records schedules.

System Manager(s) and Address:

Team Leader, Labor/Employee Relations and Systems Group, Office of

the Secretary, U.S. Department of the Interior, MS 5221 MIB,

Washington, D.C. 20240.

Notification Procedures:

Inquiries regarding the existence of records contained in the

system should be addressed to the System Manager. The request must be

in writing, signed by the requester, include the requester's full name

and Social Security Number, and meet the content requirements of 43 CFR

2.60.

Record Access Procedures:

A request for access to records contained in the system should be

addressed to the System Manager. The request must be in writing, signed

by the requester, include the requester's full name and Social Security

Number, and meet the content requirements of 43 CFR 2.62.

Contesting Record Procedures:

A petition for amendment of records contained in the system should

be addressed to the System Manager. The request must be in writing,

signed by the requester, include the requester's full name and Social

Security Number, and meet the content requirements of 42 CFR 2.71.

Record Source Categories:

Applications for child care subsidies and supporting records, which

are voluntarily submitted by Interior employees applying for child care

subsidies.

Exemptions Claimed for the System:

None.

Privacy Act of 1974--Narrative Statement for a New System of

Records to Implement the Interior Department Childcare Subsidy

Program

The purpose of the new system of records is to collect information

from employees of the Interior Department in order to determine their

eligibility for childcare subsidy in the form of tuition assistance, to

determine the amount of the subsidy, and to implement the program for

eligible employees. The new system of records also collects information

from employees' child care provider(s) for verification purposes, such

as ensuring that providers are

[[Page 10311]]

licensed, and information needed to issue payments directly to child

care providers.

Authority for the Interior Department's childcare subsidy program

is found in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2001, Public Law

106-544, which permits Federal agencies to use appropriated funds

available for salaries to assist lower income employees with their

child care costs. (See Section 633 of H.R. 5658, incorporated by

reference into Public Law 106-544.) The authority in the Consolidated

Appropriations Act of 2001 expires at the end of fiscal year 2001. If

legislation is enacted extending the authority, the Department may

choose to continue to operate this program if appropriated funds are

available. The notice of establishment of this system of records is

intended to cover the potential extension of the program.

It is estimated that one percent of Interior Department employees

might be eligible for the subsidy. If one percent apply for the

subsidy, the total number of individual records will not exceed 6000.

The Interior Department proposes to enter into a contract with a

non-federal organization to process the applications and implement the

program. This contractor will receive employees completed applications

and determine eligibility and tuition assistance amount based on a

formula determined by the Interior Department. The non-federal

organization is currently administering the childcare subsidy programs

for other federal agencies, and as a result currently handles federal

employee personal information and has established procedures to

minimize the risk of unauthorized access to the system of records. The

contract between the Interior Department and the non-federal

organization will require the organization to adhere to federal

standards of privacy.

The new system of records will collect income and provider data on

an application form (``Child Care Provider Information Form--OPM Form

1644'' [OMB Clearance Number 3206-0240]) submitted by employees. The

application will only request personal data that is necessary to

determine whether an employee is eligible for the subsidy and

information necessary to administer the subsidy for eligible employees.

The system will contain information from only those individuals who

choose to apply for the subsidy. The proposed collection of records

will only be used for the purpose of determining eligibility,

determining the amount of the subsidy, and for administration of the

subsidy program.

The proposal relates to State and local governments. One of the

requirements of the subsidy is for childcare providers to be licensed

or regulated in the state or location in which they operate. Childcare

providers will be required to submit a copy of their latest license

and/or statement of compliance from their state and/or local authority.

This system of records does not entail any changes to computer

installations, communications networks, or any other general changes in

information collection, handling, storage or dissemination.

[FR Doc. 01-3702 Filed 2-13-01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310-RJ-P