Except to the extent that a system of records is exempt in accordance with subpart G of this part, the Department, with respect to each system of records:

(a) Maintains in its records only such information about an individual as is relevant and necessary to accomplish a purpose of the Department required to be accomplished by statute or by executive order of the President;

(b) Collects information to the greatest extent practicable directly from the subject individual when the information may result in adverse determinations about an individual's rights, benefits, or privileges under Federal programs;

(c) Informs each individual whom it asks to supply information, on the form which it uses to collect the information or on a separate form that can be retained by the individual of:

(1) The authority (whether granted by statute, or by executive order of the President) which authorizes the solicitation of the information and whether disclosure of such information is mandatory or voluntary;

(2) The principal purpose or purposes for which the information is intended to be used;

(3) The routine uses, as published pursuant to paragraph (d)(4) of this section, which may be made of the information; and

(4) The effects, if any, on the individual of not providing all or any part of the requested information;

(d) Publishes in the Federal Register at least annually a notice of the existence and character of the system of records, including:

(1) The name and location of the system;

(2) The categories of individuals on whom records are maintained in the system;

(3) The categories of records maintained in the system;

(4) Each routine use of the records contained in the system, including the categories of users and the purpose of such use;

(5) The policies and practices regarding storage, retrievability, access controls, retention, and disposal of the records;

(6) The title and business address of the official responsible for the system of records;

(7) The procedures whereby an individual can be notified upon request if the system of records contains a record pertaining to that individual;

(8) The procedures whereby an individual can be notified upon request how to gain access to any record pertaining to that individual contained in the system of records, and how to contest its content; and

(9) The categories of sources of records in the system;

(e) Maintains all records which are used in making any determination about any individual with such accuracy, relevancy, timeliness, and completeness as is reasonably necessary to assure fairness to the individual in the determination;

(f) Prior to disseminating any record about an individual to any person other than an agency, unless the dissemination is made pursuant to § 10.35(a)(2), makes reasonable efforts to assure that such records are accurate, complete, timely, and relevant for the Department's purposes;

(g) Maintains no record describing how any individual exercises rights guaranteed by the First Amendment unless:

(1) Expressly authorized by the General Counsel; and

(2) Expressly authorized by statute or by the individual about whom the record is maintained or unless pertinent to and within the scope of an authorized law enforcement activity;

(h) Makes reasonable efforts to serve notice on an individual when any record on such individual is made available to any person under compulsory legal process when such process becomes a matter of public record.

Each operating administration, the Office of Inspector General, and the Office of the Secretary, with respect to each system of records under its control:

(a) Except for disclosures made under § 10.35(a) (1) or (2) of this part, keep an accurate accounting of:

(1) The date, nature, and purpose of each disclosure of a record to any person or to another agency made under § 10.33; and

(2) The name and address of the person or agency to whom the disclosure is made;

(b) Retains the accounting made under paragraph (a) of this section for at least five years or the life of the record, whichever is longer, after the disclosure for which the accounting is made;

(c) Except for disclosures made under § 10.33(a)(7) of this part, makes the accounting made under paragraph (a)(1) of this section available to the individual named in the record at his request; and

(d) Informs any person or other agency about any correction or notation of dispute made by the agency in accordance with § 10.45 of any record that has been disclosed to the person or agency if an accounting of the disclosure was made.

An individual's name and address is not sold or rented unless such action is specifically authorized by law. This provision shall not be construed to require the withholding of names and addresses otherwise permitted to be made public.

When the Department provides by a contract for the operation by or on behalf of the Department of a system of records to accomplish a function of the Department, the requirements of this part are applied to such system. For purposes of subpart I, Criminal Penalties, any such contractor and any employee of the contractor are considered, in accordance with section 3(m) of the Privacy Act, to be employees of the Department.

(a) No individual is denied any right, benefit, or privilege provided by law because of such individual's refusal to disclose his Social Security account number.

(b) The provisions of paragraph (a) of this section do not apply to:

(1) Any disclosure which is required by Federal statute; or

(2) The disclosure of a Social Security number when such disclosure was required under statute or regulation adopted prior to January 1, 1975, to verify the identity of an individual.

(c) When an individual is requested to disclose his or her Social Security account number, that individual is informed whether that disclosure is mandatory or voluntary, by what statutory or other authority such number is solicited, what uses are made of it, and what detriments, including delay in the location of records, are incurred if the number is not provided.