View all text of Subpart A [§ 903.1 - § 903.8]

§ 903.5 - Procedures for amendment of records regarding individual—format, agency review and appeal from initial adverse agency determination.

(a) In general. Subject to the application of exemptions promulgated by the Joint Board, in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552a(k), the Executive Director shall, in conformance with 5 U.S.C. 552a(d)(2), permit an individual to request amendment of a record pertaining to him. Any such request shall be addressed to the Executive Director, Joint Board for the Enrollment of Actuaries, U.S. Department of the Treasury, Washington, DC 20220 or delivered personally to the Executive Director, Joint Board for the Enrollment of Actuaries, 2401 E Street, NW., suite 1537, Washington, DC. Any request for amendment of records or any appeal from the initial denial of a request which does not fully comply with the requirements of this section will not be deemed subject to the time constraints of paragraph (e) of this section, unless and until amended so as to comply. However, the Executive Director shall forthwith advise the requester in what respect the request or appeal is deficient so that it may be resubmitted or amended. (See 5 U.S.C. 552a (d) and (f)).

(b) Form of request to amend records. In order to be subject to the provisions of this section, a request to amend records shall:

(1) Be made in writing and signed by the person making the request, who must be the individual about whom the record is maintained, or his duly authorized representative. (See § 903.7);

(2) State that it is made pursuant to the Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. 552a or these regulations;

(3) Mark “Privacy Act Amendment Request” on the request and on the envelope; and

(4) Reasonably describe the records which the individual desires to have amended, including, to the best of the requester's knowledge, dates of letters requesting access to such records previously and dates of letters in which notification concerning access was made, if any, and the individual's documentation justifying the correction. (See 5 U.S.C. 552a (d) and (f)).

(c) Date of receipt of request. A request for amendment of records pertaining to an individual shall be deemed to have been received for purposes of this subpart when the requirements of paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section have been satisfied. The Office of the Executive Director shall stamp the date of receipt of the request thereon. (See 5 U.S.C. 552a (d) and (f)).

(d) Review of requests to amend records. The Executive Director shall:

(1) Not later than 10 days (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal public holidays) after the date of receipt of such request, acknowledge in writing such receipt; and

(2) Promptly, either—(i) make any correction of any portion of a record which the individual believes and the Executive Director agrees is not accurate, relevant, timely, or complete; or (ii) inform the individual of the refusal to amend the record in accordance with his request, the reason for the refusal, and that he may request that the Joint Board review such refusal. (See 5 U.S.C. 552a (d) and (f)).

(e) Administrative appeal—(1) Ingeneral. The Joint Board shall permit individuals to request a review of initial decisions made under paragraph (d) of this section when an individual disagrees with a refusal to amend his record. (See 5 U.S.C. 552a(d), and (g)(1)).

(2) Form of request for administrative review of refusal to amend record. At any time within 35 days after the date of the notification of the initial decision described in paragraph (d)(2)(ii) of this section, the requester may submit a request for review of such refusal to the official specified in the notification of the initial decision. The appeal shall:

(i) Be made in writing stating any arguments in support thereof and be signed by the person to whom the record pertains, or his duly authorized representative (See § 903.7);

(ii) Within 35 days of the date of the initial decision: (A) Be addressed and mailed to the Joint Board for the Enrollment of Actuaries, c/o U.S. Department of the Treasury, Washington, DC 20220; or (B) be personally delivered to the Executive Director, Joint Board for the Enrollment of Actuaries, 2401 E Street NW., suite 1537, Washington, DC on workdays between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.;

(iii) Have clearly marked on the appeal and on the envelope, “Privacy Act Amendment Appeal”;

(iv) Reasonably describe the records requested to be amended; and

(v) Specify the date of the initial request to amend records, and the date of the letter giving notification that the request was denied. (See 5 U.S.C. 552a (d) and (f)).

(3) Date of Receipt. Appeals shall be promptly stamped with the date of their receipt by the Office of the Executive Director and such stamped date will be deemed to be the date of receipt for all purposes of this section. The receipt of the appeal shall be acknowledged within 10 days from the date of receipt (unless the determination on appeal is dispatched in 10 days, in which case, no acknowledgment is required) by the Joint Board and the requester is advised of the date of receipt established by the foregoing and when a response is due in accordance with this paragraph. (See 5 U.S.C. 552a (d) and (f)).

(4) Review of administrative appeals from denial of requests to amend records. The Joint Board shall complete the review and notify the requester of the final agency decision within 30 days (exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays and legal public holidays) after the date of receipt of such appeal, unless it extends the time for good cause shown. If such final agency decision is to refuse to amend the record, in whole or in part, the requester shall also be advised of his right; (i) to file a concise “Statement of Disagreement” setting forth the reasons for his disagreement with the decision which shall be filed within 35 days of the date of the notification of the final agency decision and (ii) to seek judicial review of the final agency decision under 5 U.S.C. 552a(g)(1)(A). (See 5 U.S.C. 552a (d), (f) and (g)(1)).

(5) Notation on record and distribution of statements of disagreement. (i) The Executive Director is responsible, in any disclosure containing information about which an individual has filed a “Statement of Disagreement,” occurring after the filing of the statement under paragraph (e)(4) of this section, for clearly noting any portion of the record which is disputed and providing copies of the statement and, if deemed appropriate, a concise statement of the Joint Board's reasons for not making the amendments requested, to persons or other agencies to whom the disputed record has been disclosed. (See 5 U.S.C. 552a(d)(4)).

(ii) In addition, when a “Statement of Disagreement” is filed regarding information previously disclosed to a person or other agency and when, for such disclosure, an accounting was made pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552(c)(1). then the Executive Director shall provide such person or other agency with the following:

(A) Copy of the “Statement of Disagreement”;

(B) Copy of the portion of the previously disclosed in dispute clearly noted as disputed and;

(C) If deemed approprirate, a concise statement of the Joint Board's reasons for not making requested amendments.

(f) Records not subject to correction. The following records are not subject to correction or amendment by individuals:

(1) Transcripts or written statements made under oath;

(2) Transcripts of Grand Jury proceedings, judicial or quasi-judicial proceedings which form the official record of those proceedings;

(3) Pre-sentence reports comprising the property of the courts but maintained in agency files;

(4) Records pertaining to the determination, the collection and the payment of federal taxes; and

(5) Records duly exempted from correction by notice published in the Federal Register.

[41 FR 1493, Jan. 8, 1976, as amended at 45 FR 84994, Dec. 24, 1980]