(a) The purpose of this part is to set forth rules to inform the public about information maintained by the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service about individuals, to inform those individuals how they may gain access to and correct or amend information about themselves, and to exempt disclosure of identity of confidential sources of certain records.

(b) [Reserved]

For the purposes of this part, unless otherwise required by the context—

(a) Individual means a citizen of the United States or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence.

(b) Maintain means maintain, collect, use or disseminate.

(c) Record means any item, collection or grouping of information about an individual that is maintained by the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service including, but not limited to, his education, financial transactions, medical history, and criminal or employment history, that contains his name, or the identifying number, symbol, or other identifying particular assigned to the individual, such as a finger or voice print, or a photograph.

(d) System of records means a group of any records under the control of Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service from which information is retrieved by the name of the individual or by some identifying particular assigned to the individual.

(a) Individuals who desire to know whether the agency maintains a system of records containing records pertaining to him may submit a written request to the Director of Administration, Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, Washington, DC 20427. The request must include the name and address of the requestor. The Director of Administration, or his designated representative, will advise the requestor in writing within 10 working days whether the records are so maintained and the general category of records maintained within the system.

(b) Any individual who desires to inspect or receive copies of any record maintained within the system concerning him shall submit a written request to the Director of Administration, Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, Washington, DC 20427, reasonably identifying the records sought to be inspected or copied.

(c) The individual seeking access to his record may also have another person accompanying him during his review of the records. If the requestor desires another person to accompany him during the inspection, the requestor must sign a statement, to be furnished to the Service representative at the time of the inspection authorizing such other person to accompany him. Except as required under the Freedom of Information Act, permitted as a routine use as published in the agency's annual notice, or for internal agency use, disclosure of records will only be made to the individual to whom the record pertains, unless written consent is obtained from that individual. The Director of Administration will verify the signature of the individual requesting or consenting to the disclosure of a record prior to the disclosure thereof to any other person by a comparison of signatures, if the request or consent is not executed within the presence of a designated Service representative.

(d) The Director of Administration or his designated representative will advise the requestor in writing within 10 working days of receipt of the request whether, to what extent, and approximately when and where access shall be granted. Within 30 days of receipt of the request, the records will be made available for review at the FMCS National Office in Washington, DC, or one of the Regional Offices. The following is a list of the Regional Office locations:

Satisfactory identification (i.e., employ identification number, current address, and verification of signature) must be provided to FMCS prior to review of the record. The requestor will be provided the opportunity to review the records during normal business hours.

(a) If medical records are requested for inspection which, in the opinion of the Director of Administration, may be harmful to the requestor if personally inspected by him, such records will be furnished only to a licensed physician, designated to receive such records by the requestor. Prior to such disclosure, the requestor must furnish a signed written authorization to the Service to make such disclosure and the physician must furnish a written request to the Director of Administration for the physician's receipt of such records.

(b) Verification of the requestor's signature will be accomplished by a comparison of signatures if such authorization is not executed within the presence of a Service representative.

(a) If the individual disagrees with the information in the record, he may request that the record be amended by addition or deletion. Such a request must be in writing and directed to the Director of Administration, Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, Washington, DC, 20427. The request must also specifically outline the amendment sought. The Director of Administration or his designated representative will acknowledge receipt of the request within 10 working days from the date of receipt of such request. Under normal circumstances, not later than 30 days after receipt of the request for amendments, the Director of Administration will either:

(1) Amend the record and notify the requestor in a written letter of determination to what extent the record is amended; or

(2) If the amendment or correction is denied in whole or in part, notify the requestor in a written letter of determination the reason for denial and the requestor's right to request review by the Deputy National Director.

(b) Routine requests of arbitrators maintained on the Service's roster of arbitrators to amend records for such matters as address, experience, fees charged, may be made in writing to the Director of Arbitration Services, Washington, DC, 20427. If such routine requests are not granted or involve other types of amendments, then the procedure to be followed is that which includes a request in writing to the Director of Administration.

(a) The requestor may appeal any determination of the Director of Administration not to amend a record by submitting a written request for review of refusal to amend a record to the Deputy National Director, Washington, DC 20427. Such a request shall indicate the specific corrections or amendments sought. Not later than 30 days from receipt of a request for review (unless such period is extended by the National Director for good cause shown), the Deputy National Director will complete such a review and make a final determination on the request, and shall advise the requestor in a written letter of determination whether, and to what extent the correction or amendment will be made. If the correction or amendment is denied, in whole or in part, the letter of determination will specify the reasons for such denial.

(b) If the Deputy National Director makes a final determination not to amend the record, the individual may provide to the Service a concise written statement explaining the reasons for disagreement with the refusal.

(c) In addition, the individual may file a civil action in the U.S. District Court to seek an order compelling the Service to amend the record as requested.

After an individual has filed a statement of disagreement as described in § 1410.7(b), any disclosure of the contested records must contain a notation of the dispute. In addition, a copy of the individual's statement will be provided to the person or agency to whom the disputed record is disclosed. The Service may also, but it is not required to, provide a statement reflecting the agency's reasons for not making the requested amendments.

Upon request, the Service will provide a photostatic copy of the records to the individual to whom they pertain. There will be a charge of $.10 per page.

Any person who knowingly and willfully requests or obtains any record concerning an individual from the Service under false pretenses shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and fined not more than $5,000.

Upon a request for inspection of records or a determination on a request for amendment, the Director of Administration, his designated representative, or the Deputy National Director will review the pertinent records and discard any material in them that is not:

(a) Relevant and necessary to accomplish a statutory purpose or a purpose not authorized by executive order.

(b) Accurate, relevant, timely, and complete, to assure fairness to the individual.

With regard to Agency Internal Personnel Records and Arbitrator Personal Data Files, separately described in the system notices, such records will be exempted from section (d) of the Act as follows: