(a) This section governs the collection of information about individuals, as defined in the Privacy Act of 1974, throughout the United States Postal Service and across its operations;

(1) The Postal Service will:

(i) Collect, solicit and maintain only such information about an individual as is relevant and necessary to accomplish a purpose authorized by statute or Executive Order.

(ii) Collect information, to the greatest extent practicable, directly from the subject individual when such information may result in adverse determinations about an individual's rights, benefits, or privileges.

(iii) Inform any individuals who have been asked to furnish information about themselves, whether that disclosure is mandatory or voluntary, by what authority it is being solicited, the principal purposes for which it is intended to be used, the routine uses which may be made of it, and any consequences for the individual, which are known to the Postal Service, which will result from refusal to furnish it.

(2) The Postal Service will not disfavor any individual who fails or refuses to provide personal information unless that information is required or necessary for the conduct of the system or program in which the individual desires to participate.

(3) The Postal Service will maintain no record describing how an individual exercises rights guaranteed by the First Amendment unless 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.

(4) The Postal Service will not require an individual to furnish a Social Security number or deny a right, privilege or benefit because of that individual's refusal to furnish the number unless required by Federal law.

(b) Disclosures—

(1) Limitations. The Postal Service will not disclose information about an individual unless reasonable efforts have been made to assure that the information is accurate, complete, timely and relevant to the extent provided by the Privacy Act and unless:

(i) The individual to whom the record pertains has requested in writing, or with the prior written consent of the individual to whom the record pertains, that the information be disclosed, unless the individual would not be entitled to access to the record under the Postal Reorganization Act, the Privacy Act, or other law;

(ii) The requester has obtained the prior written consent of the individual to whom the record pertains, unless the individual would not be entitled to access to the record under the Postal Reorganization Act, the Privacy Act, or other law; or

(iii) The disclosure is in accordance with paragraph (b)(2) of this section.

(2) Conditions of Disclosure. Disclosure of personal information maintained in a system of records may be made:

(i) To a person pursuant to a requirement of the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552);

(ii) To those officers and employees of the Postal Service or employees of a Postal Service contractor who have a need for such information in the performance of their Postal Service duties;

(iii) For a routine use as contained in the system of records notices published in the Federal Register;

(iv) To a recipient who has provided advance adequate written assurance that the information will be used solely as a statistical reporting or research record, and to whom the information is transferred in a form that is not individually identifiable;

(v) To the Bureau of the Census for purposes of planning or carrying out a census or survey or related activity pursuant to the provisions of title 13 of the U.S. Code;

(vi) To the National Archives and Records Administration as a record which has sufficient historical or other value to warrant its continued preservation by the U.S. Government, or for evaluation by the Archivist of the United States or an authorized designee to determine whether the record has such value;

(vii) To a person pursuant to a showing of compelling circumstances affecting the health or safety of an individual, if upon such disclosure notification is transmitted to the last known address of such individual;

(viii) To a Federal agency or to an instrumentality of any governmental jurisdiction within or under the control of the United States for a civil or criminal law enforcement activity, if such activity is authorized by law and if the head of the agency or instrumentality has made a written request to the Postal Service specifying the particular portion of the record desired and the law enforcement activity for which the record is sought;

(ix) To either House of Congress or its committees or subcommittees to the extent of matter within their jurisdiction;

(x) To the Comptroller General or any of that officer's authorized representatives in the course of the performance of the duties of the Government Accountability Office; or

(xi) Pursuant to the order of a court of competent jurisdiction. A court of competent jurisdiction is defined in Article III of the United States Constitution including, but not limited to any United States District Court, any United States or Federal Court of Appeals, the United States Court of Federal Claims, and the United States Supreme Court. For purposes of this section, state courts are not courts of competent jurisdiction.

(3) Under 39 U.S.C. 412(a), the Postal Service shall not make a mailing or other list of names or addresses (past or present) of postal patrons or other persons available to the public, unless such action is authorized by law. Consistent with this provision, the Postal Service may make such a list available as follows:

(i) In accordance with 39 U.S.C. 412(b), to the Secretary of Commerce for use by the Bureau of the Census;

(ii) As required by the terms of a legally enforceable contract entered into by the Postal Service under its authority contained in 39 U.S.C. 401(3) and when subject to a valid non-disclosure agreement. The purpose of the contract must comply with 5 U.S.C. 552a(n), which prohibits the sale or rental of an individual's name and address;

(iii) As required by the terms of a legally enforceable interagency agreement entered into by the Postal Service under its authority contained in 39 U.S.C. 411 and when subject to a valid non-disclosure agreement. The purpose of the interagency agreement must comply with 5 U.S.C. 552a(n), which prohibits the sale or rental of an individual's name and address;

(iv) In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552a(b), the Postal Service may disclose a list of names and addresses of individuals pursuant to a written request by, or with the prior written consent of, each individual whose name and address is contained in such list, provided that such names and addresses are derived from records maintained by the Postal Service in a system of records as defined by 5 U.S.C. 552a(a); or

(v) As otherwise expressly authorized by federal law.

(4) Employee credit references. A credit bureau or other commercial firm from which a current or former postal employee is seeking credit may be given the following past or present information upon request: Grade, duty station, dates of employment, job title, and salary. If additional information is desired, the requester must submit the written consent of the employee and an accounting of the disclosure must be kept.

(5) Employment status. Upon request, prospective employers of a current or former postal employee may be furnished with the information in paragraph (b)(4) of this section, in addition to the date and the reason for separation, if applicable. The reason for separation must be limited to one of the following terms: Retired, resigned, or separated. Other terms or variations of these terms (e.g., retired-disability) may not be used. If additional information is desired, the requester must submit the written consent of the employee, and an accounting of the disclosure must be kept.

(6) Computer matching purposes. Records from a Postal Service system of records may be disclosed to another agency for the purpose of conducting a computer matching program or other matching activity as defined in §262.5(c) and (d), but only after a determination by the Data Integrity Board that the procedural requirements of the Privacy Act, the guidelines issued by the Office of Management and Budget, and these regulations as may be applicable are met. These requirements include:

(i) Routine use. Disclosure is made only when permitted as a routine use of the system of records. The Chief Privacy and Records Management Officer determines the applicability of a particular routine use and the necessity for adoption of a new routine use.

(ii) Computer matching agreement. The participants in a computer matching program must enter into a written agreement specifying the terms under which the matching program is to be conducted (see §266.9). The Privacy and Records Management Office may require that other matching activities be conducted in accordance with a written agreement.

(iii) Data Integrity Board approval. No record from a Postal Service system of records may be disclosed for use in a computer matching program unless the matching agreement has received approval by the Postal Service Data Integrity Board (see §266.9). Other matching activities may, at the discretion of the Privacy and Records Management Office, be submitted for Board approval.

(c) Amendment or dispute disclosure. If a personal record contains any amendments or notations of dispute relating to the accuracy, timeliness or relevance of the record, any person or other agency to which the record has been or is to be disclosed must be informed of the amendments or notations within 30 days of the modification.

(d) Recording of disclosure.

(1) An accurate accounting of each disclosure will be kept in all instances except those in which disclosure is made to the subject of the record, to Postal Service employees or employees of Postal Service contractors in the performance of their Postal Service duties, when the record is publicly available, or as required by the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552).

(2) The accounting will be maintained for at least 5 years or the life of the record, whichever is longer.

(3) The accounting will be made available to the individual named in the record upon inquiry, except for disclosures made pursuant to paragraph (b)(2)(viii) of this section relating to law enforcement activities.

[82 FR 47116, Oct. 11, 2017, as amended at 83 FR 3085, Jan. 23, 2018; 83 FR 48237, Sept. 24, 2018]