[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 39, Volume 1]
[Revised as of July 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 39CFR266.6]

[Page 137-139]
 
                        TITLE 39--POSTAL SERVICE
 
                 CHAPTER I--UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE
 
PART 266--PRIVACY OF INFORMATION--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 266.6  Procedures for requesting inspection, copying, or amendment of 
records.

    The purpose of this section is to provide procedures by which an 
individual may have access and request amendment to personal information 
within a Privacy Act System of Records.
    (a) Submission of Requests--(1) Manner of submission. Inquiries 
regarding the contents of records systems or access or amendment to 
personal information

[[Page 138]]

should be submitted in writing to the custodian of the official record, 
if known, or to the Freedom of Information/Privacy Acts Officer, U.S. 
Postal Service, 475 L'Enfant Plaza SW., Washington, DC 20260-5202, 
telephone (202) 268-2608. Requests submitted to the Office of Inspector 
General should be submitted to the Freedom of Information Act/Privacy 
Officer, Office of Inspector General, 1735 North Lynn Street, Arlington, 
Virginia, 22209-2020. Inquiries should be clearly marked, ``Privacy Act 
Request''. Any inquiry concerning a specific system of records should 
provide the Postal Service with the information contained under 
``Notification'' for that system as published in the Federal Register. 
If the information supplied is insufficient to locate or identify the 
record, the requester will be notified promptly and, if possible, 
informed of additional information required. If the requester is not a 
Postal Service employee, he should designate the post office at which he 
wishes to review or obtain copies of records. Amendment requests contest 
the relevance, accuracy, timeliness or completeness of the record and 
will include a statement of the amendment requested.
    (2) Third party inquiries. Anyone desiring to review or copy records 
pertaining to another person must have the written consent of that 
person.
    (3) Period for response by custodian. Upon receipt of an inquiry, 
the custodian will respond with an acknowledgement of receipt within ten 
(10) days. If the inquiry requires the custodian to determine whether a 
particular record exists, the inquirer shall be informed of this 
determination as a part of the acknowledgement letter.
    (b) Compliance with Request for Access--(1) Notification of time and 
place for inspection. When a requested record has been identified and is 
to be disclosed, the custodian shall ensure that the record is made 
available promptly and shall immediately notify the requester where and 
when the record will be available for inspection or copying. Postal 
Service records will normally be available for inspection and copying 
during regular business hours at the postal facilities at which they are 
maintained. The custodian may, however, designate other reasonable 
locations and times for inspection and copying of some or all of the 
records within his custody.
    (2) Identification of requester. The requester must present personal 
identification sufficient to satisfy the custodian as to his identity 
prior to record review. Examples of sufficient identification are a 
valid driver's license, medicare card, and employee identification 
cards.
    (3) Responsibilities of requester. The requester shall assume the 
following responsibilities regarding the review of official personal 
records:
    (i) Requester must agree not to leave Postal Services premises with 
official records unless specifically given a copy for that purpose by 
the custodian or his representative.
    (ii) Requester must sign a statement indicating he has reviewed a 
specific record(s) or category of record.
    (iii) Requester may be accompanied by a person he so chooses to aid 
in the inspection of information; however, requester must furnish the 
Postal Service with written authorization for such review in that 
person's presence.
    (4) Special rules for medical records. A medical record shall be 
disclosed to the requester to whom it pertains unless, in the judgment 
of the medical officer, access to such record could have an adverse 
effect upon such individual. When the medical officer determines that 
the disclosure of medical information could have an adverse effect upon 
the individual to whom it pertains, the medical officer will transmit 
such information to a medical doctor named by the requesting individual.
    (5) Limitations on access. Nothing in this section shall allow an 
individual access to any information compiled in reasonable anticipation 
of a civil action or proceeding. Other limitations on access are those 
specifically addressed in Secs. 266.6(b)(4) and 266.9.
    (6) Response when compliance is not possible. A reply denying a 
written request to review a record shall be in writing signed by the 
custodian or other appropriate official and shall be made only if such a 
record does not exist or does not contain personal information relating 
to the requester, or is exempt from disclosure. This reply

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shall include a statement regarding the determining factors of denial, 
and the right to appeal to denial to the General Counsel.
    (c) Compliance With Request for Amendment. (1) Correct or eliminate 
any information that is found to be incomplete, inaccurate, not relevant 
to a statutory purpose of the Postal Service, or not timely and notify 
the requester when this action is complete, or
    (2) Not later than thirty (30) working days after receipt of a 
request to amend, notify the reqester of a determination not to amend 
and of the requester's right to appeal, or to submit, in lieu of an 
appeal, a statement of reasonable length setting forth a position 
regarding the disputed information to be attached to the contested 
personal record.
    (d) Availability of Assistance in Exercising Rights. The Freedom of 
Information/Privacy Acts Officer is available to provide an individual 
with assistance in exercising rights pursuant to this part.

[40 FR 45723, Oct. 2, 1975, as amended at 45 FR 44272, July 1, 1980; 51 
FR 26386, July 23, 1986; 60 FR 57345, Nov. 15, 1995; 64 FR 41291, July 
30, 1999; 67 FR 16024, Apr. 4, 2002]