[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 20, Volume 2]
[Revised as of April 1, 2004]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 20CFR402.145]

[Page 34-35]
 
                      TITLE 20--EMPLOYEES' BENEFITS
 
               CHAPTER III--SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
 
PART 402_AVAILABILITY OF INFORMATION AND RECORDS TO THE PUBLIC--Table 
of Contents
 
Sec. 402.145  Responding to your request.

    (a) Retrieving records. We are required to furnish copies of records 
only when they are in our possession or we can retrieve them from 
storage. We will make reasonable efforts to search for records manually 
or by automated means, including any information stored in an electronic 
form or format,

[[Page 35]]

except when such efforts would significantly interfere with the 
operation of our automated information system. If we have stored the 
records you want in the National Archives or another storage center, we 
will retrieve and review them for possible disclosure. However, the 
Federal Government destroys many old records, so sometimes it is 
impossible to fill requests. Various laws, regulations, and manuals give 
the time periods for keeping records before they may be destroyed. For 
example, there is information about retention of records in the Records 
Disposal Act of 1944, 44 U.S.C. 3301 through 3314; the Federal Property 
Management Regulations, 41 CFR 101-11.4; and the General Records 
Schedules of the National Archives and Records Administration.
    (b) Furnishing records. We will furnish copies only of records that 
we have or can retrieve. We are not required to create new records or to 
perform research for you. We may decide to conserve Government resources 
and at the same time supply the records you need by consolidating 
information from various records rather than copying them all. For 
instance, we could extract sections from various similar records instead 
of providing repetitious information. We generally will furnish only one 
copy of a record. We will make reasonable efforts to provide the records 
in the form or format you request if the record is readily reproducible 
in that form or format.
    (c) Deletions. When we publish or otherwise make available any 
record, we may delete information that is exempt from disclosure. For 
example, in an opinion or order, statement of policy, or other record 
which relates to a private party or parties, the name or names and other 
identifying details may be deleted. When technically feasible, we will 
indicate the extent of deletions on the portion of the record that is 
released or published at the place of the deletion unless including that 
indication would harm an interest protected by an exemption. If we deny 
a request, in whole or in part, we will make a reasonable effort to 
estimate the volume of any requested matter that is not disclosed, 
unless such an estimate would harm an interest protected by an 
exemption.
    (d) Creation of records. We are not required to create new records 
merely to satisfy a request. However, we will search manually or by 
automated means to locate information that is responsive to the request. 
If extensive computer programming is needed to respond to a request, we 
may decline to commit such resources, or if we agree to do so, we may 
charge you for the reasonable cost of doing so. We do not mean that we 
will never help you get information that does not already exist in our 
records. However, diverting staff and equipment from our other 
responsibilities may not always be possible.

[63 FR 35133, June 29, 1998]