[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 5, Volume 1]
[Revised as of January 1, 2007]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 5CFR293.105]

[Page 91-92]
 
                    TITLE 5--ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL
 
                CHAPTER I--OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT
 
PART 293_PERSONNEL RECORDS--Table of Contents
 
      Subpart A_Basic Policies on Maintenance of Personnel Records
 
Sec. 293.105  Restrictions on collection and use of information.

    (a) First Amendment. Personnel records describing how individuals 
exercise rights guaranteed by the First Amendment are prohibited unless 
expressly authorized by statute, or by the individual concerned, or 
unless pertinent to and within the scope of an authorized law 
enforcement activity. These rights include, but are not limited to, free 
exercise of religious and political beliefs, freedom of speech and the 
press, and freedom to assemble and to petition the government.
    (b) Social Security Number.
    (1) Agencies may not require individuals to disclose their Social 
Security Number unless disclosure would be required;
    (i) Under Federal statute; or
    (ii) Under any statute, Executive order, or regulation that 
authorizes any Federal, State, or local agency maintaining a system of 
records that was in existence and operating prior to January 1, 1975, to 
request the Social Security Number as a necessary means of verifying the 
identity of an individual.
    (2) Individuals asked to voluntarily (circumstances not covered by 
paragraph (b)(1) of this section) provide

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their Social Security Number shall suffer no penalty or denial of 
benefits for refusing to provide it.