[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 212 (Thursday, November 3, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66300-66302]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-23908]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OEI-2014-0466; FRL-10120-01-OMS]


Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records

AGENCY: Office of Mission Support, Environmental Protection Agency 
(EPA).

ACTION: Notice of a modified system of records.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Office of 
Mission Support, Administration and Resources Management (OMS-ARM) is 
giving notice that it proposes to modify a system of records pursuant 
to the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974. The Labor and Employee 
Relations Information System (LERIS) is being modified to change the 
name and location of the system to Labor and Employee Relations 
Tracking System (LERTS), per a vendor change. Additionally, EPA is 
modifying the SORN previously published in 2014 to update the system 
manager name and to add applicable routine uses. The purpose of the 
system is to allow Labor and Employee Relations (LER) specialists to 
track, manage and report on a full spectrum of labor and employee 
relations cases throughout the Agency.

DATES: Persons wishing to comment on this system of records notice must 
do so by December 5, 2022. New routine uses for this modified system of 
records will be effective December 5, 2022.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
OEI-2014-0466, by one of the following methods:
    Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 
online instructions for submitting comments.
    Email: [email protected]. Include the Docket ID number in the 
subject line of the message.
    Fax: (202) 566-1752.
    Mail: OMS Docket, Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code: 
2822T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460.
    Hand Delivery: OMS Docket, EPA/DC, WJC West Building, Room 3334, 
1301 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460. Such deliveries are 
only accepted during the Docket's normal hours of operation, and 
special arrangements should be made for deliveries of boxed 
information.
    Instructions: Direct your comments to Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OEI-
2014-0466. The EPA's policy is that all comments received will be 
included in the public docket without change and may be made available 
online at https://www.regulations.gov, including any personal 
information provided, unless the comment includes information claimed 
to be Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) or other information 
for which disclosure is restricted by statute. Do not submit 
information that you consider to be CUI or otherwise protected through 
https://www.regulations.gov. The https://www.regulations.gov website is 
an ``anonymous access'' system for the EPA, which means the EPA will 
not know your identity or contact information. If you submit an 
electronic comment, the EPA recommends that you include your name and 
other contact information in the body of your comment. If the EPA 
cannot read your comment due to technical difficulties and cannot 
contact you for clarification, the EPA may not be able to consider your 
comment. If you send an email comment directly to the EPA without going 
through https://www.regulations.gov, your email address will be 
automatically captured and included as part of the comment that is 
placed in the public docket and made available on the internet. 
Electronic files should avoid the use of special characters, any form 
of encryption, and be free of any defects or viruses. For additional 
information about the EPA public docket, visit the EPA Docket Center 
homepage at https://www.epa.gov/dockets.
    Docket: All documents in the docket are listed in the https://www.regulations.gov index. Although listed in the index, some 
information is not publicly available, e.g., CUI or other information 
for which disclosure is restricted by statute. Certain other material, 
such as copyrighted material, will be publicly available only in hard 
copy. Publicly available docket materials are available either 
electronically in https://www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at the 
OMS Docket, EPA/DC, WJC West Building, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution 
Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460. The Public Reading Room is normally open 
from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday excluding legal 
holidays. The telephone number for the Public Reading Room is (202) 
566-1744, and the telephone number for the OMS Docket is (202) 566-
1752. Further information about EPA Docket Center services and current 
operating status is available at https://www.epa.gov/dockets.

[[Page 66301]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Phil Brown, [email protected], 202-
564-2607, Director, Labor and Employee Relations Division (LERD), 
Office of Human Resources (OHR), Office of Mission Support (OMS), U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, 
Washington, DC 20460.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: LERIS is being modified to (1) change the 
name of the system to LER Tracking System (LERTS), (2) update the 
location, both per a vendor change, (3) update the system manager per 
organizational changes, and (4) add applicable routine uses F, G, H, I, 
J, K, and M per Agency policy and practice, and OMB Memorandum M-17-12. 
The system will continue to be used by EPA LER personnel to track, 
manage, and report on a full spectrum of labor and employee relations 
cases throughout the Agency.

SYSTEM NAME AND NUMBER:
    Labor and Employee Relations Tracking System (LERTS), EPA-68.

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION:
    Unclassified.

SYSTEM LOCATION:
    The EPA component responsible for the system is LERD, OHR, OMS, 
1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460. Records are hosted by 
AINS, Inc., (an EPA contractor) 806 W Diamond Ave. #400, Gaithersburg, 
Maryland 20878.

SYSTEM MANAGER(S):
    Phil Brown, [email protected], 202-564-2607, Director, LERD, OHR, 
OMS, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20460.

AUTHORITY FOR MAINTENANCE OF THE SYSTEM:
    5 U.S.C. Chapter 71; 5 U.S.C. Chapter 43; 5 U.S.C. Chapter 75; 5 
CFR 771; 5 CFR 752; 5 CFR 432.

PURPOSE(S) OF THE SYSTEM:
    These records are maintained in LERTS to administer EPA's Labor and 
Employee Relations program. Records in LERTS have various uses by 
Agency personnel offices, including employee's rights and benefits 
under pertinent laws and regulations governing Federal employment; and 
other information needed to provide personnel services.

CATEGORIES OF INDIVIDUALS COVERED BY THE SYSTEM:
    Current and former EPA employees.

CATEGORIES OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM:
    This system will contain general human resources elements, 
including: Name, Appointment Type and Dates, Position Title, Pay Plan, 
Occupational Series, Grade, Step, Supervisory Code, Bargaining Unit 
Status Code, and Duty Station. The system will contain Labor Relations 
case file information regarding grievances, union information requests, 
negotiations, unfair labor practice (ULP) charges, and unit 
clarification petitions. The system will contain Employee Relations 
case file information regarding management/employee counseling matters, 
including: conduct actions, performance-based actions, internal 
investigations, reasonable accommodation requests, and labor and 
employment litigation.

RECORD SOURCE CATEGORIES:
    The individual on whom the record is maintained, Agency officials 
such as managers and supervisors, union or legal representatives, and 
HR personnel.

ROUTINE USES OF RECORDS MAINTAINED IN THE SYSTEM, INCLUDING CATEGORIES 
OF USERS AND PURPOSES OF SUCH USES:
    The routine uses below are both related to and compatible with the 
original purpose for which the information was collected. The following 
general routine uses apply to this system (86 FR 62527, November 10, 
2021): A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, and M apply to this system.

POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR STORAGE OF RECORDS:
    Electronic records are stored in computers, removable drives, 
storage devices, electronic databases, servers, and other electronic 
media hosted by AINS, Inc.

POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR RETRIEVAL OF RECORDS:
    These records are retrieved by the employee identification number 
or name.

POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR RETENTION AND DISPOSAL OF RECORDS:
    Records stored in the system are subject to records schedule 756.

ADMINISTRATIVE, TECHNICAL, AND PHYSICAL SAFEGUARDS:
    Security controls used to protect personal sensitive data in Labor 
and Employee Relations Tracking System (LERTS) are commensurate with 
those required for an information system rated MODERATE for 
confidentiality, integrity, and availability, as prescribed in National 
Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Special Publication, 800-
53, ``Security and Privacy Controls for Information Systems and 
Organizations,'' Revision 5.
    1. Administrative Safeguards: Information Security and Privacy 
Awareness Training is completed by all EPA personnel at least annually. 
EPA Rules of Behavior are reviewed and signed by EPA personnel at least 
annually. Security and privacy controls assessments are performed by a 
third-party assessment organization annually. In addition: AINS, Inc. 
ensures its employees complete security awareness and role-based 
training.
    2. Technical Safeguards: Role-based access control for all users. 
Multi-factor authentication via Agency VPN access (PIV/PIN) and Single 
sign-on. Audit log generation of system-level events, which is reviewed 
weekly. LERTS uses Digicerts digital security Certificates, Transport 
Layer Security (TLS), and is accessible only using https protocol. 
LERTS also utilizes anti-virus, content filtering, and firewalls for 
intrusion prevention/detection.
    3. Physical Safeguards: Physical access to AINS, Inc. servers is 
limited to: Authorized personnel lists via access controls. Site 
monitoring 24x7 via security cameras and security staff. Limited access 
(via digital code and bio-metric scanner) to system transmission lines. 
Secured power equipment and cabling (protected from environmental 
factors and covered with conduit).

RECORD ACCESS PROCEDURES:
    All requests for access to personal records should cite the Privacy 
Act of 1974 and reference the type of request being made (i.e., 
access). Requests must include: (1) the name and signature of the 
individual making the request; (2) the name of the Privacy Act system 
of records to which the request relates; (3) a statement whether a 
personal inspection of the records or a copy of them by mail is 
desired; and (4) proof of identity. A full description of EPA's Privacy 
Act procedures for requesting access to records is included in EPA's 
Privacy Act regulations at 40 CFR part 16.

CONTESTING RECORD PROCEDURES:
    Requests for correction or amendment must include: (1) the name and 
signature of the individual making the request; (2) the name of the 
Privacy Act system of records to which the request relates; (3) a 
description of the information sought to be corrected or amended and 
the specific reasons for the correction or amendment; and (4) proof of 
identity. A full description of EPA's Privacy Act procedures for the 
correction or amendment of a record is included in EPA's Privacy Act 
regulations at 40 CFR part 16.

NOTIFICATION PROCEDURES:
    Individuals who wish to be informed whether a Privacy Act system of 
records

[[Page 66302]]

maintained by EPA contains any record pertaining to them, should make a 
written request to the EPA, Attn: Agency Privacy Officer, MC 2831T, 
1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460, or by email at: 
[email protected]. A full description of EPA's Privacy Act procedures is 
included in EPA's Privacy Act regulations at 40 CFR part 16.

EXEMPTIONS PROMULGATED FOR THE SYSTEM:
    None.

HISTORY:
    79 FR 65393--Established a new System of Records for the Labor and 
Employee Relations Information System (LERIS) (November 4, 2014).

Vaughn Noga,
Senior Agency Official for Privacy.
[FR Doc. 2022-23908 Filed 11-2-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P


