Labor Relations and Law Department, USPS Headquarters; EEO Compliance and Appeals Processing Centers; area and district facilities; and contractor sites.
- Current and former USPS employees, applicants for employment, third-party complainants, and mediators (other federal agency employees or contract employees) involved in EEO discrimination complaints and complaint processing.
- USPS employees and contractors involved in labor arbitration.
- Individuals and organizations interested in providing alternative dispute resolution (ADR) services to all disputes, except those arising under USPS collective bargaining agreements.
- Current providers and individuals interested in providing contract investigative services for EEO complaints and contract services for drafting final agency decisions concerning EEO complaints.
- EEO discrimination complaint case information: Individuals’ names, Social Security Numbers, Employee Identification Numbers, postal assignment information, work contact information, home address(es) and phone number(s), email address(es), Veteran’s Preference eligibility, finance number(s), duty location(s), pay location(s), case number, and other complaint, counseling, investigation, hearing, and appeal information describing the case.
- Labor arbitration information: Records related to labor arbitration proceedings in which USPS is a party.
- Contractor provider information: Records related to mediation providers, contract investigators, and contract final agency decision writers including name of individual or entity, contact information, capabilities, and performance.
39 U.S.C. 401, 409, 410, 1001, 1005, and 1206.
- To adjudicate complaints of alleged discrimination, and to evaluate USPS EEO program effectiveness.
- To provide advice and representation to USPS in labor arbitration cases.
- To determine mediation service provider, contract investigator, and final agency decision writer qualifications.
Standard routine uses 1. through 9. apply. In addition:
- Records may be disclosed to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) in response to its request for investigative purposes, to the extent that the requested information is relevant and necessary.
Automated database, computer storage media, and paper.
EEO discrimination complaint case records are retrieved by case number, complainant’s name, Social Security Number, Employee Identification Number, or the location where the complaint was made. EEO staff selection records are retrieved by applicant name or pay location. Other records categories are retrieved by name of subject individual.
Paper records, computers, and computer storage media are located in secure file cabinets within locked rooms or within locked filing cabinets. Computers are maintained in offices or rooms that can be locked when users are not present and their contents are protected by user IDs and passwords. Access to records is limited to individuals whose official duties require such access. Contractors and licensees are subject to contract controls and unannounced on-site audits and inspections. The use of computer systems is regulated with installed security software, computer logon identifications, and operating system controls including access controls, terminal and transaction logging, and file management software.
- EEO discrimination complaint case records: Precomplaint records are retained 1 year after submission of a final report. Formal complaint records of closed cases are removed from the system of records quarterly, and retained as follows: Official files are retained 4 years. Copies of official files are retained 1 year. Background documents not in official files are retained 2 years. Records of closed cases on computer storage media are removed 3 years after the closure date and moved to an inactive file for future comparative analyses.
- Labor arbitration records: Field-level disciplinary and contract application cases are retained 5 years from the date of final decision. National-level contract interpretation cases and court actions are retained 15 years from the date of expiration of the agreement.
- EEO staff selection records: Staff selection records are retained 3 years from the date the position became vacant.
- ADR provider records: Records of active providers are retained 1 year beyond the date the provider is removed from or voluntarily withdraws from the program or is otherwise notified of their decertification. Records of prospective providers who are rejected are retained 1 year beyond the year in which their survey was received.
Records existing on paper are destroyed by burning, pulping, or shredding. Records existing on computer storage media are destroyed according to the applicable USPS media sanitization practice.
Vice President, Labor Relations, United States Postal Service, 475 L’Enfant Plaza SW, Washington, DC 20260.
Inquiries about EEO discrimination complaint case records regarding claims filed by field employees must be submitted to the Manager, EEO Compliance and Appeals, located in the appropriate regional office:
Inquiries regarding claims filed by employees at Postal Service Headquarters and Headquarters Field Units and employees of the Inspection Service must be submitted to:
Inquiries must include complainant name, complainant Social Security Number or Employee Identification Number, location, and case number and year. Inquiries about labor arbitration records mediation provider, contract investigator, and contract final agency decision writer records must be submitted to the system manager.
Requests for access must be made in accordance with the Notification Procedure above and USPS Privacy Act regulations regarding access to records and verification of identity under 39 CFR 266.6.
See Notification Procedure and Record Access Procedures above.
For EEO discrimination complaint case information: complainants, witnesses, investigators, and respondents. For labor arbitration records: employees and other individuals involved in arbitration; counsel or other representatives for parties involved in a case; and arbitrators. For mediation provider, contract investigator, and final agency decision writer records, the service contract provider.
Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(j) and (k), USPS has established regulations at 39 CFR 266.9 that exempt EEO discrimination complaint case records. Records in this system that have been compiled in reasonable anticipation of a civil action or proceeding are exempt from individual access as permitted by 5 U.S.C. 552a(d)(5). The USPS has also claimed exemption from certain provisions of the Act for several of its other systems of records at 39 CFR 266.9. To the extent that copies of exempted records from those other systems are incorporated into this system, the exemptions applicable to the original primary system continue to apply to the incorporated records.
