OPM.gov / Information Management / Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy

Overview

Welcome to our Privacy page. Here, you will find our Web Privacy Notice which outlines how we collect, maintain, use, and disseminate information. You will also be able to review our Privacy Impact Assessments, pursuant to the e-Government Act of 2002, and our Systems of Records Notices, required by the Privacy Act of 1974. In addition, you may access additional OPM and OMB privacy-related guidance and policies.

For questions about Privacy at OPM, please contact:

Kirsten Moncada
Senior Agency Official for Privacy and Chief Privacy Officer
U.S. Office of Personnel Management
1900 E Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20415
privacy@opm.gov

Web Privacy Notice

Last Updated: July 1, 2012

Thank you for visiting the U. S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) website and reviewing our privacy policy. Our privacy policy is clear: We will collect no personal information about you when you visit our website unless you choose to provide the information to us.

Here is how we handle information about your visit to our website:

Information Collected and Stored Automatically

If you visit our site to read or download information, we collect and store the following information about your visit:

The name of the Internet domain (for example, "xcompany.com" if you use a private Internet access account, or "yourschool.edu" if you are connecting from a university's domain) and the IP address (a number automatically assigned to your computer when you are using the Internet) from which you access our site;
The type of browser and operating system used to access our site;
The date and time you access our site;
The Internet address of the website from which you linked directly to our site; and
The pages you visit and the information you request.

This information is primarily collected for statistical analysis and technical improvements to the site. This government computer system uses software programs to create summary statistics, which may be used for such purposes as assessing what information is of most and least interest, determining technical design specifications, and identifying system performance or problem areas. When required by law or security related necessity, we may take additional steps to identify you based on collected information and we may share this information with other government agencies.

If You Send Us Personal Information

You do not have to provide any personal information to visit this website. If you choose to provide us with personal information, such as by sending a message to an email address on this website or by filling out a form and submitting it through our website, we will use that information to respond to your message or to fulfill the stated purpose of the communication. If you submit your resume to us electronically we will use your personal information to consider your application for employment. OPM does not collect, use, or sell information for commercial marketing. We may share information you give us with contractors acting on our behalf or with another government agency if your inquiry relates to that agency. In other limited circumstances, such as responses to requests from Congress and private individuals, we may be required by law to disclose information you submit. If you provide comments in response to a request for public comments we may make those comments as well as your identity available to the public in a publication or by posting them on our website. Where possible we may give you more specific guidance at the point of collection regarding how your personal information may be used or disclosed.

Electronically submitted information is maintained and destroyed according to the principles of the Federal Records Act and the regulations and records schedules of the National Archives and Records Administration and in some cases may be covered by the Privacy Act and subject to the Freedom of Information Act. View a discussion of your rights under these laws.
Remember, email is not necessarily secure against interception. If your communication is sensitive or includes personal information you may prefer to send it by postal mail instead.

Cookies

"Cookies" are small bits of text which are either used for the duration of a session ("session cookies"), or saved on a user's hard drive in order to identify that user, or information about that user, the next time the user logs on to a website ("persistent cookies"). OPM and its program sites may use Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 cookies as defined in the Office of Management and Budget memorandum guidance.

OPM utilizes web measurement technology in order to improve our website and provide a better user experience for our customers. The Office of Management and Budget classifies this as a Tier 2 usage, since we are utilizing a multi-session web measurement technology that does not collect any personally identifiable information (PII). This technology anonymously tracks how visitors interact with opm.gov, including where they came from, what they did on the site, and whether they completed any pre-determined tasks while on the site.

This technology is provided by Google Analytics and the information collected is used to optimize our website; helping us determine top tasks, improve our user interface and diversify our content offerings to meet the needs of our customers. No personally identifiable information is collected, so the anonymity of the end user is protected. The measurement data that is collected is only retained for as long as is needed for proper analysis and optimization of the website and is accessible only to employees whose position necessitates it.

Since disabling this web measurement technology requires modifying individual browser settings it is enabled by default. If you wish to opt-out of this technology, you can use these step-by-step instructions for changing your settings.

Google also provides a browser plug-in that will allow you to opt-out of all Google Analytics measurements. Please note that opting-out in no way affects your access to content within opm.gov or how you see the site.

OPM may make very limited use of some Tier 3 persistent cookies to allow cross session and website authentication. OPM will make notice of the use of such technologies on the application or websites employing them and inform the user to opt-in to allow the Tier 3 cookie to be set before engaging OPM. OPM does not make use of any persistent cookies, which can be accessed by third party entities.

Our Social Network Policy

OPM participates in open, un-moderated forums offered by commercial social networks sites in order to increase government transparency, promote public participation and encourage collaboration with the Agency. OPM currently maintains official accounts on Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, and Twitter. OPM also engages in the use of social bookmarking applications such as AddThis. OPM does not control, moderate or endorse the comments or opinions provided by visitors to these sites. In addition, the Agency does not collect, maintain or disseminate information posted there.

Links to Other Sites

Our website has links to other federal agencies. We also link to other organizations’ websites when we have a good business reason to do so. This does not constitute an endorsement of their policies or products. Once you link to another site, you are subject to the privacy policy of the new site.

Site Security

For site security purposes and to ensure this service remains available to all users, this Government computer system employs software programs to monitor network traffic to identify unauthorized attempts to upload or change information, or otherwise cause security related problems. Anyone using this system expressly consents to such monitoring and is advised if such monitoring reveals evidence of possible abuse or criminal activity, such evidence may be provided to appropriate law enforcement officials. Unauthorized attempts to upload or change information on this server are strictly prohibited and may be punishable by law, including the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act of 1986 and the National Information Infrastructure Protection Act of 1996.

Vulnerability Disclosure Policy (VDP)

OPM is committed to ensuring the security of the American public by safeguarding their digital information. The Vulnerability Disclosure Policy (VDP) provides guidelines for the cybersecurity research community and members of the general public (hereafter referred to as researchers) on conducting good faith vulnerability discovery activities directed at public facing OPM websites and services. The VDP also instructs researchers on how to submit discovered vulnerabilities to the OPM's Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO).

Privacy Impact Assessment Summaries

Below is a list of the OPM Privacy Impact Assessments (PIAs). Please direct any questions to Privacy@opm.gov.

System of Records Notices (SORN)

This agency has governmentwide responsibility for various systems of records maintained on Federal employees. Below is a list of the OPM System of Records Notices (SORN). Each listing is a link to an Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) file copy of the full text of the listed SORN that may be downloaded or viewed online.

2013 OPM Statement of Routine Uses for OPM's Internal and Central Systems of Records

OPM SORN CENTRAL-1-Civil Service Retirement and Insurance Records

OPM SORN CENTRAL-2-Complaints and Inquiries Records

OPM SORN CENTRAL-3 [Reserved]

OPM SORN CENTRAL-4-Inspector General Investigations Cases File

OPM SORN CENTRAL-5-Intergovernmental Personnel Act Assignment Record

OPM SORN CENTRAL-6-Administrative Law Judge Application Records

OPM SORN CENTRAL-7 [Reserved]

OPM SORN CENTRAL-8-Privacy Act/Freedom of Information Act(PA/FOIA) Case Records

OPM SORN CENTRAL-9 Personnel Investigations Records (81 FR 70191)

OPM SORN CENTRAL-10-Federal Executive Institute Program Participant Records

OPM SORN CENTRAL-11 Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Program Records (88 FR 30175)

OPM SORN CENTRAL-12 [Reserved]

OPM SORN CENTRAL-13-Executive Personnel Records

OPM SORN CENTRAL-14-Debarment of Suspension Records for Federal Employee Health Benefits

OPM SORN CENTRAL-15-Health Claims Data Warehouse

OPM SORN CENTRAL-16-Health Claims Disputes External Review Service

OPM SORN CENTRAL-18-Federal Employees Health Benefits Program Claims Data Warehouse

OPM SORN CENTRAL-19 External Review Records for Multi-State Plan (MSP) Program (78 FR 65011, 80 FR 74815)

OPM SORN Central-20 National Combined Federal Campaign (CFC)

OPM SORN Central-21 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey

OPM SORN Central-22 Federal Competency Assessment System (85 FR 51498)

OPM SORN Central-23 FEHB Program Enrollment (89 FR 72902)

OPM SORN Central-26 FEDVIP FLTCIP FSAFEDS Records (87 FR 36889)

OPM SORN Central-27 FEHB Disputed Claims and Complaints Records (87 FR 49891)

OPM SORN CENTRAL-X-Federal Competency Assessment Tool

OPM SORN GOVT-1 General Personnel Records (77 FR 73694, 88 FR 56058)

OPM SORN GOVT-2 Employee Performance File System Records

OPM SORN GOVT-3 Records of Adverse Actions, Performance Based Reductions In Grade and Removal Actions, and Terminations of Probationers

OPM SORN GOVT-4 [Reserved]

OPM SORN GOVT-5 Recruiting, Examining and Placement Records (79 FR 16834, 86 FR 68291)

OPM SORN GOVT-6 Personnel Research and Test Validation Records

OPM SORN GOVT-7 Applicant Race, Sex, National Origin, and Disability Status Records

OPM SORN GOVT-8 [Reserved]

OPM SORN GOVT-9 File on Position Classification Appeals, Job Grading Appeals. Retained Grade or Pay Appeals, and Fair Labor Standard Act (FLSA) Claims and Complaints

OPM SORN GOVT-10 Employee Medical File Systems Records

OPM SORN GOVT-11 Federal Fair Chance Act Complaint Records (88 FR 63134)

OPM SORN Internal-1 Defense Mobilization Emergency Cadre Records

OPM SORN Internal-2 Negotiated Grievance Procedure Records

OPM SORN Internal-4 Health Program Records

OPM SORN Internal-5 Pay, Leave, and Travel Records

OPM SORN Internal-6 Appeal and Administrative Review Records

OPM SORN Internal-7 Complaints and Inquiries Records

OPM SORN Internal-8 Employee Counseling Services Program Records

OPM SORN Internal-9 Employee Locator Card Files

OPM SORN Internal-10 Motor Vehicle Operator and Accident Report Records

OPM SORN Internal-11 Administrative Grievance Records

OPM SORN Internal-12 Telephone Call Detail Records

OPM SORN Internal-13 Parking Program Records

OPM SORN Internal-14 Photo Identification and Visitor Access Control Records

OPM SORN Internal-15 OPM Child Care Tuition Assistance Records

OPM SORN Internal-16 Adjudications Officer Control Files (79 FR 30202)

OPM SORN Internal-17 Wed-Enables Voting Right System (WEVRS)

OPM SORN Internal-18 Federal Cyber Service: Scholarship for Service (SFS)

OPM SORN Internal-19 Investigation Training Records

OPM SORN Internal-20 Integrity Assurance Officer Control Files

OPM SORN Internal-21 Correspondence Management for the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (80 FR 72455)

OPM SORN Internal-23 Financial Management Records (88 FR 16282)

OPM SORN Internal-25 Reasonable Accommodations Records (86 FR 59435)

OPM SORN Internal-28 Litigation, Advisory, and Matter Management Records (89 FR 81116)

Related Information

SORN Guide

Computer Matching Agreements

A computer matching program is the computerized comparison of two or more automated systems of records in order to establish or verify eligibility for or compliance with Federal benefits programs. It may also involve the comparison of records in Federal personnel or payroll systems of records. 5 U.S.C. § 552a(a)(8).

Matching programs require written agreements between the source agency and the recipient agency and notice of the matching program must be published in the Federal Register 30 days prior to commencement. 5 U.S.C. § 552a(e)(12),(o).

Annual Reports

Reference Materials

The following links reflect internal OPM directives, statutes, OPM regulations, and OMB guidance which have been issued to assist Federal agencies in the protection of personally identifiable information in Federal records and collected on Federal websites.