OPM/GOVT-7

Applicant Race, Sex, National Origin and Disability Status Records (June 19, 2006, 71 FR 35356)

Description: Records on current and former Federal employees and individuals who have applied for Federal employment used by OPM and agencies to evaluate personnel/organizational measurement and selection records, implement and evaluate Federal Equal Opportunity Recruitment and affirmative action programs, prepare reports regarding breakdowns by race, sex, and national origin of applicants, and to locate individuals for personnel research.
 

Categories of individuals covered by the system: 

Current and former Federal employees and individuals who have applied for Federal employment, including: 

a. Applicants for examinations administered either by OPM or by employing agencies. 

b. Applicants on registers or in inventories by OPM and subject to its regulations. 

c. Applicants for positions in agencies having direct hiring authority and using their own examining procedures in compliance with OPM regulations. 

d. Applicants whose records are retained in an agency's Equal Opportunity Recruitment file (including any file an agency maintains on current employees from under-represented groups). 

e. Applicants (including current and former Federal employees) who apply for vacancies announced under an agency's merit promotion plan. 

Categories of records in the system: 

The records include the individual's name; social security number; date of birth; statement of major field of study; type of current or former Federal employment status (e.g., career or temporary); applications showing work and education experience; and race, sex, national origin, and disability status data. 

Note: The race and national origin information in this system is obtained by three alternative methods: (1) Use of an agency's OMB approved form on which individuals identify themselves as to race and national origin; (2) by visual observation(race) or knowledge of an individual's background (national origin); or (3) at the agency's option, from the OPM/GOVT-1 system in the case of applicants who are current Federal employees. Disability status is obtained by use of Standard Form 256, ``Self Identification of Medical Disability,'' which allows for a description by self-identification of the handicap. 

Authority for maintenance of the system: 

5 U.S.C. 7201, sections 4A, 4B, 15A(1) and (2), 15B(11), and 15D(11); Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures (1978); 43 FR 38297 et seq. (August 25, 1978); 29 CFR 720.301; and 29 CFR 1613.301. 

Purpose(s) : 

These records are used by OPM and agencies to: 

a. Evaluate personnel/organizational measurement and selection methods. 

b. Implement and evaluate agency affirmative employment programs. 

c. Implement and evaluate agency Federal Equal Opportunity Recruitment Programs (including establishment of minority recruitment files). 

d. Enable OPM to meet its responsibility to assess an agency's implementation of the Federal Equal Opportunity Recruitment Program. 

e. Determine adverse impact in the selection process as required by the Uniform Guidelines cited in the Authority section above. (See also ``Questions and Answers,'' on those Guidelines published at 44 FR 11996, March 2, 1979.) 

f. Enable reports to be prepared regarding breakdowns by race, sex, and national origin of applicants (by exams taken, and on the selection of such applicants for employment). 

g. To locate individuals for personnel research. 

Note 1: These data are maintained under conditions that ensure that the individual's identification as to race, sex, national origin, or disability status does not accompany that individual's application nor is otherwise made known when the individual is under consideration by a selecting official.