State Agencies Bulletin No. 387

Subject
Policy and Procedures for Requesting Personal Information from the Office of the State Comptroller (OSC), Bureau of State Payroll Services
Date Issued
April 24, 2003

Purpose

Provide notification of new procedures and guidelines for agency employees or other requestors who are seeking the release of New York State employee personal information from OSC.

Effective Date

Immediately

Background

OSC receives many requests for personal data from employees, agencies, and third parties. To protect personal privacy and safeguard the confidentiality of NYS employees' personal data, OSC has established new procedures to verify the identity of the requestor, and to ensure that the employee has approved the release of personal information.

The new procedure highlights the important role of each state agency in handling requests for information on their employees.

Agency Actions

Requests for employee data should be submitted to agency payroll or personnel offices. However, if the agency does not have the data requested, and there is a reasonable expectation that the data is maintained by OSC, the agency should take one of the following actions:

  1. If the requestor is a third party, provide instructions to the requestor to contact OSC.
  2. If the requestor is a current employee of the agency, the agency should contact OSC on behalf of the employee.
  3. If the requestor is a former employee, provide instructions for the individual to contact OSC.

Agencies should make every attempt to provide appropriate information to legitimate requestors in accordance with agency internal procedures for the release of personal information. If an agency does not have access to the requested information, the requestor may complete and submit the notarized "Personal Privacy Protection Law Release" form to OSC (see attached). This form is to be used only by the requestor, and should only be submitted to OSC by the requestor.

Requestors are not required to use the attached form, as long as the request is in writing, provides the required information, and is notarized.

OSC Actions

Upon receipt of a completed, signed and notarized request, OSC will provide information to the requestor.

Questions

Questions regarding these policies and procedures may be directed to the Payroll Services mailbox.