Terms Used In CFR > Title 15 > Subtitle A > Part 8b > Subpart B - Employment Practices

• Act: means section 3 of the Privacy Act, 5 U. See 43 CFR 2.221
• Affidavit: A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it, before a notary or officer having authority to administer oaths.
• Amendment: A proposal to alter the text of a pending bill or other measure by striking out some of it, by inserting new language, or both. Before an amendment becomes part of the measure, thelegislature must agree to it.
• Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
• Appraisal: A determination of property value.
• Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
• Bankruptcy: Refers to statutes and judicial proceedings involving persons or businesses that cannot pay their debts and seek the assistance of the court in getting a fresh start. Under the protection of the bankruptcy court, debtors may discharge their debts, perhaps by paying a portion of each debt. Bankruptcy judges preside over these proceedings.
• bureau: is a ny constituent bureau or office of the Department, including the Office of the Secretary and any other Departmental office. See 43 CFR 2.221
• Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• Departmental Privacy Act Officer: means the official in the Office of the Assistant Secretary—Policy, Budget and Administration charged with responsibility for assisting the Assistant Secretary—Policy, Budget and Administration in carrying out the functions assigned in this subpart and for coordinating the activities of the bureaus of the Department in carrying out the functions which they are assigned in this subpart. See 43 CFR 2.221
• Deposition: An oral statement made before an officer authorized by law to administer oaths. Such statements are often taken to examine potential witnesses, to obtain discovery, or to be used later in trial.
• Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
• Foreclosure: A legal process in which property that is collateral or security for a loan may be sold to help repay the loan when the loan is in default. ^{Source: OCC}
• Freedom of Information Act: A federal law that mandates that all the records created and kept by federal agencies in the executive branch of government must be open for public inspection and copying. The only exceptions are those records that fall into one of nine exempted categories listed in the statute. ^{Source: OCC}
• individual: means a citizen of the United States or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence. See 43 CFR 2.221
• Joint committee: Committees including membership from both houses of teh legislature. Joint committees are usually established with narrow jurisdictions and normally lack authority to report legislation.
• Judgement: The official decision of a court finally determining the respective rights and claims of the parties to a suit.
• Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
• Lawsuit: A legal action started by a plaintiff against a defendant based on a complaint that the defendant failed to perform a legal duty, resulting in harm to the plaintiff.
• Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
• maintain: includes maintain, collect, use or disseminate. See 43 CFR 2.221
• medical records: means records which relate to the identification, prevention, cure or alleviation of any disease, illness or injury including psychological disorders, alcoholism and drug addiction. See 43 CFR 2.221
• Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
• Office of Personnel Management personnel records: means records maintained for the Office of Personnel Management by the Department and used for personnel management programs or processes such as staffing, employee development, retirement, and grievances and appeals. See 43 CFR 2.221
• Oversight: Committee review of the activities of a Federal agency or program.
• Personal property: All property that is not real property.
• physical or mental impairment: includes , but is not limited to, such diseases and conditions as orthopedic, visual, speech, and hearing impairments, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, mental retardation, emotional illness, and drug addiction and alcoholism. See 29 CFR 4907.103
• record: means any item, collection, or grouping of information about an individual that is maintained by the Department or a bureau thereof, including, but not limited to, education, financial transactions, medical history, and criminal or employment history and that contains the individual's name, or the identifying number, symbol, or other identifying particular assigned to the individual, such as a finger or voice print, or a photograph. See 43 CFR 2.221
• records: as used in this subpart does not include qualifying documents required under subpart D of this part, or bonds required under subpart F of this part. See 27 CFR 19.577
• routine use: means a use of a record for a purpose which is compatible with the purpose for which it was collected. See 43 CFR 2.221
• Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
• Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
• system manager: means the official designated in a system notice as having administrative responsibility for a system of records. See 43 CFR 2.221
• system notice: means the notice describing a system of records required by 5 U. See 43 CFR 2.221
• System of records: means a group of any records under the control of the Department or a bureau thereof from which information is retrieved by the name of the individual or by some identifying number, symbol, or other identifying particular assigned to the individual. See 43 CFR 2.221
• Testify: Answer questions in court.
• Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.