What right does the Privacy Act of 1974 give individuals with respect to their own records?

• A. It requires agencies to delete records after a fixed period.
• B. It allows the public to inspect all federal personnel files.
• C. It allows individuals to access and review their own personnel records held by a federal agency.
• D. It denies individuals access to their own records.

Answer: (C)

The main point is that individuals have the right to see records about themselves that are kept by a federal agency, including their own personnel records. This means you can inspect and obtain copies of those records and you can request corrections if something is inaccurate or incomplete. Agencies generally must respond within a reasonable timeframe, often around 30 days, though extensions can occur in certain cases. The Act also sets limits on disclosures to others and requires that records be kept accurate and up-to-date. Choices that suggest automatic deletion after a fixed period, or that the public can inspect all federal personnel files, or that individuals are denied access, don’t match how the Privacy Act protects personal information.