§ 71.6 - Fees for access to records.

§ 71.6 Fees for access to records.

(a) When charged. A component shall charge fees pursuant to 31 U.S.C. 9701 and 5 U.S.C. 552a(f)(5) for the copying of records unless the component, in its discretion, waives or reduces the fees for good cause shown. A component shall charge fees at the rate of $0.15 per page. In accordance with the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, the first 100 pages of copying shall be furnished without charge. For materials other than paper copies, the component may charge the direct costs of reproduction, but only if the requester has been notified of such costs before they are incurred. Fees shall not be charged where they would amount, in the aggregate, for one request or for a series of related requests, to less than $15.00. Notwithstanding any other provision of this paragraph, the first copy of an individual's Privacy Act record shall be provided to the individual at no cost.

(b) Notice of estimated fees amounting to between $25 to $250. When a component determines or estimates that the fees to be charged under this section may amount to between $25 to $250, the component shall notify the requester as soon as practicable of the actual or estimated amount of the fee, unless the requester has indicated in advance his willingness to pay a fee as high as that anticipated.

(c) Notice of estimated fees in excess of $250. When a component determines or estimates that the fees to be charged under this section may amount to more than $250, the component shall notify the requester as soon as practicable of the actual or estimated amount of the fee, unless the requester has indicated in advance his willingness to pay a fee as high as that estimated. If the fee is estimated to be in excess of $250, then the agency may require payment in advance. (If only a portion of the fee can be estimated readily, the component shall advise the requester that the estimated fee may be only a portion of the total fee.) Where the estimated fee exceeds $250 and a component has so notified the requester, the component will be deemed not to have received the request for access to records until the requester has paid the anticipated fee, in full or in part. A notice to a requester pursuant to this paragraph shall offer him the opportunity to confer with Department personnel with the object of reformulating his request to meet his needs at a lower cost.

(d) Form of payment. Requesters must pay fees by cash, check or money order payable to either the Treasury of the United States, or the U.S. Department of Labor. However, the Department shall not require advance payment in any case where the fee is under $250, except that where a requester has previously failed to pay a fee charged under this part, the requester must pay the component or the Department the full amount owed and make an advance deposit of the full amount of any estimated fee before a component shall be required to process a new or pending request for access from that requester.