Agency Records Management Responsibilities: 36 CFR Subchapter B as of 11-2-09
NMB, First Federal Paperless Records Management System: PR 1-19-2007
NMB Document and Records Management Policy
1. Purpose
This document establishes the National Mediation Board’s policy on the creation, storage, and retention of documents and records. The agency’s policy distinguishes between documents (those electronic and hard copy items held by the agency but not considered records of the agency), and records (those electronic and hard copy items created by the agency, central to the work of the agency, and subject to retention guidelines established by the National Archives and Records Administration).
Per 44 USC, Chapter 33, 3101, "records" includes all books, papers, maps, photographs, machine readable materials, or other documentary materials, regardless of physical form or characteristics, made or received by an agency of the United States Government under Federal law or in connection with the transaction of public business and preserved or appropriate for preservation by that agency or its legitimate successor as evidence of the organization, functions, policies, decisions, procedures, operations, or other activities of the Government or because of the informational value of data in them.
Storage and retention of documents and records by the NMB is accomplished according to the agency’s NARA approved retention plan
2. Authority
Per 44 USC, Chapter 31, 3102, the head of each Federal agency shall establish and maintain an active, continuing program for the economical and efficient management of the records of the agency. The program, among other things, shall provide for:
(1) effective controls over the creation and over the maintenance and use of records in the conduct of current business;
(2) cooperation with the Administrator of General Services and the Archivist in applying standards, procedures, and techniques designed to improve the management of records, promote the maintenance and security of records deemed appropriate for preservation, and facilitate the segregation and disposal of records of temporary value; and
(3) compliance with sections 2101-2117, 2501-2507, 2901-2909, and 3101-3107, of this title and the regulations issued under them.
3. Agency Policy
During Fiscal year 2006, the National Mediation Board established an electronic (paperless) document and records management program capable of storing, managing, and retrieving all agency records, electronic and hard copy. The system is based on "Corporate Memory" software that automatically applies NARA approved retention guidelines to all agency documents and records. It provides economical and efficient management of the records of the agency.
In accordance with NARA’s guidelines on electronic records and the President’s e-government initiative, the NMB has moved to an all-electronic document and records format, with the exception of certain hard copy archival records which are also managed by the Corporate Memory system.
An Agency Record is evidence of agency policies, decisions, procedures, or operations.
It is the policy of the NMB that all agency records be entered into the Corporate Memory system. Only draft documents or documents that do not meet the definition of mission related agency records may be maintained in storage devices other than the Corporate Memory system.
Records: All agency materials that meet the definition of agency records are to be saved in the Corporate Memory system and are to be filed according to the NARA approved records retention schedule.
Documents: Electronic and hard copy documents that do not meet the definition of agency records may be stored using other storage devices, including hard drives, LAN folders, CD ROM disks, etc. Items held outside the Corporate Memory system are considered documents, not records of the agency.
