RIF packets from FDA included sensitive data for other workers, sources say

When employees at the Food and Drug Administration were recently sent packets related to the reduction-in-force order that removed them from the agency, they were presented with pages of their personal documents, retirement details and, in some cases, information that seemed entirely out of place: someone else’s personal data.

Two workers impacted by the RIF, who spoke to FedScoop on the condition of anonymity to be more candid, said that in addition to pages of their own information, some former employees have also received the personally identifiable information of other people — including details such as their Social Security numbers.

While the full scope isn’t clear, both sources knew of four people who were sent other people’s information, and cited worries about whether their own information was sent to the wrong person.

As one source put it, the information was “everything needed for successful identity theft.” 

The sources said the packets included mostly information for the correct recipient along with one to two pages of information for someone else. In one case, for example, the incorrect info was someone else’s SF50, a form used by the federal government to inform workers of personnel actions, and in another, it was retirement account information for a separate worker. 

What’s more, the instances of incorrect information come amid broader concerns from RIF’d workers about the security of the mailed packets themselves. The latest round of information from FDA was sent in yellow manila envelopes sealed only with the metal clasp on the back, the sources said. In some cases, they said, other employees’ envelopes had been ripped or they hadn’t received one at all.

The lack of security with respect to the envelope itself was enough to prompt an email from a union representing FDA workers Sunday night, informing members of the issue and possible avenues for reporting the issues.

That message from the National Treasury Employees Union Chapter 282, which represents FDA workers in five states and Washington, D.C., stated that the union “has been made aware of troubling reports that some RIFd employees received sensitive documents through unsecured mail sent by the FDA. These documents contained private and personally identifiable information (PII) — including Social Security numbers — without adequate safeguards. This negligent handling of your information may constitute a violation of the Privacy Act.”

The FDA did not respond to FedScoop’s attempts to reach someone for comment on whether it was aware of the issues and the extent to which impacted workers had received the wrong information.

In an interview with FedScoop, NTEU Chapter 282 President Anthony W. Lee said that from what the union has seen, including a video from a member, the clasp of the envelope could have been folded over and opened to look at the sensitive contents of the packet. As a result, he said, people are worried about potential violations of privacy law as well as the security of their information.

While the union has heard from one person who emailed about the issue of receiving another person’s information, Lee said he hadn’t heard about that particular issue being widespread.

Ever since the Department of Health and Human Services RIF on April 1, impacted workers have received various communications from FDA with errors, Lee said. The initial April 1 notices, as well as follow-ups in July, contained errors with respect to information used to calculate employees’ federal service and performance. The latest mailed packets are the most recent communications in that saga.

“There’s just been a history of not sending correct information to employees throughout this entire RIF process,” Lee said. 

When asked what the union is doing to communicate issues with the agency, Lee said while the worker organization would welcome a conversation, it isn’t hearing back. He pointed to the Trump administration’s executive order aimed at applying national security exclusions to unions at various federal agencies.

“We would love to engage in a dialog with the agency about it,” Lee said. “But quite frankly, they’ve just been ignoring the union for some time now.”