Anthony LaFaziaCEO, Atlantic Training · CEO at Atlantic Training | EdTech & Safety Compliance Leader

What the Privacy Act of 1974 Means for Your Job as a Federal Contractor

14 Sept 2026 · 1 min

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The excerpt explains that the Privacy Act of 1974 is the foundational federal privacy law that underpins a Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) requirement for contractors. It mandates that federal agencies—and by extension, contractors working with them—must maintain and use records about individuals in systems of records only for authorized official purposes. The speaker emphasizes practical day‑to‑day expectations: contractors may access or share personally identifiable information (PII) and system‑of‑record data only when it is necessary to perform their job duties, must limit sharing to individuals with a legitimate need‑to‑know, and must never browse or use the data out of curiosity or for personal reasons. A simple “gut‑check” is recommended: if the employee cannot justify the access or disclosure as a job requirement, they should not proceed.

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The Privacy Act of 1974 is the central federal privacy law behind this FAR requirement. It governs how federal agencies maintain and use records about individuals in systems of records. And it protects individuals from unwarranted invasions of privacy. For your day-to-day work, the most practical expectation is this: PII and system of record information must only be used, accessed, or shared for authorized official purposes. That means you access only the information you need to do your job. You share information only with people who are authorized, and have a legitimate need to know. You do not browse, search, or take a quick look out of curiosity. You do not use the data for personal reasons, ever. A simple gut check works well here. If you can't explain your access or disclosure as a job requirement, don't do it.