Unauthorized Disposition of Federal Records
NIH Institutes, Centers, and Offices must monitor their records to prevent unauthorized destruction, which is illegal under Federal law (44 U.S.C. 3106), and carries penalties of a fine and up to three years of imprisonment. NIH staff must report to the NIH Records Officer any unlawful or accidental removal, defacing, alteration, or destruction of records.
The report should include:
Details, when appropriate, of the actions taken to salvage, retrieve or reconstruct the records; and,
NIH Guidance for Unauthorized Disposal of Federal Records
NARA List of Federal Agency Unauthorized Disposition Cases