Proposed Extension of Information Collection Request Submitted for Public Comment; COBRA Notification Requirements-American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, 24040-24041 [E9-11977]

Download as PDF 24040 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 98 / Friday, May 22, 2009 / Notices Agency: Employment and Training Administration (ETA). Title: Weekly Initial and Continued Claims. OMB Number: 1205–0028. Agency Number: ETA 538, ETA 539. Affected Public: State and Local Governments. Total Respondents: 53. Frequency: Weekly. Total Responses: 104 (52 weekly responses for each of the two reports). Average Time per Response: 30 minutes per submittal for the ETA 538, 50 minutes per submittal for the ETA 539. Estimated Total Burden Hours: Reports ETA 538—53 States ............................................................................................. ETA 539—53 States ............................................................................................. Total Burden Hours: 3,675. Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0. Total Burden Cost (operating/ maintaining): $0. Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized and/or included in the request for Office of Management and Budget approval of the information collection request; they will also become a matter of public record. Dated: Friday, May 15, 2009. Cheryl Atkinson, Administrator, Office of Workforce Security. [FR Doc. E9–11962 Filed 5–21–09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4510–FW–P DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Employee Benefits Security Administration Proposed Extension of Information Collection Request Submitted for Public Comment; COBRA Notification Requirements—American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 Employee Benefits Security Administration, Department of Labor. ACTION: Notice. erowe on PROD1PC63 with NOTICES AGENCY: SUMMARY: The Department of Labor (the Department), in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA 95) (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)), provides the general public and Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed and continuing collections of information. This helps the Department assess the impact of its information collection requirements and minimize the reporting burden on the public and helps the public understand the Department’s information collection requirements and provide the requested data in the desired format. Currently, the Employee Benefits Security Administration is soliciting comments on the revision of the information collection provisions of its final rule at 29 CFR Part 2590, Health Care Continuation Coverage to reflect the hour and cost burden associated with the COBRA notification requirements VerDate Nov<24>2008 14:18 May 21, 2009 Jkt 217001 × × 52 52 under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. A copy of the information collection request (ICR) may be obtained by contacting the office listed in the ADDRESSES section of this notice. DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office shown in the ADDRESSES section on or before July 21, 2009. ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments regarding the information collection request and burden estimates to G. Christopher Cosby, Office of Policy and Research, Employee Benefits Security Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Room N–5647, Washington, DC 20210. Telephone: (202) 693–8410; Fax: (202) 219–4745. These are not toll-free numbers. Comments may also be submitted electronically to the following Internet e-mail address: ebsa.opr@dol.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Background The continuation coverage provisions of section 601 through 608 of ERISA (and parallel provisions of the Internal Revenue Code (Code)) generally require group health plans to offer qualified beneficiaries the opportunity to elect continuation coverage following certain events that would otherwise result in the loss of coverage. Continuation coverage is a temporary extension of the qualified beneficiary’s previous group health coverage. The right to elect continuation coverage allows individuals to maintain group health coverage under adverse circumstances and to bridge gaps in health coverage that otherwise could limit their access to health care. COBRA provides the Secretary of Labor (the Secretary) with authority under section 608 of ERISA to carry out the continuation coverage provisions. The Conference Report that accompanied COBRA divided interpretive authority over the COBRA provisions between the Secretary and the Secretary of the Treasury (the Treasury) by providing that the PO 00000 Frm 00057 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Minutes × × 30 50 Hours = = 1,378. 2,297. Secretary has the authority to issue regulations implementing the notice and disclosure requirements of COBRA, while the Treasury is authorized to issue regulations defining the required continuation coverage. On February 17, 2009, President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 (Pub. L. 111–5). ARRA includes a requirement that the Secretary of Labor (the Secretary), in consultation with the Secretaries of the Treasury and Health and Human Services, develop model notices for use by group health plans and other entities that, pursuant to ARRA, must provide notices of the availability of premium reductions and additional election periods for health care continuation coverage. On March 17, 2009, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved the model notices as a revision to OMB Control Number 1210– 0123 under the emergency procedures for review and clearance in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104–13, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35) and 5 CFR 1320.13. On March 20, 2009, the Department published a Federal Register notice announcing the availability of the notices on its Web site (74 FR11971) at https://www.dol.gov/ ebsa/COBRA.html. OMB’s approval of the revision currently is scheduled to expire on September 30, 2009. II. Current Actions This notice requests public comment pertaining to the Department’s request for extension of OMB’s approval of its revision to OMB Control Number 1210– 0123 relating to the ARRA model notices. After considering comments received in response to this notice, the Department intends to submit an ICR to OMB for continuing approval. No change to the existing ICR is proposed or made at this time. The Department notes that an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, an information collection unless it displays a valid OMB control number. A summary of the ICR and the current burden estimates follows: E:\FR\FM\22MYN1.SGM 22MYN1 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 98 / Friday, May 22, 2009 / Notices Agency: Employee Benefits Security Administration, Department of Labor. Title: COBRA Notification Requirements—American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection of information. OMB Number: 1210–0123. Affected Public: Individuals or households; business or other for-profit; not-for-profit institutions. Respondents: 593,000. Frequency of Responses: On occasion. Responses: 38,115,000. Estimated Total Burden Hours: None. Estimated Total Burden Cost (Operating and Maintenance): $34,500,000. III. Desired Focus of Comments erowe on PROD1PC63 with NOTICES The Department of Labor (Department) is particularly interested in comments that: • Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility; • Evaluate the accuracy of the agency’s estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; • Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and • Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., by permitting electronic submissions of responses. Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized and/or included in the ICR for OMB approval of the extension of the information collection; they will also become a matter of public record. Dated: May 18, 2009. Joseph S. Piacentini, Director, Office of Policy and Research, Employee Benefits Security Administration. [FR Doc. E9–11977 Filed 5–21–09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4510–29–P VerDate Nov<24>2008 14:18 May 21, 2009 Jkt 217001 DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Employment and Training Administration Proposed Information Collection Request for Unemployment Insurance (UI) Title XII Advances and Voluntary Repayment Process; Comment Request for Extension Without Change AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration, Labor. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a preclearance consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing collection of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA95) [44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)]. This program helps to ensure that requested data can be provided in the desired format, reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized, collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of collection requirements on respondents can be properly assessed. A copy of the proposed information collection request (ICR) can be obtained by contacting the office listed below in the ADDRESSES section of this notice or by accessing: https://www.doleta.gov/ OMBCN/OMBControlNumber.cfm. DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the ADDRESSES section below on or before July 21, 2009. ADDRESSES: Send comments to Scott Gibbons, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Office of Workforce Security, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Frances Perkins Bldg., Room S– 4231, Washington, DC 20210, telephone number (202) 693–3008 (this is not a toll-free number) or by e-mail: gibbons.scott@dol.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Background Title XII Section 1201 of the SSA provides for advances to States from the Federal Unemployment Account. The law further sets out specific requirements to be met by a State requesting an advance: Æ The Governor must apply for the advance; Æ The application must cover a three month period and the Secretary of Labor must be furnished with estimates of the PO 00000 Frm 00058 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 24041 amounts needed in each month of the three month period; Æ The application must be made on such forms and shall contain such information and data (fiscal and otherwise) concerning the operation and administration of the State unemployment compensation law as the Secretary of Labor deems necessary or relevant to the performance of his or her duties under this title; Æ The amount required by any State for the payment of compensation in any month shall be determined with due allowance for contingencies and taking into account all other amounts that will be available in the State’s unemployment fund for the payment of compensation in such month; Æ The term ‘‘compensation’’ means cash benefits payable to individuals with respect to their unemployment exclusive of expenses of administration. Section 1202(a) of the SSA provides that the Governor of any State may at any time request that funds be transferred from the account of such State to the FUA in repayment of part or all of the balance of advances made to such State under section 1201. These applications and repayments may be requested by an individual designated for that authority in writing by the Governor. DOL proposes to extend this procedure through August 2012. II. Desired Focus of Comments Currently, the Employment and Training Administration is soliciting comments concerning the proposed extension of this collection. Comments are requested to: * Evaluate whether the proposed extension of the current procedure is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility; * Evaluate the accuracy of the agency’s estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; * Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and * Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submissions of responses. III. Current Actions Type of Review: Extension without change. E:\FR\FM\22MYN1.SGM 22MYN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 98 (Friday, May 22, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24040-24041]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-11977]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employee Benefits Security Administration


Proposed Extension of Information Collection Request Submitted 
for Public Comment; COBRA Notification Requirements--American Recovery 
and Reinvestment Act of 2009

AGENCY: Employee Benefits Security Administration, Department of Labor.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Department of Labor (the Department), in accordance with 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA 95) (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)), 
provides the general public and Federal agencies with an opportunity to 
comment on proposed and continuing collections of information. This 
helps the Department assess the impact of its information collection 
requirements and minimize the reporting burden on the public and helps 
the public understand the Department's information collection 
requirements and provide the requested data in the desired format. 
Currently, the Employee Benefits Security Administration is soliciting 
comments on the revision of the information collection provisions of 
its final rule at 29 CFR Part 2590, Health Care Continuation Coverage 
to reflect the hour and cost burden associated with the COBRA 
notification requirements under the American Recovery and Reinvestment 
Act of 2009. A copy of the information collection request (ICR) may be 
obtained by contacting the office listed in the ADDRESSES section of 
this notice.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office shown in the 
ADDRESSES section on or before July 21, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments regarding the information 
collection request and burden estimates to G. Christopher Cosby, Office 
of Policy and Research, Employee Benefits Security Administration, U.S. 
Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Room N-5647, 
Washington, DC 20210. Telephone: (202) 693-8410; Fax: (202) 219-4745. 
These are not toll-free numbers. Comments may also be submitted 
electronically to the following Internet e-mail address: 
ebsa.opr@dol.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The continuation coverage provisions of section 601 through 608 of 
ERISA (and parallel provisions of the Internal Revenue Code (Code)) 
generally require group health plans to offer qualified beneficiaries 
the opportunity to elect continuation coverage following certain events 
that would otherwise result in the loss of coverage. Continuation 
coverage is a temporary extension of the qualified beneficiary's 
previous group health coverage. The right to elect continuation 
coverage allows individuals to maintain group health coverage under 
adverse circumstances and to bridge gaps in health coverage that 
otherwise could limit their access to health care.
    COBRA provides the Secretary of Labor (the Secretary) with 
authority under section 608 of ERISA to carry out the continuation 
coverage provisions. The Conference Report that accompanied COBRA 
divided interpretive authority over the COBRA provisions between the 
Secretary and the Secretary of the Treasury (the Treasury) by providing 
that the Secretary has the authority to issue regulations implementing 
the notice and disclosure requirements of COBRA, while the Treasury is 
authorized to issue regulations defining the required continuation 
coverage.
    On February 17, 2009, President Obama signed the American Recovery 
and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 (Pub. L. 111-5). ARRA includes a 
requirement that the Secretary of Labor (the Secretary), in 
consultation with the Secretaries of the Treasury and Health and Human 
Services, develop model notices for use by group health plans and other 
entities that, pursuant to ARRA, must provide notices of the 
availability of premium reductions and additional election periods for 
health care continuation coverage.
    On March 17, 2009, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
approved the model notices as a revision to OMB Control Number 1210-
0123 under the emergency procedures for review and clearance in 
accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 
U.S.C. Chapter 35) and 5 CFR 1320.13. On March 20, 2009, the Department 
published a Federal Register notice announcing the availability of the 
notices on its Web site (74 FR11971) at https://www.dol.gov/ebsa/COBRA.html. OMB's approval of the revision currently is scheduled to 
expire on September 30, 2009.

II. Current Actions

    This notice requests public comment pertaining to the Department's 
request for extension of OMB's approval of its revision to OMB Control 
Number 1210-0123 relating to the ARRA model notices. After considering 
comments received in response to this notice, the Department intends to 
submit an ICR to OMB for continuing approval. No change to the existing 
ICR is proposed or made at this time. The Department notes that an 
agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to 
respond to, an information collection unless it displays a valid OMB 
control number. A summary of the ICR and the current burden estimates 
follows:

[[Page 24041]]

    Agency: Employee Benefits Security Administration, Department of 
Labor.
    Title: COBRA Notification Requirements--American Recovery and 
Reinvestment Act of 2009.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection of 
information.
    OMB Number: 1210-0123.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households; business or other for-
profit; not-for-profit institutions.
    Respondents: 593,000.
    Frequency of Responses: On occasion.
    Responses: 38,115,000.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: None.
    Estimated Total Burden Cost (Operating and Maintenance): 
$34,500,000.

III. Desired Focus of Comments

    The Department of Labor (Department) is particularly interested in 
comments that:
     Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
     Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the 
burden of the proposed collection of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
     Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
     Minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., by 
permitting electronic submissions of responses.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the ICR for OMB approval of the extension of the 
information collection; they will also become a matter of public 
record.

    Dated: May 18, 2009.
Joseph S. Piacentini,
Director, Office of Policy and Research, Employee Benefits Security 
Administration.
[FR Doc. E9-11977 Filed 5-21-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-29-P
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.