Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request, 44990-44991 [2010-18702]

Agencies

• Office of the Secretary
• DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 146 (Friday, July 30, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44990-44991]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-18702]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Office of the Secretary


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

ACTION: Submission for OMB Review; Comment request.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor (DOL) hereby announces the submission 
of the following public information collection request (ICR) to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in 
accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 
U.S.C. chapter 35). A copy of this ICR, with applicable supporting 
documentation; including, among other things, a description of the 
likely respondents, proposed frequency of response, and estimated total 
burden may be obtained from the RegInfo.gov Web site at https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain or by contacting Linda Watts Thomas 
on 202-693-4223 (this is not a toll-free number) and e-mail mail to: 
DOL_PRA_PUBLIC@dol.gov.
    Interested parties are encouraged to send written comments to the 
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attn: OMB Desk Officer 
for the Department of Labor--Employee Benefits Security Administration, 
Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503, Telephone: 202-395-4816/Fax 202-395-
5806 (these are not toll-free numbers), E-mail: OIRA_submission@omb.eop.gov within 30 days from the date of this publication 
in the Federal Register. In order to ensure the appropriate 
consideration, comments should reference the applicable OMB Control 
Number (see below).
    The OMB is particularly interested in comments which:
    (1) 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;

[[Page 44991]]

    (2) 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;
    (3) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected; and
    (4) 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., permitting electronic 
submission of responses.
    Agency: Employee Benefits Security Administration.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Title of Collection: COBRA Notification Requirements--American 
Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 as amended.
    OMB Control Number: 1210-0123.
    Frequency: Mandatory.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households; Business or other for-
profit; Not-for-profit institutions.
    Cost to Federal Government: $0.
    Total Respondents: 649,000.
    Total Number of Responses: 15,662,333.
    Total Burden Hours: 503,815.
    Total Hour Burden Cost (operating/maintaining): $20,717,778.
    Description: The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 
1985 (COBRA) provides that under certain circumstances participants and 
beneficiaries of group health plans that satisfy the definition of 
``qualified beneficiaries'' under COBRA may elect to continue group 
health coverage temporarily following events known as ``qualifying 
events'' that would otherwise result in loss of coverage. COBRA 
provides that the Secretary of Labor (the Secretary) has the authority 
under section 608 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 
1974 (ERISA) to carry out the provisions of Part 6 of title I of ERISA. 
The Conference Report that accompanied COBRA authorized the Secretary 
to issue regulations implementing the notice and disclosure 
requirements of COBRA.
    Under the regulatory guidelines, plan administrators are required 
to distribute notices as follows: a general notice to be distributed to 
all participants in group health plans subject to COBRA; an employer 
notice that must be completed by the employer upon the occurrence of a 
qualifying event; a notice and election form to be sent to a 
participant upon the occurrence of a qualifying event that might cause 
the participant to lose group health coverage; an employee notice that 
may be completed by a qualified beneficiary upon the occurrence of 
certain qualifying events such as divorce or disability; and, two other 
notices, one of early termination and the other a notice of 
unavailability. Also included in the ICR are two model notices that the 
Department believes will help reduce costs for service providers in 
preparing and delivering notices to comply with the regulations. For 
additional information, see related notice published in the Federal 
Register on April 2, 2010 (Vol. 75 page 16841).

    Dated: July 26, 2010.
Linda Watts Thomas,
Acting Departmental Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2010-18702 Filed 7-29-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-29-P