Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; Benefit Rights and Experience Report, 12129 [2016-05067]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
• Office of the Secretary

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 45 (Tuesday, March 8, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 12129]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-05067]



[[Page 12129]]

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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Office of the Secretary


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Benefit Rights and Experience Report

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Employment and 
Training Administration (ETA) sponsored information collection request 
(ICR) revision titled, ``Benefit Rights and Experience Report,'' to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval for use 
in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 
3501 et seq.). Public comments on the ICR are invited.

DATES: The OMB will consider all written comments that agency receives 
on or before April 7, 2016.

ADDRESSES: A copy of this ICR with applicable supporting documentation; 
including a description of the likely respondents, proposed frequency 
of response, and estimated total burden may be obtained free of charge 
from the RegInfo.gov Web site at https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAViewICR?ref_nbr=201512-1205-002 (this link will only become active 
on the day following publication of this notice) or by contacting 
Michel Smyth by telephone at 202-693-4129, TTY 202-693-8064, (these are 
not toll-free numbers) or sending an email to DOL_PRA_PUBLIC@dol.gov.
    Submit comments about this request by mail or courier to the Office 
of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attn: OMB Desk Officer for DOL-
ETA, Office of Management and Budget, Room 10235, 725 17th Street NW., 
Washington, DC 20503; by Fax: 202-395-5806 (this is not a toll-free 
number); or by email: OIRA_submission@omb.eop.gov. Commenters are 
encouraged, but not required, to send a courtesy copy of any comments 
by mail or courier to the U.S. Department of Labor--OASAM, Office of 
the Chief Information Officer, Attn: Departmental Information 
Compliance Management Program, Room N1301, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., 
Washington, DC 20210; or by email: DOL_PRA_PUBLIC@dol.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact Michel Smyth by telephone at 
202-693-4129, TTY 202-693-8064, (these are not toll-free numbers) or 
sending an email to DOL_PRA_PUBLIC@dol.gov.

    Authority:  44 U.S.C. 3507(a)(1)(D).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This ICR seeks approval under the PRA for 
revisions to the Benefit Rights and Experience Report, Form ETA-218, 
information collection. In order for an individual to be eligible for a 
State unemployment compensation program, the claimant must meet certain 
requirements that demonstrate attachment to the labor force. The vast 
majority of states use past wages for this purpose, however, a few 
States use actual weeks of work. A State reports information relative 
to this first test of eligibility--known as monetary eligibility--on 
Form ETA-218, which includes counts on number of individuals who were 
and were not monetarily eligible, those eligible for the maximum 
benefits, the number of newly eligible claimants categorized by 
potential duration, and the number of persons who exhausted benefits 
categorized by their actual duration. This information collection has 
been classified as a revision, because the Extended Unemployment 
Compensation program has ended; therefore, maintaining the related 
information collection requirements no longer has practical utility. 
Social Security Act section 303(a)(6) authorizes this information 
collection. See 42 U.S.C. 503(a)(6).
    This information collection is subject to the PRA. A Federal agency 
generally cannot conduct or sponsor a collection of information, and 
the public is generally not required to respond to an information 
collection, unless it is approved by the OMB under the PRA and displays 
a currently valid OMB Control Number. In addition, notwithstanding any 
other provisions of law, no person shall generally be subject to 
penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information that 
does not display a valid Control Number. See 5 CFR 1320.5(a) and 
1320.6. The DOL obtains OMB approval for this information collection 
under Control Number 1205-0177. The current approval is scheduled to 
expire on May 31, 2016; however, the DOL notes that existing 
information collection requirements submitted to the OMB receive a 
month-to-month extension while they undergo review. New requirements 
would only take effect upon OMB approval. For additional substantive 
information about this ICR, see the related notice published in the 
Federal Register on September 28, 2015 (80 FR 58299).
    Interested parties are encouraged to send comments to the OMB, 
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs at the address shown in 
the ADDRESSES section within thirty (30) days of publication of this 
notice in the Federal Register. In order to help ensure appropriate 
consideration, comments should mention OMB Control Number 1205-0177. 
The OMB 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., permitting 
electronic submission of responses.
    Agency: DOL-ETA.
    Title of Collection: Benefit Rights and Experience Report.
    OMB Control Number: 1205-0177.
    Affected Public: State, Local, and Tribal Governments.
    Total Estimated Number of Respondents: 55.
    Total Estimated Number of Responses: 216.
    Total Estimated Annual Time Burden: 108 hours.
    Total Estimated Annual Other Costs Burden: $0.

    Dated: March 2, 2016.
Michel Smyth,
Departmental Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2016-05067 Filed 3-7-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4510-FN-P