[Federal Register: August 31, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 169)]
[Notices]
[Page 51858-51859]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr31au06-94]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training Administration
Proposed Collection for the ETA 227, Overpayment Detection and
Recovery Activities; Comment Request
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
collections 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.
Currently, the Employment and Training Administration is soliciting
comments concerning the proposed extension for collection of the ETA
227 Report, Overpayment Detection and Recovery Activities.
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: http://www.doleta.gov/Performance/guidance/OMBControlNumber.cfm
.
DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the
addressee section below on or before October 30, 2006.
ADDRESSES: Nancy Dean, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and
Training Administration, Room S4231, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW.,
Washington, DC 20210, Phone: (202) 693-3215 (This is not a toll-free
number), Fax: (202) 693-3975, e-mail: dean.nancy@dol.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
Section 303(a)(1) of the Social Security Act requires a state's
unemployment insurance (UI) law to include provisions for:
``Such methods of administration * * * as are found by the Secretary
of Labor to be reasonably calculated to insure full payment of
unemployment compensation when due * * *''
[[Page 51859]]
Section 303(a)(5) of the Social Security Act further requires a
state's UI law to include provisions for:
``Expenditure of all money withdrawn from an unemployment fund of
such State, in the payment of unemployment compensation * * *''
Section 3304(a)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 provides
that:
``all money withdrawn from the unemployment fund of the State shall
be used solely in the payment of unemployment compensation * * *''
The Secretary of Labor has interpreted the above sections of
federal law in Section 7511, Part V, ES Manual to further require a
state's UI law to include provisions for such methods of administration
as are, within reason, calculated (1) to detect benefits paid through
error by the State Workforce Agency (SWA) or through willful
misrepresentation or error by the claimant or others, (2) to deter
claimants from obtaining benefits through willful misrepresentation,
and (3) to recover benefits overpaid. The ETA 227 is used to determine
whether SWAs meet these requirements.
The ETA-227 contains data on the number and amounts of fraud and
non-fraud overpayments established, the methods by which overpayments
were detected, the amounts and methods by which overpayments were
collected, the amounts of overpayments waived and written off, the
accounts receivable for overpayments outstanding, and data on criminal/
civil actions.
These data are gathered by 53 SWAs and reported to the Department
of Labor following the end of each calendar quarter. The overall
effectiveness of SWAs' UI integrity efforts can be determined by
examining and analyzing the data.
These data are also used by SWAs as a management tool for effective
UI program administration.
II. Review Focus
The Department of Labor is particularly interested in comments
which:
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 submissions of responses.
III. Current Actions
The UI program paid approximately $42 billion in benefits in 2004.
Although the overpayment rate (fraud and non-fraud) derived from the
ETA 227 is relatively low (less than 3.25 percent), high amounts of
money are involved, and it is in the national interest to maintain the
program's integrity. Therefore, we are proposing to extend the
authorization to continue collecting data to measure the effectiveness
of the benefit payment control programs in the SWAs.
Type of Review: Extension.
Agency: Employment and Training Administration.
Title: Overpayment Detection and Recovery Activities.
OMB Number: 1205-0173.
Agency Form Number: ETA 227.
Affected Public: State Government.
Total Respondents: 53 state agencies.
Frequency: Quarterly.
Total Responses: 212.
Average Time per Response: 14 hours.
Estimated Total Burden Hours: 2,968.
Total Burden Cost (operating/maintaining): $0.
Comments submitted in response to this comment request 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: August 24, 2006.
Dale Zeigler,
Deputy Administrator, Office of Workforce Security.
[FR Doc. 06-7346 Filed 8-30-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-30-P