[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 13 (Thursday, January 20, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3688-3690]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-1028]
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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Request and
Comment Request
The Social Security Administration (SSA) publishes a list of
information collection packages requiring clearance by the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) in compliance with Public Law 104-13, the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, effective October 1, 1995. This notice
includes revisions to OMB-approved information collections.
SSA is soliciting comments on the accuracy of the agency's burden
estimate; the need for the information; its practical utility; ways to
enhance its quality, utility, and clarity; and ways to minimize burden
on respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or
other forms of information technology. Mail, e-mail, or fax your
comments and recommendations on the information collection(s) to the
OMB Desk Officer and SSA Reports Clearance Officer at the following
addresses or fax numbers.
(OMB), Office of Management and Budget, Attn: Desk Officer for SSA,
Fax: 202-395-6974, E-mail address: [email protected];
(SSA), Social Security Administration, DCBFM, Attn: Reports Clearance
Officer, 1333 Annex Building, 6401 Security Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21235,
Fax: 410-965-6400, E-mail address: [email protected].
I. The information collections below are pending at SSA. SSA will
submit them to OMB within 60 days from the date of this notice. To be
sure we consider your comments, we must receive them no later than
March 21, 2011. Individuals can obtain copies of the collection
instruments by calling the SSA Reports Clearance Officer at 410-965-
8783 or by writing to the above e-mail address.
1. Petition to Obtain Approval of a Fee for Representing a Claimant
before the Social Security Administration--20 CFR 404.1720 and
404.1725; 20 CFR 416.1520 and 416.1525-0960-0104. A Social Security
claimant's representative, whether an attorney or a non-attorney, uses
Form SSA-1560-U4 to petition SSA for authorization to charge and
collect a fee. A claimant may also use the form to agree or disagree
with the requested fee amount or other information the representative
provides on the form. The SSA official responsible for setting the fee
uses the information from the form to determine a reasonable fee amount
representatives may charge for their services. Primary respondents are
attorneys and non-attorneys who represent Social Security claimants.
Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information
collection.
Number of Respondents: 48,110.
Frequency of Response: 1.
Average Burden per Response: 30 minutes.
Estimated Annual Burden: 24,055 hours.
2. Annual Earnings Test Direct Mail Follow-Up Program Notices--20
CFR 404.452-404.455--0960-0369. SSA developed the Annual Earnings Test
Direct Mail Follow-up Program to improve beneficiary reporting on work
and earnings during the year, and earnings information at the end of
the year. SSA may reduce benefits payable under the Social Security Act
when an individual has wages or self-employment income exceeding the
annual exempt amount. SSA identifies beneficiaries likely to receive
more than the annual exempt amount, and requests more frequent
estimates of earnings from them. When applicable, SSA also requests a
future year estimate to reduce overpayments due to earnings. SSA sends
letters (SSA-L9778, L9779, L9781, L9784, L9785, and L9790) to
beneficiaries requesting earnings information the month prior to
reaching full retirement age. We send each beneficiary a tailored
letter, which includes relevant earnings data from SSA records. The
Annual Earnings Test Direct Mail Follow-up Program helps to ensure
Social Security payments are correct. The respondents are working
Social Security beneficiaries.
Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information
collection.
[[Page 3689]]
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Estimated Total
Number of Frequency burden per annual
Collection instrument respondents of response response burden
(minutes) (hours)
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Form SSA-L9778.............................................. 42,630 1 10 7,105
Form SSA-L9779.............................................. 158,865 1 10 26,478
Form SSA-L9781.............................................. 472,437 1 10 78,740
Form SSA-L9784.............................................. 1,270 1 10 212
Form SSA-L9785.............................................. 15,870 1 10 2,645
Form SSA-L9790.............................................. 45,000 1 10 7,500
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Totals.................................................. 736,072 ........... ........... 122,680
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II. SSA has submitted the information collections listed below to
OMB for clearance. Your comments on the information collections would
be most useful if OMB and SSA receive them within 30 days from the date
of this publication. To be sure we consider your comments, we must
receive them no later than February 22, 2011. You can obtain a copy of
the OMB clearance packages by calling the SSA Reports Clearance Officer
at 410-965-8783 or by writing to the above e-mail address.
1. Request for Review of Hearing Decision/Order--20 CFR 404.967-
404.981, 416.1467-416.1481--0960-0277. Claimants have a statutory right
under the Social Security Act and current regulations to request review
of an administrative law judge's (ALJ) hearing decision or dismissal of
a hearing request on Title II and Title XVI claims. Claimants may
request Appeals Council review by filing a written request using Form
HA-520. SSA uses the information to establish the claimant filed her or
his request for review within the prescribed time and to ensure the
claimant completed the requisite steps permitting the Appeals Council
review. The Appeals Council uses the information to: (1) Document the
claimant's reason(s) for disagreeing with the ALJ's decision or
dismissal; (2) determine whether the claimant has additional evidence
to submit; and (3) determine whether the claimant has a representative
or wants to appoint one. The respondents are claimants requesting
review of an ALJ's decision or dismissal of hearing.
Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information
collection.
Number of Respondents: 145,000.
Frequency of Response: 1.
Average Burden per Response: 10 minutes.
Estimated Annual Burden: 24,167 hours.
2. Development for Participation in a Vocational Rehabilitation or
Similar Program--20 CFR 404.316(c), 404.337(c), 404.352(d),
404.1586(g), 404.1596, 404.1597(a), 404.327, 404.328, 416.1338(c)(d),
416.1320(d), 416.1331(a)-(b), and 416.1338--0960-0282. State Disability
Determination Services (DDS) must determine if Social Security
disability payment recipients, whose disability ceased and who
participate in vocational rehabilitation programs, may continue to
receive disability payments. To do this, DDSs need information about
the recipients, the types of program participation, and the services
they receive under the rehabilitation program. SSA uses Form SSA-4290
to collect this information. The respondents are State employment
networks, vocational rehabilitation agencies, or other providers of
educational or job training services.
Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information
collection.
Number of Respondents: 3,000.
Frequency of Response: 1.
Average Burden per Response: 15 minutes.
Estimated Annual Burden: 750 hours.
3. Acknowledgement of Receipt (Notice of Hearing)--20 CFR 404.938 &
416.1438--0960-0671. SSA uses Forms HA-504 and HA-504-OP1 to inform
claimants of a scheduled hearing. Claimants complete the form to
acknowledge they will attend the hearing or to ask the ALJ to
reschedule the hearing. The ALJ uses the information to prepare for the
scheduled hearing or to reschedule the hearing to a different date or
location. The only difference between the two forms is the exclusion of
the video teleconferencing option on the HA-504-OP1. We exclude video
teleconferencing when it is not feasible, based on certain
circumstances, for the ALJ's use. The respondents are applicants for
Social Security benefits who request a hearing to appeal an unfavorable
entitlement or continued eligibility determination.
Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information
collection.
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Average Total
Number of Frequency burden per annual
Version of the HA-504 respondents of response response burden
(minutes) (hours)
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HA-504 (with teleconferencing).............................. 70,000 1 30 35,000
HA-504-OP1.................................................. 630,000 1 30 315,000
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Total................................................... 700,000 ........... ........... 350,000
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[[Page 3690]]
Dated: January 13, 2011.
Elizabeth A. Davidson,
Center Director, Center for Reports Clearance Office of Documents
Management, OPLM, BFM.
[FR Doc. 2011-1028 Filed 1-19-11; 8:45 am]
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