[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 191 (Friday, October 2, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53109-53110]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-26349]


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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION


Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection Requests 
and Comment Requests

    This notice lists information collection packages that will require 
submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), as well as 
information collection packages submitted to OMB for clearance, in 
compliance with Pub. L. 104-13 effective October 1, 1995, The Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995.
    I. The information collection(s) listed below require(s) 
extension(s) of the current OMB approval(s) or are proposed new 
collection(s):
    1. Employer Report of Special Wage Payments--0960-0565. SSA gathers 
the

[[Page 53110]]

information on Form SSA-131 to prevent earnings related overpayments to 
employees and to avoid erroneous withholding. The respondents are 
employers who provide special wage payment verification.
    Number of Respondents: 100,000.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: 20-22 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 33,367 hours.
    2. Railroad Employment Questionnaire--0960-0078. Form SSA-671 is 
used by SSA to secure sufficient information to coordinate Social 
Security claims processing with the Railroad Retirement Board. The form 
is completed whenever claimants indicate having been employed in the 
Railroad Industry. The respondents are retired employees of the 
Railroad Industry or their dependents.
    Number of Respondents: 125,000.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: 5 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 10,417 hours.
    3. Concise Notice Survey--0960-NEW. SSA will conduct a survey of 
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) awardees to determine customer 
opinions and preferences on the format and clarity of existing and 
proposed SSI award notices. The information will be used to determine 
whether a new concise notice format would improve comprehension of the 
information thus improving service to SSI customers. The respondents 
will be a random sample of new SSI awardees.
    Number of Respondents: 800.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: 15 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 200 hours.
    Written comments and recommendations regarding the information 
collection(s) should be sent within 60 days from the date of this 
publication, directly to the SSA Reports Clearance Officer at the 
following address: Social Security Administration, DCFAM, Attn: 
Frederick W. Brickenkamp, 6401 Security Blvd., 1-A-21 Operations Bldg., 
Baltimore, MD 21235.
    You can obtain a copy of the collection instrument and related 
instructions by calling Mr. Brickenkamp on 410-965-4145.
    In addition to your comments on the accuracy of the agency's burden 
estimate, we are soliciting comments on the need for the information; 
its practical utility; ways to enhance its quality, utility and 
clarity; and on ways to minimize burden on respondents, including the 
use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    II. The information collection(s) listed below have been submitted 
to OMB:
    1. Internet Request for Identity Verification--0960-NEW. SSA has 
established a process for verifying the identity of individuals who use 
the Internet to request information from SSA records. The electronic 
screens request certain information which will allow the public to 
establish their identity with SSA. These screens must be completed in 
order for the requestor to use the electronic applications that SSA has 
developed for use on the Internet, such as the Request for a Personal 
Earnings and Benefit Estimate Statement, a Request for a Replacement 
Benefit Statement (SSA-1099/SSA-1042S), etc. SSA will use the 
information to verify the requester's identity by comparing it with 
information already in SSA's records. The respondents are members of 
the public who request information from SSA through the Internet.
    Number of Respondents: 540,000.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: 3.5 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 31,500 hours.
    2. Electronic Request for Benefit Verification Information--0960-
NEW. SSA provides verification of benefits, when requested, to 
individuals receiving title II and/or title XVI benefits. In order to 
provide to the public an easy and convenient means of requesting 
benefit information, SSA has developed an electronic request form which 
will allow persons to request the information through the Internet. The 
information collected on the electronic screens will be used by SSA to 
process the request for a benefit verification statement. To ensure 
appropriate confidentiality, the statement will be mailed to the 
recipient/beneficiary address shown in SSA's records. The respondents 
are title II and title XVI recipient/beneficiaries who request benefit 
verification information using the Internet.
    Number of Respondents: 133,920.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: \1/2\ minute.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 1,116 hours.
    Written comments and recommendations regarding the information 
collection(s) should be directed within 30 days to the OMB Desk Officer 
and SSA Reports Clearance Officer at the following addresses:

(OMB) Office of Management and Budget, OIRA, Attn: Desk Officer for 
SSA, New Executive Office Building, Room 10230, 725 17th St., NW, 
Washington, DC 20503.
(SSA) Social Security Administration, DCFAM, Attn: Frederick W. 
Brickenkamp, 1-A-21 Operations Bldg., 6401 Security Blvd., Baltimore, 
MD 21235.

    To receive a copy of any of the forms or OMB clearance packages, 
call the SSA Reports Clearance Officer on (410) 965-4145 or write to 
him at the address listed above.

    Dated: September 28, 1998.
Frederick W. Brickenkamp,
Reports Clearance Officer, Social Security Administration.
[FR Doc. 98-26349 Filed 10-1-98; 8:45 am]
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