[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 113 (Monday, June 14, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31877-31878]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-14964]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration


Proposed Information Collection Request Submitted for Public 
Comment and Recommendations; Unemployment Insurance Benefit Accuracy 
Measurement Program

ACTION: Notice.

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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 (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. This notice by 
the Employment and Training Administration is to solicit comments 
concerning the proposed extension of the collection of the Unemployment 
Insurance Benefit Accuracy Measurement program data (OMB control number 
1205-0245) now authorized through 9/30/99. A copy of the proposed 
changes to the information collection Handbook (ETA Handbook 395) can 
be obtained by contacting the employee listed below in the contact 
section of this notice.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before August 13, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted to: Grace A. Kilbane, Director, 
Unemployment Insurance Service, Employment and Training Administration, 
U.S. Department of Labor, Room S-4231, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., 
Washington, DC 20210, 202-219-7831, ext. 167 (this is not a toll-free 
number); FAX, 202-219-8506; Internet: <[email protected]>.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William N. Coyne, Unemployment 
Insurance Service, Employment and Training Administration, U.S. 
Department of Labor, Room S-4522, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., 
Washington, DC 20210, 202-219-5223, ext. 142 (this is not a toll-free 
number); FAX, 202-219-8506; Internet: <[email protected]>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    Since 1987, all State Employment Security Agencies (SESAs) except 
in the U.S. Virgin Islands have been required by regulation at 20 CFR 
Part 602 to operate Benefit Accuracy Measurement (BAM) programs to 
assess the accuracy of their Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefit 
payments. The Department's statutory authority for those regulations is 
found at Sections 303(a)(1), 303(a)(6), and 303(b) of the Social 
Security Act. The BAM programs operate as follows: each State draws a 
weekly sample of payments made for intrastate claims made in the State 
UI, Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees, and Unemployment 
Compensation for Ex-Service Members programs. States are required to 
draw minimum annual samples. The ten States with the smallest claims 
loads must draw at least 360 payments; all other States must draw at 
least 480, although several voluntarily draw longer samples. In 
calendar years 1998, annual samples averaged slightly over 500 cases 
per State, and ranged from 360 to 1730. A specially trained staff of 
State investigators reviews agency records and contacts the claimant, 
employers, and third parties to verify all the information pertinent to 
the benefit amount for the sampled week. Although contacts originally 
had to be made in person, since July 1993, investigators have been able 
to use a mix of in-person, mail, and telephone/fax contacts to verify 
information. Using the verified information, they determined what the 
benefit payment should have been to accord fully with State law and 
policy. Any differences between the actual and reconstructed payment 
are underpayment or overpayment errors. States code the results of each 
case investigated to a database on a computer provided by the 
Department of Labor. Data on each case include the type and causes of, 
and parties responsible for, any error, and a variety of demographic, 
labor market, and UI program information considered critical to 
developing program improvements and useful to the States and the 
Department for other analytical purposes. The States and the Department 
of Labor use BAM information to estimate the extent of mispayments, to 
monitor program quality, guide possible future program improvements, 
inform system stakeholders, and perform various policy analyses. 
Because of the extent of the BAM data record and its representatives of 
the population of payments, the Department uses the data extensively to 
produce information on State program operations (e.g., how many claims 
are filed electronically, how many claimants receive eligibility 
reviews) and characteristics of the claimant population. It is an 
invaluable resource for producing measures such as the percent of wages 
which UI benefits replace for those actually receiving a benefit. The 
program costs approximately $22 million each year to operate.
    The typical investigation requires about 7.5 hours per case and in 
total the allocated 23,760 cases are estimated to impose a paperwork 
burden of 75,319 hours. The program is operated under OMB control 
number 1205-0245; approval under this number expires 9/30/99.

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 
submission of responses.

[[Page 31878]]

III. Current Actions

    This is a request for OMB approval (under the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)) to extend an existing collection 
of information previously approved and assigned OMB Control No. 1205-
0245. Burden hours would remain the same at 75,319.
    Type of Review: Extension.
    Agency: Employment and Training Administration.
    Title: Unemployment Insurance Benefit Accuracy Measurement Program.
    OMB Number: 1205-0245.
    Frequency: Weekly.
    Recordkeeping: States are required to follow their State laws 
regarding public record retention in retaining BAM records.
    Affected Public: Individuals; businesses; other for-profit/not-for-
profit institutions; farms; Federal, State, Local, or Tribal 
Governments.
    Number of Respondents: 52.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 3.17 hours.
    Total Estimated Cost: $22 million.
    Total Burden Hours: 75,319 hours.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice 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: June 7, 1999.
Grace A. Kilbane,
Director, Unemployment Insurance Service.
[FR Doc. 99-14964 Filed 6-11-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-30-M