[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 221 (Thursday, November 15, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57487-57488]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-28605]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment Standards Administration


Proposed Collection; Comment Request

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 (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 Standards Administration is soliciting 
comments concerning the following three information collections: (1) 
Comparability of Current Work to Coal Mine Employment (CM-913), Coal 
Mine Employment Affidavit (CM-918), Affidavit of Deceased Miner's 
Condition (CM-1093); (2) LS-265, Certification of Funeral Expenses; and 
(3) WH-530, Application for Farm Labor Contractor and Farm Labor 
Contractor Employee Certificate of Registration.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
addressee section below within January 14, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Ms. Patricia A. Forkel, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 
Constitution Ave., NW., Room S-3201, Washington, DC 20210, telephone 
(202) 693-0339 (this is not a toll-free number), fax (202) 693-1451, 
EMail esa.gov">[email protected]esa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

CM-913--Comparability of Current Work to Coal Mine Employment

CM-918--Coal Mine Employment Affidavit

CM-1093--Affidavit of Deceased Miner's Condition

I. Background

    The Black Lung Benefits Act of 1977, as amended, 30 U.S.C. 901 et. 
seq., provides for the payment of benefits to coal miners who have 
contracted black lung disease as a result of coal mine employment, and 
their dependents and survivors. Once a miner has been identified as 
having performed non-coal mine work subsequent to coal mine employment, 
the miner or the miner's survivor is asked to complete a CM-913 to 
compare coal mine work to non-coal mine work. This employment 
information, along with medical information, is used to establish 
whether the miner is totally disabled due to black lung disease caused 
by coal mine employment. The CM-918 is an affidavit used to gather coal 
mine employment evidence only when primary evidence, such pay stubs, W-
2 forms, employer and union records, and Social Security records are 
unavailable or incomplete. The CM-1093 is an affidavit form for 
recording lay medical evidence, used in survivors' claims in which 
evidence of the miner's medical condition is insufficient.

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 Department of Labor seeks the approval of the extension of this 
information collection in order to carry out its responsibility to 
determine eligibility for black lung benefits.
    Type of Review: Extension.
    Agency: Employment Standards Administration.
    Titles: Comparability of Current Work to Coal Mine Employment; Coal 
Mine Employment Affidavit; Affidavit of Deceased Miner's Condition.
    OMB Number: 1215-0056.
    Agency Numbers: CM-913, CM-918, CM-1093.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households.
    Frequency: On occasion.

[[Page 57488]]



------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                  Time per
                                      Total       Response      Burden
               Form                 Responses       (in         Hours
                                                  minutes)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CM-913...........................        1,500           30          750
CM-918...........................          100           10           17
CM-1093..........................          100           20           33
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Total Respondents/Responses: 1,700.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 800.
    Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0.
    Total Burden Cost (operating/maintenance): $1,700.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:   
    LS-265--Certification of Funeral Expenses

I. Background

    The Office of Workers' Compensation Programs administers the 
Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act. The Act provides 
benefits to workers injured in maritime employment on the navigable 
waters of the United States or in an adjoining area customarily used by 
an employer in loading, unloading, repairing, or building a vessel. The 
Act provides that reasonable funeral expenses not to exceed $3,000 
shall be paid in all compensable death cases. The LS-265 has been 
provided for use in submitting the funeral expenses for payment.

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 Department of Labor seeks the approval of the extension of this 
information collection in order to carry out its responsibility to 
certify the amount of funeral expenses incurred in the case.
    Type of Review: Extension.
    Agency: Employment Standards Administration.
    Title: Certification of Funeral Expenses.
    OMB Number: 1215-0027.
    Agency Number: LS-265.
    Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profit.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Total Annual Respondents/Responses: 195.
    Time Per Response: 15 minutes.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 49.
    Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0.
    Total Burden Cost (operating/maintenance): $72.15.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: WH-530--Application for Farm Labor 
Contractor and Farm Labor Contractor Employee Certificate of 
Registration

I. Background

    Section 101(a) of the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker 
Protection Act (MSPA) provides that no person shall engage in any farm 
labor contracting activity unless such person has a certificate of 
registration from the Secretary of Labor specifying which farm labor 
contracting activities such person is authorized to perform. Further, 
section 101(b) of MSPA provides that a farm labor contractor shall not 
hire, employ, or use any individual to perform farm labor contracting 
activities unless such individual has a certificate of registration as 
a farm labor contractor.

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 Department of Labor seeks the approval of the extension of this 
information collection in order to carry out its responsibility to 
issue, after appropriate investigation and review, a farm labor 
certificate of registration, including a certificate of registration as 
an employee of a farm labor contractor, to any person who has filed 
with the Secretary a written application for a certificate.
    Type of Review: Extension.
    Agency: Employment Standards Administration.
    Title: Application for Farm Labor Contractor and Farm Labor 
Contractor Employee Certificate of Registration.
    OMB Number: 1215-0037.
    Agency Number: WH-530.
    Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profit; Farms.
    Frequency: On occasion (initial application); biennially (renewal).
    Total Annual Respondents/Responses: 9,200.
    Time Per Response: 30 minutes.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 4,600.
    Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0.
    Total Burden Cost (operating/maintenance): $2,213.
    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: November 8, 2001.
Margaret J. Sherrill,
Chief, Branch of Management Review and Internal Control, Division of 
Financial Management, Office of Management, Administration and Planning 
Employment Standards Administration.
[FR Doc. 01-28605 Filed 11-14-01; 8:45 am]
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