[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 38 (Monday, February 27, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9839-9840]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-2717]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employee Benefits Security Administration


Proposed Extension of Information Collection; Comment Request; 
ERISA Summary Annual Report

AGENCY: Employee Benefits Security Administration, Department of Labor.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor (the Department), as part of its 
continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a 
pre-clearance consultation program to provide the general public and 
Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed and 
continuing collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA 95). This program helps to ensure that the 
data the Department gathers can be provided in the desired format, the 
reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized, the 
public clearly understands the Department's collection instruments, and 
the Department can accurately assess the impact of collection 
requirements on respondents. Currently, the Employee Benefits Security 
Administration (EBSA) is soliciting comments concerning an extension of 
the information collections in the regulation implementing the 
requirement under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 
(ERISA) that administrators of employee benefit plans annually furnish 
participants and certain beneficiaries a statement that fairly 
summarizes the plan's latest annual report. A copy of the information 
collection request (ICR) may be obtained by contacting the office 
listed in the ADDRESSES section of this notice.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office shown in the 
ADDRESSES section on or before April 28, 2006.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments regarding the information 
collection request and burden estimates to Susan G. Lahne, Office of 
Policy and Research, Employee Benefits Security Administration, U.S. 
Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Room N-5718, 
Washington, DC 20210. Telephone: (202) 693-8410, FAX (202) 219-4333. 
These are not toll-free numbers. Comments may also be submitted 
electronically to the following Internet e-mail address: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    Section 104(b)(3) of ERISA and the regulation published at 29 CFR 
2520.104b-10 require, with certain exceptions, that administrators of 
employee benefit plans furnish annually to each participant and certain 
beneficiaries a summary annual report (SAR) meeting the requirements of 
the statute and regulation. The regulation prescribes the content and 
format of the SAR and the timing of its delivery. The SAR provides 
current information about the plan and assists those who receive it in 
understanding the plan's current financial operation and condition. It 
also explains participants' and beneficiaries' rights to receive 
further information on these issues.
    EBSA previously submitted the information collection provisions in 
the regulation at 29 CFR 2520.104b-10 to the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) for review in an information collection request (ICR). OMB 
approved the ICR under OMB Control No. 1210-0040. The ICR approval is 
scheduled to expire on May 31, 2006.

II. Desired Focus of Comments

    The Department is particularly interested in comments that:
     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
     Evaluate whether and to what extent the proposed 
collection of information minimizes 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., 
by permitting electronic submissions of responses.

III. Current Action

    This notice requests comments on an extension of the information 
collections in the ERISA Summary Annual Report regulation. After 
considering comments received in response to this notice, the 
Department intends to submit the ICR to OMB for continuing approval. No 
change to the existing ICR is being proposed or made at this time. A

[[Page 9840]]

summary of the ICR and the current burden estimates follows:
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection of 
information.
    Agency: Employee Benefits Security Administration, Department of 
Labor.
    Title: ERISA Summary Annual Report Regulation.
    OMB Number: 1210-0040.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households; Business or other for-
profit; Not-for-profit institutions.
    Respondents: 815,114.
    Responses: 304,196,000.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 325,240.
    Estimated Total Burden Cost (Operating and Maintenance): 
$142,448,000.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of the ICR and will 
also become a matter of public record.

    Dated: February 21, 2006.
Susan G. Lahne,
Senior Pension Law Specialist, Office of Policy and Research, Employee 
Benefits Security Administration.
[FR Doc. E6-2717 Filed 2-24-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-29-P