[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 201 (Thursday, October 18, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59132-59136]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-20557]


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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 that will require 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. 
The information collection packages that may be included in this notice 
are for new information collections, approval of existing information 
collections, revisions to OMB-approved information collections, and 
extensions (no change) of 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 on ways

[[Page 59133]]

to minimize burden on respondents, including the use of automated 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Written 
comments and recommendations regarding the information collection(s) 
should be submitted to the OMB Desk Officer and the SSA Reports 
Clearance Officer. The information can be mailed, faxed or emailed to 
the individuals at the addresses and fax numbers listed below:
(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 listed below are pending at SSA and 
will be submitted to OMB within 60 days from the date of this notice. 
Therefore, your comments should be submitted to SSA within 60 days from 
the date of this publication. You can obtain copies of the collection 
instruments by calling the SSA Reports Clearance Officer at 410-965-
0454 or by writing to the address listed above.
    1. Advanced Notice of Termination of Child's Benefits & Student's 
Statement Regarding School Attendance--20 CFR 404.350-404.352, 404.367-
404.368--0960-0105. The information collected on Forms SSA-1372-BK and 
SSA-1372-BK-FC is needed to determine whether children of an insured 
worker are eligible for student benefits. The data allows SSA to 
determine student entitlement and whether entitlement will end. The 
respondents are student claimants for Social Security benefits, their 
respective schools and, in some cases, their representative payees.
    Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

                                                   SSA-1372-BK
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                      Average
                                                     Number of     Frequency of     burden per     Total annual
               Type of respondent                   respondents      response        response         burden
                                                                                     (minutes)        (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Individuals/Households..........................          99,850               1              11          18,306
State/Local/Tribal Government...................          99,850               1              11          18,306
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals......................................         199,700  ..............  ..............          36,612
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                                                 SSA-1372-BK-FC
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                      Average
                                                     Number of     Frequency of     burden per     Total annual
               Type of respondent                   respondents      response        response         burden
                                                                                     (minutes)        (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Individuals/Households..........................             150               1              11              28
State/Local/Tribal Government...................             150               1              11              28
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals......................................             300  ..............  ..............              56
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    2. Acknowledgement of Receipt (Notice of Hearing)--20 CFR 404.938 & 
416.1438--0960-0671. The HA-504 is used to acknowledge receipt of the 
notice of hearing issued by an Administrative Law Judge. The ALJ uses 
the information collected on Form HA-504 to: (1) Prepare for the 
hearing as scheduled; or (2) reschedule the hearing to a different date 
and/or location. The respondents are applicants for Social Security 
benefits who request a hearing to appeal an unfavorable entitlement or 
eligibility determination.
    Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information 
collection.
    Number of Respondents: 660,000.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: 1 minute.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 11,000 hours.
    II. The information collections listed below have been submitted to 
OMB for clearance. Your comments on the information collections would 
be most useful if received by OMB and SSA within 30 days from the date 
of this publication. You can obtain a copy of the OMB clearance 
packages by calling the SSA Reports Clearance Officer at 410-965-0454, 
or by writing to the address listed above.
    1. Request for Corrections of Earnings Record--20 CFR 404.820 & 20 
CFR 422.125--0960-0029. The information collected by From SSA-7008 is 
needed when an individual alleges his/her earnings record is 
inaccurate. The information is used to check against the record 
maintained by SSA and, as necessary, initiate development to resolve 
the issue. The respondents are individuals who request correction of 
earnings posted to their Social Security earnings record.
    Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                     Estimated
                                                     Number of     Frequency of     burden per       Estimated
                                                    respondents      response        response      annual burden
                                                                                     (minutes)        (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Paper Version...................................          37,500               1              10           6,250
In-person or telephone interview................         337,500               1              10          56,250
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................         375,000  ..............  ..............          62,500
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 59134]]

    2. Statement of Agricultural Employer (Year Prior to 1988; and 1988 
and later)--20 CFR 404.702, 404.802, 404.1056--0960-0036. The 
information from forms SSA-1002-F3 and SSA-1003-F3 is used by SSA to 
resolve discrepancies when farm workers allege their employers did not 
report their wages, or reported the wages incorrectly. If an 
agricultural employer has incorrectly reported wages, or failed to 
report any wages for an employee, SSA must attempt to correct its 
records by contacting the employer to obtain convincing evidence of the 
wages paid. The respondents are agricultural employers having knowledge 
of wages paid to agricultural employees.
    Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                      Average
                                                     Number of     Frequency of     burden per     Total annual
                   Form number                      respondents      response        response     burden (hours)
                                                                                     (minutes)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-1002........................................          75,000               1              30          37,500
SSA-1003........................................          50,000               1              30          25,000
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................         125,000  ..............  ..............          62,500
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    3. Medical Report (General)--20 CFR 404.1512-404.1515, 416.912-
416.915--0960-0052. SSA, through its agents, the Disability 
Determination Services (DDSs), uses form SSA-3826-F4 to make 
determinations in disability claims cases. The information collected on 
the SSA-3826-F4 is used in determining the claimant's physical and 
mental status prior to making a disability determination, and to 
document the disability claims folder with the medical evidence. Thus, 
it provides disability adjudicators and reviewers with a narrative 
record and history of the alleged disability and with the objective 
medical findings necessary to make a disability determination. SSA uses 
the medical evidence provided on this form in making a determination of 
whether an individual's impairment meets the severity and duration 
requirements for disability benefits. The respondents are members of 
the medical community including individual and hospital physicians, 
medical records librarians, and other medical sources.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.
    Number of Respondents: 150,000.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden per Response: 30 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 75,000 hours.
    4. Travel Expense Reimbursement--20 CFR 404.999(d) and 416.1499--
0960-0434. The Social Security Act provides for travel expense 
reimbursement by the State agency or Federal agency for claimant travel 
incidental to medical examinations and to parties, their 
representatives, and all reasonably necessary witnesses for travel 
exceeding 75 miles to attend medical examinations, reconsideration 
interviews and proceedings before an administrative law judge. 
Reimbursement procedures require the claimant to provide (1) a list of 
expenses incurred, and (2) receipts of such expenses. State and Federal 
personnel review the listings and receipts to verify the amount to be 
reimbursed to the requestor. The respondents are claimants for Title II 
benefits and Title XVI payments, their representatives and witnesses.
    Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information 
collection.
    Number of Respondents: 50,000.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden per Response: 10 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 8,333 hours.
    5. Disability Hearing Officer's Report of Disability Hearing--20 
CFR 404.917, 416.1407, 416.1417--0960-0440. Form SSA-1205-BK is used by 
the Disability Hearing Officer conducting the disability interview in 
preparation for a written reconsidered determination--specifically for 
evaluating Title II and Title XVI adult disability claims. The form 
provides the framework for addressing crucial elements in the case and 
is used in formulating the completed official documentation of the 
decision. Respondents are Disability Hearing Officers.
    Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information 
collection.
    Number of Respondents: 35,600.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden per Response: 60 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 35,600 hours.
    6. Beneficiary Recontact Report-- 20 CFR 404.703 and 404.705--0960-
0536. SSA needs to ensure that eligibility for benefits continues after 
entitlement is established. Studies show that payees of childern who 
marry fail to report the marriage, which is a terminating event. SSA 
asks childern ages 15, 16, and 17 information about marital status to 
detect overpayments and avoid continuing payment to those no longer 
entitled. Form SSA-1587-OCR-SM is used to obtain information regarding 
marital status from those children who have representative payees. 
Respondents are recipients of survivor Social Security benefits who 
have representative payees.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.
    Number of Respondents: 982,357.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: 3 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 49,118 hours.
    7. Certificate of Coverage Request--20 CFR 404.1913--0960-0554. The 
United States has Social Security agreements with 21 countries. These 
agreements eliminate double Social Security coverage and taxation 
where, except for the provisions of the agreement, a period of work 
would be subject to coverage and taxes in both countries. The 
individual agreements contain rules for determining the country under 
whose laws the period of work will be covered and to whose system taxes 
will be paid. The agreements further provide that, upon the request of 
the worker or employer, the country under whose system the period of 
work is covered will issue a certificate of coverage. The certificate 
serves as proof of exemption from coverage and taxation under the 
system of the other country. The information collected is needed to 
determine if a period of work is covered by the U.S. Social Security 
system under an agreement and to issue a U.S. certificate of coverage. 
Respondents are workers and employers wishing to establish exemption 
from foreign social security taxes.
    Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

[[Page 59135]]



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                                                                                      Average
                                                     Number of     Frequency of     burden per     Total annual
               Type of respondent                   respondents      response        response         burden
                                                                                     (minutes)        (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Individuals.....................................          30,000               1              30          15,000
Private Sector..................................          20,000               1              30          10,000
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals......................................          50,000  ..............  ..............          25,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    8. Incorporation by Reference of Oral Findings of Fact and 
Rationale in Wholly Favorable Written Decisions (Bench Decision 
Regulation)--20 CFR 404.953 and 416.1453--0960-0694. Sections 20 CFR 
404.953 and 416.1453 of our regulations state that if an administrative 
law judge makes a wholly favorable oral decision for a claimant of 
Title II or Title XVI payments at an administrative appeals hearing, 
and if this oral decision includes all findings and the rationale for 
the decision, the records from the oral hearing preclude the need for a 
written decision. This is known as the incorporation-by-reference 
process. These regulations also state that if the involved parties want 
a record of the oral decision, they may submit a written request for 
these records.
    Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information 
collection.
    Number of Respondents: 2,500.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: 5 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 208 hours.
    9. Request for Proof(s) from Custodian of Records--20 CFR 404.703, 
404.704, 404.720, 404.721, 404.723, 404.725, & 404.728--0960-NEW. SSA 
prepares the SSA-L707 for individuals who need help in obtaining 
evidence of death, marriage, or divorce in connection with claims for 
benefits. The information collected on the SSA-L707 is used to request 
and receive the needed evidence. The respondents are custodians of 
records including statistics and religious entities, coroners, funeral 
directors, attending physicians, state agencies.
    Type of Request: Existing Information Collection in Use Without an 
OMB Number.
    Number of Respondents: 600.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: 10 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 100 hours.
    10. Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security 
(PABSS)-Program Performance Report-0960-NEW.

Background

    In August of 2004, SSA announced its intention to award grants to 
establish community-based protection and advocacy projects in every 
State and U.S. Territory, as authorized under section 1150 of the 
Social Security Act. Potential awardees were protection and advocacy 
organizations established under Title I of the Developmental 
Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act which submitted a timely 
application conforming to the requirements in the notice. The projects 
funded under this grant are part of SSA's strategy to increase the 
number of beneficiaries who return to work and achieve self-sufficiency 
as the result of receiving advocacy or other services. The overall goal 
of the program is to provide information and advice about obtaining 
vocational rehabilitation and employment services and to provide 
advocacy or other services that a beneficiary with a disability may 
need to secure, maintain, or regain gainful employment.

Collection Activity

    The PABSS Program Performance Report collects statistical 
information from the various Protection and Advocacy (P&A) projects to 
manage program performance. SSA uses the information to evaluate the 
efficacy of the program and to ensure that those dollars appropriated 
for PABSS services are being spent on SSA beneficiaries. The project 
data will be valuable to SSA in its analysis of and future planning for 
the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and SSI programs. The 
respondents to this collection are the 57 designated P&A project system 
sites in each of the fifty States, the District of Columbia, and the 
U.S. Territories and beneficiaries of SSDI and SSI programs.
    Please note that we have included in this notice the reporting 
burden for beneficiary participants that was not included in the 
initial notice published on July 31, 2006 at 71 FR 43270.
    Type of Request: Collection in Use Without an OMB Number.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                      Average
                                     Number of     Frequency of      Number of      burden per       Estimated
       Type of respondent           respondents      response         annual         response     annual  burden
                                                                     responses       (minutes)        (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PABSS Program Grantees..........              57               2             114              60             114
Beneficiaries...................           5,000               1           5,000              15           1,250
                                 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals......................           5,057  ..............           5,114  ..............           1,364
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



[[Page 59136]]

    Dated: October 12, 2007.
Elizabeth A. Davidson,
Reports Clearance Officer, Social Security Administration.
[FR Doc. E7-20557 Filed 10-17-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4191-02-P