[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 60 (Tuesday, March 31, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14579-14580]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-7120]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration


Proposed Extension Without Change of the Unemployment Insurance 
(UI) Benefit Accuracy Measurement (BAM) Data Collection; Comment 
Request

AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration.

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

[[Page 14580]]

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.
    A copy of the proposed information collection request (ICR) can be 
obtained by contacting the office listed below in the ADDRESSES section 
of this notice or by accessing: http://www.doleta.gov/OMBCN/OMBControlNumber.cfm.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
ADDRESSES section below on or before June 1, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Andrew W. Spisak, U.S. Department of Labor, 
Employment and Training Administration, Office of Workforce Security, 
200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Room S-4522, Washington, DC 20210; 
telephone number: 202-693-3196 (this is not a toll-free number); fax: 
202-693-3975; or by e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    I. Background: Since 1987, all State Workforce Agencies (SWAs) 
except the U.S. Virgin Islands have been required by regulation at 20 
CFR part 602 to operate BAM programs to assess the accuracy of their UI 
benefit payments in three programs: State UI, Unemployment Compensation 
for Federal Employees (UCFE), and Unemployment Compensation for Ex-
servicemembers (UCX). Beginning in 2001, BAM was modified to include 
the sampling and investigation of UI claims denied for monetary, 
separation, or nonseparation issues.
    BAM is one of the tools the Department uses to measure and reduce 
waste, fraud, and abuse in the UI program. By investigating small 
representative weekly samples of both paid and denied UI claims, each 
State is able to estimate reliably the number and dollar value of 
proper and improper payments; the number of proper and improper denials 
of claims for UI benefits; the rates of occurrence of these proper and 
improper payments and denials; and the error types, error causes, and 
the parties that are responsible for the errors.
    Paid Claims Accuracy. Each week SWAs select random samples of both 
intrastate and interstate original payments (including combined wage 
claims) made for a week of UI benefits under the State UI, UCX or UCFE 
programs. A sample of 360 cases per year is pulled in the ten States 
with the smallest UI program workloads (defined as the average annual 
UI weeks paid during the last five years) and 480 cases per year in the 
other States. State BAM staff audit each selected claim, examining all 
aspects of a claimant's eligibility to receive UI benefits during the 
sampled week. The findings are entered into an automated database that 
is maintained on a computer located in each State.
    Denied Claims Accuracy. Each week States select random samples from 
three separate sampling frames constructed from the universes of UI 
claims for which eligibility was denied for monetary, separation and 
nonseparation reasons. All States sample a minimum of 150 cases of each 
denial type in each calendar year. State BAM staff review agency 
records and contact claimants, employers, and all other relevant 
parties to verify information in agency records or obtain additional 
information pertinent to the determination that denied eligibility for 
UI benefits. Unlike the investigation of paid claims, in which all 
prior determinations affecting claimant eligibility for the compensated 
week selected for the sample are evaluated, the investigation of denied 
claims is limited to the issue upon which the denial determination is 
based. The findings are entered into an automated database that is 
maintained on a computer located in each State.
    The Department maintains a database of each State's BAM paid and 
denied claims cases, minus any personally identifying information. The 
Department uses BAM data to measure State performance with respect to 
UI payment integrity and to meet the Department's reporting 
requirements of the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) and 
the Improper Payments Information Act (IPIA). The Department also 
relies heavily on BAM data for information on UI operations, such as 
the percentage of claims filed via the Internet and telephone, UI wage 
replacement rates, and claimant characteristics. The results of the BAM 
survey are reported annually on the ETA Web site, http://
workforcesecurity. doleta.gov/unemploy/.
    II. Desired Focus of Comments: Currently, the Employment and 
Training Administration is soliciting comments concerning the proposed 
extension of the BAM data collection. The Department's information 
collection authority for BAM, under Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) number 1205-0245, is scheduled to expire on August 31, 2009. 
Comments are requested to:
     Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary to measure performance of the UI program, especially with 
respect to the accuracy of payments and denials of claims for benefits, 
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 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:
    Type of Review: Extension without change of a currently approved 
collection.
    Agency: Employment and Training Administration (ETA).
    Title: Unemployment Insurance Benefit Accuracy Measurement.
    OMB Number: 1205-0245.
    Agency Number: BAM State Operations Handbook (ET Handbook No. 395, 
4th edition).
    Affected Public: State Workforce Agencies (Primary), individuals, 
businesses, and not-for-profit institutions.
    Total Respondents: 188,984 (unchanged).
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 429,897 (+ 92 - adjustment).
    Total Burden Cost (Capital/Startup): $66,870 (Federal purchase of 
new Sun T2000 computers with printer and terminal peripherals for State 
agencies. Cost reflects annual cost over three-year life cycle and 30 
percent pro-rata share of usage for BAM activities.)
    Total Burden Cost (Operating/Maintaining): $639,649 (Annual Federal 
cost for contractor and software support, based on 30 percent pro-rata 
share for BAM activities.)
    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: March 25, 2009.
Cheryl Atkinson,
Administrator, Office of Workforce Security.
[FR Doc. E9-7120 Filed 3-30-09; 8:45 am]
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