[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 13 (Thursday, January 20, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3688-3690]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-1028]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Request and 
Comment Request

    The Social Security Administration (SSA) publishes a list of 
information collection packages requiring 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. This notice 
includes revisions to 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 ways to minimize burden 
on respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology. Mail, e-mail, or fax your 
comments and recommendations on the information collection(s) to the 
OMB Desk Officer and SSA Reports Clearance Officer at the following 
addresses or fax numbers.

(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 below are pending at SSA. SSA will 
submit them to OMB within 60 days from the date of this notice. To be 
sure we consider your comments, we must receive them no later than 
March 21, 2011. Individuals can obtain copies of the collection 
instruments by calling the SSA Reports Clearance Officer at 410-965-
8783 or by writing to the above e-mail address.
    1. Petition to Obtain Approval of a Fee for Representing a Claimant 
before the Social Security Administration--20 CFR 404.1720 and 
404.1725; 20 CFR 416.1520 and 416.1525-0960-0104. A Social Security 
claimant's representative, whether an attorney or a non-attorney, uses 
Form SSA-1560-U4 to petition SSA for authorization to charge and 
collect a fee. A claimant may also use the form to agree or disagree 
with the requested fee amount or other information the representative 
provides on the form. The SSA official responsible for setting the fee 
uses the information from the form to determine a reasonable fee amount 
representatives may charge for their services. Primary respondents are 
attorneys and non-attorneys who represent Social Security claimants.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.
    Number of Respondents: 48,110.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden per Response: 30 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 24,055 hours.
    2. Annual Earnings Test Direct Mail Follow-Up Program Notices--20 
CFR 404.452-404.455--0960-0369. SSA developed the Annual Earnings Test 
Direct Mail Follow-up Program to improve beneficiary reporting on work 
and earnings during the year, and earnings information at the end of 
the year. SSA may reduce benefits payable under the Social Security Act 
when an individual has wages or self-employment income exceeding the 
annual exempt amount. SSA identifies beneficiaries likely to receive 
more than the annual exempt amount, and requests more frequent 
estimates of earnings from them. When applicable, SSA also requests a 
future year estimate to reduce overpayments due to earnings. SSA sends 
letters (SSA-L9778, L9779, L9781, L9784, L9785, and L9790) to 
beneficiaries requesting earnings information the month prior to 
reaching full retirement age. We send each beneficiary a tailored 
letter, which includes relevant earnings data from SSA records. The 
Annual Earnings Test Direct Mail Follow-up Program helps to ensure 
Social Security payments are correct. The respondents are working 
Social Security beneficiaries.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

[[Page 3689]]



----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                         Estimated      Total
                                                               Number of    Frequency    burden per     annual
                    Collection instrument                     respondents  of response    response      burden
                                                                                         (minutes)     (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Form SSA-L9778..............................................       42,630            1           10        7,105
Form SSA-L9779..............................................      158,865            1           10       26,478
Form SSA-L9781..............................................      472,437            1           10       78,740
Form SSA-L9784..............................................        1,270            1           10          212
Form SSA-L9785..............................................       15,870            1           10        2,645
Form SSA-L9790..............................................       45,000            1           10        7,500
                                                             ---------------------------------------------------
    Totals..................................................      736,072  ...........  ...........      122,680
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    II. SSA has submitted the information collections listed below to 
OMB for clearance. Your comments on the information collections would 
be most useful if OMB and SSA receive them within 30 days from the date 
of this publication. To be sure we consider your comments, we must 
receive them no later than February 22, 2011. You can obtain a copy of 
the OMB clearance packages by calling the SSA Reports Clearance Officer 
at 410-965-8783 or by writing to the above e-mail address.
    1. Request for Review of Hearing Decision/Order--20 CFR 404.967-
404.981, 416.1467-416.1481--0960-0277. Claimants have a statutory right 
under the Social Security Act and current regulations to request review 
of an administrative law judge's (ALJ) hearing decision or dismissal of 
a hearing request on Title II and Title XVI claims. Claimants may 
request Appeals Council review by filing a written request using Form 
HA-520. SSA uses the information to establish the claimant filed her or 
his request for review within the prescribed time and to ensure the 
claimant completed the requisite steps permitting the Appeals Council 
review. The Appeals Council uses the information to: (1) Document the 
claimant's reason(s) for disagreeing with the ALJ's decision or 
dismissal; (2) determine whether the claimant has additional evidence 
to submit; and (3) determine whether the claimant has a representative 
or wants to appoint one. The respondents are claimants requesting 
review of an ALJ's decision or dismissal of hearing.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.
    Number of Respondents: 145,000.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden per Response: 10 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 24,167 hours.
    2. Development for Participation in a Vocational Rehabilitation or 
Similar Program--20 CFR 404.316(c), 404.337(c), 404.352(d), 
404.1586(g), 404.1596, 404.1597(a), 404.327, 404.328, 416.1338(c)(d), 
416.1320(d), 416.1331(a)-(b), and 416.1338--0960-0282. State Disability 
Determination Services (DDS) must determine if Social Security 
disability payment recipients, whose disability ceased and who 
participate in vocational rehabilitation programs, may continue to 
receive disability payments. To do this, DDSs need information about 
the recipients, the types of program participation, and the services 
they receive under the rehabilitation program. SSA uses Form SSA-4290 
to collect this information. The respondents are State employment 
networks, vocational rehabilitation agencies, or other providers of 
educational or job training services.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.
    Number of Respondents: 3,000.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden per Response: 15 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 750 hours.
    3. Acknowledgement of Receipt (Notice of Hearing)--20 CFR 404.938 & 
416.1438--0960-0671. SSA uses Forms HA-504 and HA-504-OP1 to inform 
claimants of a scheduled hearing. Claimants complete the form to 
acknowledge they will attend the hearing or to ask the ALJ to 
reschedule the hearing. The ALJ uses the information to prepare for the 
scheduled hearing or to reschedule the hearing to a different date or 
location. The only difference between the two forms is the exclusion of 
the video teleconferencing option on the HA-504-OP1. We exclude video 
teleconferencing when it is not feasible, based on certain 
circumstances, for the ALJ's use. The respondents are applicants for 
Social Security benefits who request a hearing to appeal an unfavorable 
entitlement or continued eligibility determination.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                          Average       Total
                                                               Number of    Frequency    burden per     annual
                    Version of the HA-504                     respondents  of response    response      burden
                                                                                         (minutes)     (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HA-504 (with teleconferencing)..............................       70,000            1           30       35,000
HA-504-OP1..................................................      630,000            1           30      315,000
                                                             ---------------------------------------------------
    Total...................................................      700,000  ...........  ...........      350,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



[[Page 3690]]

    Dated: January 13, 2011.
Elizabeth A. Davidson,
Center Director, Center for Reports Clearance Office of Documents 
Management, OPLM, BFM.
[FR Doc. 2011-1028 Filed 1-19-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4191-02-P