[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 19 (Friday, January 28, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5212-5213]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-1850]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR


Employment and Training Administration

Comment Request for Information Collection for Internal Fraud and 
Overpayment Detection and Recovery Activities (OMB Control No. 
1205-0187): Extension With Revisions

AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration (ETA), Department of 
Labor.

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

[[Page 5213]]

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 and Training Administration is soliciting 
comments concerning the Office of Unemployment Insurance's collection 
of data on a revised form ETA 9000 that provides information about 
Internal Fraud and Overpayment Detection and Recovery Activities, the 
approval for which currently expires May 31, 2011.
    A copy of the proposed information collection request (ICR) can be 
obtained by contacting the office listed below in the addressee section 
of this notice.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
addressee's section below on or before March 29, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Scott Gibbons, U.S. Department of Labor, 
Employment and Training Administration, Office of Unemployment 
Insurance, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Frances Perkins Bldg. Room S-
4231, Washington, DC 20210, telephone number (202) 693-3008 (this is 
not a toll-free number) or by e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The ETA 9000 is the only data source available on: (1) Instances of 
internal fraud activities within the Unemployment Insurance (UI) 
program; and (2) the results of safeguards that have been implemented 
to deter and detect instances of internal fraud. It categorizes the 
major areas susceptible to internal (employee) fraud and provides 
actual and ``estimated'' workload. The information is used to review 
Internal Security (IS) operations and obtain information on composite 
shifting patterns of nationwide activity and effectiveness in the area 
of internal fraud identification and prevention. It is also used to 
assess the overall adequacy of Internal Security procedures in states' 
UI programs.
    To streamline UI program reporting in general, ETA proposes to 
merge a few cells from ETA 9000 into ETA 227. The reason ETA proposes 
consolidating these two information collections is that the underlying 
data collected is similar and this revision will reduce state reporting 
burden.
    The ETA 227 contains data on the number of occurrences and amounts 
of fraud and non-fraud overpayments established, the methods by which 
overpayments were detected, the amounts and methods by which 
overpayments were collected, the amounts of overpayments waived and 
written off, the accounts receivable for overpayments outstanding, and 
data on criminal/civil actions.
    These data are gathered by 53 State Workforce Agencies (SWAs) and 
reported to the Department of Labor following the end of each calendar 
quarter. The overall effectiveness of SWAs' UI integrity efforts can be 
determined by examining and analyzing the data. These data are also 
used by SWAs as a management tool for effective UI program 
administration.

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.

III. Current Actions

    Type of Review: Extension with revisions.
    Title: Internal Fraud and Overpayment Detection and Recovery 
Activities.
    OMB Number: 1205-0187.
    Form Number: ETA 227 (name reflects consolidation of cells from ETA 
9000 into ETA 227).
    Affected Public: State Workforce Agencies.
    Total Respondents: 53.
    Frequency: Quarterly.
    Total Responses: 4 per year per respondent.
    Average Estimated Response Time: 15 hours.
    Estimated Annual Burden Hours: 3180 hours.
    Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0.
    Total Burden Cost (operating/maintaining): $0.
    Comments submitted in response to this comment request 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: January 24, 2011.
Jane Oates,
Assistant Secretary, Employment and Training Administration.
[FR Doc. 2011-1850 Filed 1-27-11; 8:45 am]
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