[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 150 (Thursday, August 4, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 47240]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-19756]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Office of the Secretary


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Request for Assistance From Department of 
Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the proposed 
Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) sponsored information 
collection request (ICR) titled, ``Request for Assistance From 
Department of Labor, EBSA,'' to the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) for review and approval for use in accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. chapter 35).

DATES: Submit comments on or before September 6, 2011.

ADDRESSES: A copy of this ICR with applicable supporting documentation; 
including a description of the likely respondents, proposed frequency 
of response, and estimated total burden may be obtained from the 
RegInfo.gov Web site, http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain, on the 
day following publication of this notice or by contacting Michel Smyth 
by telephone at 202-693-4129 (this is not a toll-free number) or 
sending an e-mail to [email protected].
    Submit comments about this request to the Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs, Attn: OMB Desk Officer for the Department of Labor, 
Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA), Office of Management 
and Budget, Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503, Telephone: 202-395-6929/
Fax: 202-395-6881 (these are not toll-free numbers), e-mail: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michel Smyth by telephone at 202-693-
4129 (this is not a toll-free number) or by e-mail at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The EBSA assists employee benefit plan 
participants in understanding their rights, responsibilities, and 
benefits under employee benefit law and intervenes informally on their 
behalf with the plan sponsor in order to assist participants in 
obtaining the health and retirement benefits that may have been 
inappropriately denied. Such informal intervention can avert the 
necessity for a formal investigation or a civil action. The EBSA 
maintains a toll-free telephone number through which inquirers can 
reach Benefits Advisors in ten Regional Offices. The EBSA has also made 
a request for assistance form available on its Web site for those 
wishing to obtain assistance in this manner. To date, the Web form has 
included only basic identifying information necessary for reaching the 
inquirer. A Federal agency does not need OMB approval to request such 
basic contact information. See 5 CFR 1320.3(h)(1). Contact with the 
EBSA is voluntary.
    The proposed information collection is a revised Web intake form. 
The number of required fields--first name, last name, street address, 
city, zip code, and telephone number--does not differ from the current 
form. Through its experience with electronic requests for review under 
the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, approved under OMB 
Control Number 1210-0135, however, the EBSA has found that obtaining 
certain additional information can significantly expedite the handling 
of requests for assistance, resulting in both improved service to 
customers and enhanced capacity to handle inquiry volume. This 
information includes the plan type, broad categories of problem type, 
contact information for responsible parties, and a mechanism for the 
inquirer to attach relevant documents.
    This proposed information collection is subject to the PRA. A 
Federal agency generally cannot conduct or sponsor a collection of 
information, and the public is generally not required to respond to an 
information collection, unless it is approved by the OMB under the PRA 
and displays a currently valid OMB Control Number. In addition, 
notwithstanding any other provisions of law, no person shall generally 
be subject to penalty for failing to comply with a collection of 
information if the collection of information does not display a valid 
OMB control number. See 5 CFR 1320.5(a) and 1320.6. For additional 
information, see the related notice published in the Federal Register 
on April 28, 2011 (76 FR 23844).
    Interested parties are encouraged to send comments to the OMB, 
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs at the address shown in 
the ADDRESSES section within 30 days of publication of this notice in 
the Federal Register. In order to help ensure appropriate 
consideration, comments should reference OMB ICR Reference Number 
201106-1210-001. The OMB 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
     Minimize 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., permitting 
electronic submission of responses.
    Agency: Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA).
    Title of Collection: Request for Assistance from Department of 
Labor, EBSA.
    OMB ICR Reference Number: 201106-1210-001.
    Affected Public: Individuals or Households.
    Total Estimated Number of Respondents: 30,000.
    Total Estimated Number of Responses: 30,000.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden Hours: 15,000.
    Total Estimated Annual Other Costs Burden: $3,100.

    Dated: July 29, 2011.
Michel Smyth,
Departmental Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2011-19756 Filed 8-3-11; 8:45 am]
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