[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 96 (Thursday, May 17, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29441-29443]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-11917]


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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 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 and one extension 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 ways to minimize burden 
on respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology. Mail, email, 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, Email address: [email protected].
(SSA), Social Security Administration, DCRDP, Attn: Reports Clearance 
Director, 107 Altmeyer Building, 6401 Security Blvd., Baltimore, MD 
21235, Fax: 410-966-2830, Email 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 July 
16, 2012. Individuals can obtain copies of the collection instruments 
by writing to the above email address.
    1. Disability Report-Adult--20 CFR 404.1512 and 416.912--0960-0579. 
State Disability Determination Services (DDS) use the SSA-3368 and its 
electronic versions to determine if adult disability applicants' 
impairments are severe and, if so, how the impairments affect the 
applicants' ability to work. This determination dictates whether the 
DDSs and SSA will find the applicant to be disabled and entitled to 
Supplement Security Income (SSI) payments. The respondents are 
applicants for title II disability benefits or title XVI SSI payments.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

[[Page 29442]]



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                                                                                      Average
                                                     Number of     Frequency of     burden per       Estimated
                Collection method                   respondents      response        response      annual burden
                                                                                     (minutes)        (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-3368 (paper)................................          29,072               1              60          29,072
Electronic Disability Collect System (EDCS).....       2,853,426               1              60       2,853,426
I3368 (Internet)................................         421,226               1              90         631,839
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals......................................       3,303,724  ..............  ..............       3,514,337
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    2. Social Security Number Verification Services--20 CFR 401.45--
0960-0660. Internal Revenue Service regulations require employers to 
provide wage and tax data to SSA using Form W-2 or its electronic 
equivalent. As part of this process, the employer must furnish the 
employee's name and Social Security number (SSN). In addition, the 
employee's name and SSN must match SSA's records for SSA to post 
earnings to the employee's earnings record, which SSA maintains. SSA 
offers the Social Security Number Verification Service (SSNVS), which 
allows employers to verify the reported names and SSNs of their 
employees match those in SSA's records. SSNVS is a cost-free method for 
employers to verify employee information either through the Internet or 
via telephone. The respondents are employers who need to verify SSN 
data using SSA's records.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

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                                                                                      Average        Estimated
                                     Number of     Frequency of      Number of      burden per     total  annual
        Collection method           respondents      response        responses       response         burden
                                                                                     (minutes)        (hours)
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SSNVS...........................         200,000              60    (12,000,000)               5       1,000,000
SSNVS Telephone.................          50,000               2       (100,000)              10          16,667
                                 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals......................         250,000  ..............    (12,100,000)  ..............       1,016,667
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    3. Electronic Records Express (Third Parties)--20 CFR 404.1700-
404.1715--0960-0767. Electronic Records Express (ERE) is an online 
system that enables medical providers and various third-party 
representatives to download and submit disability claimant information 
electronically to SSA as part of the disability application process. To 
ensure only authorized people access ERE, SSA requires third parties to 
complete a unique registration process if they wish to use this system. 
This Information Collection Request (ICRSs) includes the third-party 
registration process; the burden for submitting evidence to SSA is part 
of other, various ICRs. The respondents are third-party representatives 
of disability applicants or recipients who want to use ERE to 
electronically access clients' disability files online and submit 
information to SSA.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

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                                                                                                                        Average  burden     Estimated
                         Collection  method                             Number of       Frequency of      Number of      per  response     total annual
                                                                       respondents        response        responses        (minutes)     burden  (hours)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ERE................................................................           9,000              283        2,547,000                1           42,450
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    II. SSA submitted the information collections below to OMB for 
clearance. Your comments regarding 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 June 18, 2012. Individuals can obtain copies of the 
OMB clearance packages by writing to [email protected].
    1. Request for Withdrawal of Application--20 CFR 404.640--0960-
0015. Form SSA-521 documents the information SSA needs to process the 
withdrawal of an application for benefits. A paper SSA-521 is the 
preferred instrument for executing a withdrawal request; however, any 
written request for withdrawal signed by the claimant or a proper 
applicant on the claimant's behalf will suffice. Individuals who wish 
to withdraw their applications for benefits complete Form SSA-521, or 
sign the completed form for each request to withdraw. SSA uses the 
information from Form SSA-521 to process the request for withdrawal. 
The respondents are applicants for Retirement, Survivors, Disability, 
and Health Insurance benefits.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

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                                                                                Average  burden     Estimated
             Collection  method                  Number of       Frequency of    per  response    annual burden
                                                respondents        response        (minutes)         (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-521.....................................          39,000                1                5            3,250
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[[Page 29443]]

    2. Testimony by Employees and the Production of Records and 
Information in Legal Proceedings--20 CFR 403.100-403.155--0960-0619. 
Regulations at 20 CFR 403.100-403.155 of the Code of Federal 
Regulations establish SSA's policies and procedures for an individual, 
organization, or government entity to request official agency 
information, records, or testimony of an agency employee in a legal 
proceeding where the agency is not a party. The request, which 
respondents submit in writing to the Commissioner, must (1) fully set 
out the nature and relevance of the sought testimony; (2) explain why 
the information is not available by other means; (3) explain why it is 
in SSA's interest to provide the testimony; and (4) provide the date, 
time, and place for the testimony. Respondents are individuals or 
entities who request testimony from SSA employees in connection with a 
legal proceeding.
    Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

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                                                                                Average  burden     Estimated
             Collection  method                  Number of       Frequency of    per  response    annual burden
                                                respondents        response        (minutes)         (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
20 CFR 403.100-403.155......................             100                1               60              100
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    Dated: May 11, 2012.
Faye Lipsky,
Reports Clearance Director, Office of Regulations and Reports 
Clearance, Social Security Administration.
[FR Doc. 2012-11917 Filed 5-16-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4191-02-P