[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 189 (Friday, September 28, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59669-59670]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-23848]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration


Comment Request for Information Collection; Unemployment 
Insurance (UI) Title XII Advances and Voluntary Repayment Process; 
Extension Without Revisions

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor (Department), as part of its 
continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a 
preclearance consultation program to provide the 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 [44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)]. This program helps 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. Currently, ETA is soliciting 
comments concerning the collection process for data on UI Title XII 
advances and voluntary repayments, which expires 11/30/2012.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
addresses section below on or before November 27, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments to Scott Gibbons, Office of 
Unemployment Insurance, Employment and Training Administration, U.S. 
Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue NW. Washington, DC 20210. 
Telephone number: 202-693-3008 (this is not a toll-free number). 
Individuals with hearing or speech impairments may access the telephone 
number above via TTY by calling the toll-free Federal Information Relay 
Service at 1-877-889-5627 (TTY/TDD). Email: [email protected]. A 
copy of the proposed information collection request (ICR) can be 
obtained by contacting Mr. Gibbons.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    Title XII Section 1201 of the Social Security Act (SSA) provides 
for advances to states from the Federal Unemployment Account (FUA). The 
law further sets out specific requirements to be met by a state 
requesting an advance:
     The Governor, or designee, must apply for the advance;
     The application must cover a three month period and the 
Secretary of Labor (Secretary) must be furnished with estimates of the 
amounts needed in each month of the three month period;
     The application must be made on such forms and shall 
contain such information and data (fiscal and otherwise) concerning the 
operation and administration of the state unemployment compensation law 
as the Secretary deems necessary or relevant to the performance of his 
or her duties under this title;
     The amount required by any state for the payment of 
compensation in any month shall be determined with due allowance for 
contingencies and taking into account all other amounts that will be 
available in the state's unemployment fund for the payment of 
compensation in such month; and
     The term ``compensation'' means cash benefits payable to 
individuals with respect to their unemployment exclusive of expenses of 
administration.

    Section 1202(a) of the SSA provides that the Governor of any state 
may at any time request that funds be transferred from the account of 
such state to the FUA in repayment of part or all of the balance of 
advances made to such state under section 1201. These applications and 
repayments may be requested by an individual designated for that 
authority in writing by the Governor.

II. Review Focus

    The Department 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, including through 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 changes.
    Title: Unemployment Insurance (UI) Title XII Advances and Voluntary 
Repayment Process.
    OMB Number: 1205-0199.
    Affected Public: State Workforce Agencies.
    Form(s): Not Applicable.
    Total Annual Respondents: Up to 53.
    Annual Frequency: As needed, based on a state's discretion.
    Total Annual Responses: DOL currently estimates that 24 states will 
borrow during fiscal year 2013, and 22 states could continue to be 
borrowing during calendar year 2014 and beyond. Although it's 
impossible to know the exact number of responses, the maximum would be 
four requests for advances and four requests for voluntary repayments 
per state each year. This will result in a maximum possible number of 
responses of 544 over the three year window or an average of 181.33 
responses per year.
    Average Time per Response: 1 hour.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 181.33 hours.

[[Page 59670]]

    Total Annual Burden Cost for Respondents: There is no burden cost.
    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 ICR; they will also become a matter of public 
record.

     Dated: Signed in Washington, DC, this 21st day of September, 
2012.
Jane Oates,
Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training, Labor.
[FR Doc. 2012-23848 Filed 9-27-12; 8:45 am]
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