[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 231 (Friday, November 30, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71449-71450]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-28939]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Office of the Secretary


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Benefit Accuracy Measurement Program

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: On November 30, 2012, the Department of Labor (DOL) will 
submit the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) sponsored 
information collection request (ICR) titled, ``Benefit Accuracy 
Measurement Program,'' to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for 
review and approval for continued use in accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

DATES: Submit comments on or before December 31, 2012.

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, as of 
December 1, 2012, or by contacting Michel Smyth by telephone at 202-
693-4129 (this is not a toll-free number) or sending an email to [email protected].
    Submit comments about this request to the Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs, Attn: OMB Desk Officer for DOL-ETA, Office of 
Management and Budget, Room 10235, 725 17th Street NW., Washington, DC 
20503, Fax: 202-395-6881 (this is not a toll-free number), email: 
[email protected].

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

    Authority:  44 U.S.C. 3507(a)(1)(D).

[[Page 71450]]


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Benefits Accuracy Measurement (BAM) 
program is one of the tools the DOL uses to measure and reduce waste, 
fraud, and abuse for the Unemployment Insurance (UI) program. The BAM 
program provides reliable estimates of the accuracy of benefit payments 
and denied claims in the UI program, and identifies the sources of 
improper payments and denials so their causes can be eliminated. The 
BAM program consists of two comprehensive reviews: Paid Claims Accuracy 
(PCA) and Denied Claims Accuracy (DCA). States conduct intensive audits 
of statewide random samples of UI payments and denials to determine 
their accuracy. The DOL provides State Workforce Agencies with software 
to edit the sampling frame files and to select the weekly PCA and DCA 
samples.
    This 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 Control Number. See 
5 CFR 1320.5(a) and 1320.6. The DOL obtains OMB approval for this 
information collection under Control Number 1205-0245. The current 
approval is scheduled to expire on November 30, 2012; however, it 
should be noted that existing information collection requirements 
submitted to the OMB receive a month-to-month extension while they 
undergo review. For additional information, see the related notice 
published in the Federal Register on September 6, 2012 (77 FR 54927).
    Interested parties are encouraged to send comments to the OMB, 
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs at the address shown in 
the ADDRESSES section by December 31, 2012. In order to help ensure 
appropriate consideration, comments should mention OMB Control Number 
1205-0245. 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: DOL-ETA.
    Title of Collection: Benefit Accuracy Measurement Program.
    OMB Control Number: 1205-0245.
    Affected Public: Individuals or Households; Private Sector--
businesses or other for profits, farms, and not-for-profit 
institutions; and State, Local, and Tribal Governments.
    Total Estimated Number of Respondents: 101,892.
    Total Estimated Number of Responses: 149,004.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden Hours: 524,744.
    Total Estimated Annual Other Costs Burden: $0.

    Dated: November 26, 2012.
Michel Smyth,
Departmental Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2012-28939 Filed 11-29-12; 8:45 a.m.]
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