[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 181 (Wednesday, September 18, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57416-57417]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-22705]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Office of Workers' Compensation Programs


Division of Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Proposed 
Revision of Existing Collection; Comment Request

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 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 Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP) is 
soliciting comments concerning the proposed collection: Regulations 
Governing the Administration of the Longshore and Harbor Workers' 
Compensation Act (LS-200, LS-201, LS-203, LS-204, LS-262, LS-267, LS-
271, LS-274, and LS-513). A copy of the proposed information collection 
request can be obtained by contacting the office listed below in the 
address section of this Notice.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
addresses section below on or before November 18, 2013.

ADDRESSES: Ms. Yoon Ferguson, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 
Constitution Ave. NW., Room S-3201, Washington, DC 20210, telephone 
(202) 693-0701, fax (202) 693-1447, Email [email protected]. Please 
use only one method of transmission for comments (mail, fax, or Email).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    The Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP) administers the 
Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act (LHWCA). LHWCA provides 
benefits to workers injured in maritime employment on the navigable 
waters of the United States or in an adjoining area customarily used by 
an employer in loading, unloading, repairing, or building a vessel. In 
addition, several Acts extend the Longshore Act's benefits and 
procedures to certain other employees. The information collections in 
this package are necessary for proper administration of the provisions 
of the LHWCA and its extensions. This information collection is 
currently approved for use through August 31, 2015. However, one of the 
forms in this package, the LS-513 (Report of Payments), is now being 
modified slightly to include the collection of additional data which 
has caused a change in burden. The LS-513 is used by insurance carriers 
and self-insured employers to annually report the total amount of 
payments made under the LHWCA and its extensions. The modifications to 
the LS-513 will affect only those few carriers and self-insured 
employers making payments under the Defense Base Act (DBA), one of the 
LHWCA's extensions. These entities will now be required to report their 
DBA payments by contracting agency (i.e., the government agency with 
which the injured worker's employer contracted) on the form. OWCP needs 
this information to better cross-reference the information submitted on 
the LS-202 (Employer's First Report of Injury or Occupational Illness) 
and to adequately monitor DBA claims processing and compliance. OWCP 
estimates that the LS-513 modification will increase total burden for 
the form by only 5 hours. While respondents who do not currently 
capture the contracting-agency data in a way that can be easily 
retrieved and reported may incur additional costs to adapt their 
information technology systems to this reporting requirement, these 
costs will be limited to the first year. OWCP estimates the additional 
first-year cost to be $769.40 per respondent.

[[Page 57417]]

    Both the LS-513 and another form in this package, the LS-274 
(Report of Injury Experience), have an increase in burden due to the 
program not being able to collect the information via proposed weblink 
as originally forecasted. The additional increases are 122.5 hours for 
the LS-513 and 518 hours for the LS-274. The package is being re-
submitted for this reason as well.
    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, 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: The Department of Labor seeks the approval 
for the revision of this currently approved information collection.
    Agency: Office of Workers' Compensation Programs.
    Type of Review: Revision.
    Title: Regulations Governing the Administration of the Longshore 
and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act.
    OMB Number: 1240-0014.
    Agency Number: (LS-200, LS-201, LS-203, LS-204, LS-262, LS-267, LS-
271, LS-274, and LS-513).
    Affected Public: Individuals or households, Businesses or other 
for-profit.
    Total Respondents: 130,036.
    Total Annual Responses: 130,036.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 44,955.
    Estimated Time per Response: 2 minutes to 3 hours.
    Frequency: On occasion and annually.
    Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0.
    Total Burden Cost (operating/maintenance): $46,866.

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                     Burden summary                            Hours
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LS-200 (20 CFR 702.285, Report of Earnings).............           1,904
20 CFR 702.162 (Liens)..................................               5
20 CFR 702.174 (Certifications).........................               4
20 CFR 702.175 (Reinstatements).........................               1
20 CFR 702.242 (Settlement Applications)................           9,498
20 CFR 702.321 (Section 8(f) Payments)..................           1,425
ESA-100 (20 CFR 702.111, 702.201).......................             840
LS-271 (Self Insurance Application).....................              60
LS-274 (Report of Injury Experience of Insurance Carrier             565
 or Self-Insured Employer)..............................
LS-201 (Injury or Death Notice).........................             910
LS-513 (Payment Report).................................             288
LS-267 (Claimant's Statement)...........................              37
LS-203 (Employee Comp. Claim)...........................           2,048
LS-204 (Medical Report).................................          27,300
LS-262 (Claim for Death Benefits).......................              70
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    Total Burden Hours..................................          44,955
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    Comments submitted in response to this notice 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: September 12, 2013.
Yoon Ferguson,
Agency Clearance Officer, Office of Workers' Compensation Programs, 
U.S. Department of Labor.
[FR Doc. 2013-22705 Filed 9-17-13; 8:45 am]
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