[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 186 (Wednesday, September 25, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59065-59066]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-23260]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Office of the Secretary


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Notice Requirements of the Health Care 
Continuation Coverage Provisions

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Employee 
Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) sponsored information 
collection request (ICR) titled, ``Notice Requirements of the Health 
Care Continuation Coverage Provisions,'' to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for review and approval for continued use, without 
change, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 
(44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

DATES: Submit comments on or before October 25, 2013.

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 free of charge 
from the RegInfo.gov Web site at http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAViewICR?ref_nbr=201307-1210-001 (this link will only become active 
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 email to [email protected].
    Submit comments about this request to the Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs, Attn: OMB Desk Officer for DOL-EBSA, 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]. Commenters are encouraged, but not 
required, to send a courtesy copy of any comments to the U.S. 
Department of Labor-OASAM, Office of the Chief Information Officer, 
Attn: Information Management Program, Room N1301, 200 Constitution 
Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20210, email: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 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).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Consolidated Omnibus Budget 
Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA) provides that, under certain 
circumstances, a group health plan participant or beneficiary who meets 
the COBRA qualified beneficiaries definition may elect to continue 
group health coverage temporarily following a qualifying event that 
would otherwise result in loss of coverage. The COBRA provides that the 
Secretary of Labor has the authority under Employee Retirement Income 
Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) section 608 to carry out the provisions of 
ERISA Title I Part 6.
    The DOL issued regulations to implement the ERISA section 606 
notice requirements, because providing timely and adequate 
notifications regarding COBRA rights and responsibilities is critical 
to a qualified beneficiary's ability to obtain health continuation 
coverage. In addition, the DOL believes, regulatory guidance was 
necessary to establish clearer standards for administering and 
processing COBRA notices.
    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 that 
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 1210-0123. OMB authorization for an ICR cannot be for 
more than three (3) years without renewal, and the current approval is 
scheduled to expire on September 30,

[[Page 59066]]

2013. The DOL seeks to extend PRA authorization for this information 
collection for three (3) more years, without any change to existing 
requirements. 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 substantive information about 
this ICR, see the related notice published in the Federal Register on 
May 22, 2013 (78 FR 30333).
    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 mention OMB Control Number 1210-0123. 
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-EBSA.
    Title of Collection: Notice Requirements of the Health Care 
Continuation Coverage Provisions.
    OMB Control Number: 1210-0123.
    Affected Public: Private Sector--businesses or other for-profits.
    Total Estimated Number of Respondents: 599,000.
    Total Estimated Number of Responses: 20,712,556.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden Hours: 0.
    Total Estimated Annual Other Costs Burden: $26,554,404.

    Dated: September 18, 2013.
Michel Smyth,
Departmental Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2013-23260 Filed 9-24-13; 8:45 am]
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