[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 209 (Tuesday, October 29, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64536-64537]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-25510]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Office of the Secretary


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Claim for Reimbursement of Benefit Payments 
and Claims Expense Under the War Hazards Compensation Act

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Office of 
Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP) sponsored information collection 
request (ICR) revision titled, ``Claim for Reimbursement of Benefit 
Payments and Claims Expense under the War Hazards Compensation Act,'' 
to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval 
for use in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 
(44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

DATES: Submit comments on or before November 29, 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=201306-1240-002 (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-OWCP, 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 OWCP is responsible for administering 
the War Hazards Compensation Act (WHCA) (42 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.). WHCA 
section 1704(a) provides that an insurance carrier or self-insured who 
has paid workers' compensation benefits to or on account of any person 
for a war-risk hazard may seek reimbursement for benefits paid (plus 
expenses) out of the Federal Employees' Compensation Fund. See also 5 
U.S.C. 8147.
    Insurance carriers and the self-insured file a Claim for 
Reimbursement of Benefit Payments and Claims Expense under the War 
Hazards Compensation Act, Form CA-278, to request reimbursement. 
Regulations implementing the WHCA permit the OWCP to collect the 
information needed to consider an insurance carrier's or self-insured's 
reimbursement request. See 20 CFR 61.101 and 61.104. This ICR has been 
classified as a revision, because the OWCP has revised Form CA-278 to 
include an accommodation statement informing claimants with mental or 
physical limitations to contact the OWCP, Division of Federal 
Employees' Compensation if they need further assistance with the claims 
process.
    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 1240-0006. The current approval is scheduled to 
expire on October 31, 2013; however, it should be noted that existing 
information

[[Page 64537]]

collection requirements submitted to the OMB receive a month-to-month 
extension while they undergo review. New requirements would only take 
effect upon OMB approval. For additional substantive information about 
this ICR, see the related notice published in the Federal Register on 
July 5, 2013 (78 FR 40514).
    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 1240-0006. 
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-OWCP.
    Title of Collection: Claim for Reimbursement of Benefit Payments 
and Claims Expense under the War Hazards Compensation Act.
    OMB Control Number: 1240-0006.
    Affected Public: Private Sector-businesses or other for-profits.
    Total Estimated Number of Respondents: 7.
    Total Estimated Number of Responses: 393.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden Hours: 197.
    Total Estimated Annual Other Costs Burden: $1,407.

    Dated: October 23, 2013.
Michel Smyth,
Departmental Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2013-25510 Filed 10-28-13; 8:45 am]
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