[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 24 (Wednesday, February 5, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6923-6924]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-02435]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration


Comment Request for Information Collection for the ETA 227, 
Overpayment Detection and Recovery Activities, Extension Without 
Revision

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

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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 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 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, ETA is soliciting comments concerning the collection of 
data about the ETA 227, Overpayment Detection and Recovery Activities. 
The Unemployment Insurance (UI) program paid approximately $46 billion 
in benefits in FY 2013. Collecting data through ETA 227 allows us to 
measure the effectiveness of the benefit payment control programs in 
the State Workforce Agencies (SWA). The current expiration date is 
August 31, 2014.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
addresses section below on or before April 7, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments to Ericka Parker, Office of 
Unemployment Insurance, Employment and Training Administration, U.S. 
Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Frances Perkins Bldg. 
Room S-4519, Washington, DC 20210. Telephone number: 202-693-3208 (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 the person 
listed above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    Section 303(a)(1) of the Social Security Act requires a state's 
unemployment insurance UI law to include provisions for:

    Such methods of administration . . . as are found by the 
Secretary of Labor to be reasonably calculated to insure full 
payment of unemployment compensation when due . . .

Section 303(a)(5) of the Social Security Act further requires a state's 
UI law to include provisions for:

    Expenditure of all money withdrawn from an unemployment fund of 
such State, in the payment of unemployment compensation . . .

Section 3304(a)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 provides that:

all money withdrawn from the unemployment fund of the State shall be 
used solely in the payment of unemployment compensation . . .

The Secretary of Labor has interpreted the above sections of federal 
law in Section 7511, Part V, ES Manual to further require a state's UI 
law to include provisions for such methods of administration as are, 
within reason, calculated to: (1) Detect benefits paid through error by 
the SWA or through willful misrepresentation or error by the claimant 
or others; (2) deter claimants from obtaining benefits through willful 
misrepresentation; and (3) recover benefits overpaid. The ETA 227 is 
used to determine whether SWAs meet these requirements.
    The ETA 227 contains data on the number and amounts of fraud and 
non-fraud overpayments established, the methods by which overpayments 
were detected, the amounts and methods by which overpayments were 
collected, the amounts of overpayments waived and written off, the 
accounts receivable for overpayments outstanding, and data on criminal/
civil actions. These data are gathered by 53 SWAs and reported to the 
Department of Labor following the end of each calendar quarter. The

[[Page 6924]]

overall effectiveness of SWAs' UI integrity efforts can be determined 
by examining and analyzing the data. These data are also used by SWAs 
as a management tool for effective UI program administration.

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 revision.
    Title: Overpayment Detection and Recovery Activities.
    OMB Number: 1205-0187.
    Affected Public: State workforce agencies.
    Estimated Total Annual Respondents: 53 state agencies.
    Annual Frequency: Quarterly.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 212.
    Average Time per Response: 14 hours.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 2,968.
    Total Estimated Annual Other Cost Burden: $0.
    Comments submitted in response to this comment request will be 
summarized and/or included in the request for OMB approval of the ICR; 
they will also become a matter of public record.

    Dated: January17, 2014.
Eric M. Seleznow,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training, Labor.
[FR Doc. 2014-02435 Filed 2-4-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-FW-P