[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 185 (Wednesday, September 24, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57133-57134]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-22636]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Office of the Secretary


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Request for Assistance From the Department of 
Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration

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, ``Request for Assistance From the 
Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration'' to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval for 
continued use, without change, in accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq. Public comments on 
the ICR are invited.

DATES: The OMB will consider all written comments that agency receives 
on or before October 24, 2014.

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=201407-1210-002 (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, TTY 202-693-8064, 
(these are not toll-free numbers) or by email at 
[email protected].
    Submit comments about this request by mail or courier 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; by Fax: 202-395-5806 (this is not a toll-free 
number); or by email: [email protected]. Commenters 
are encouraged, but not required, to send a courtesy copy of any 
comments by mail or courier to the U.S. Department of Labor-OASAM, 
Office of the Chief Information Officer, Attn: Departmental Information 
Compliance Management Program, Room N1301, 200 Constitution Avenue, 
NW., Washington, DC 20210; or by email: 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michel Smyth by telephone at 202-693-
4129, TTY 202-693-8064, (these are not toll-free numbers) or by email 
at [email protected].

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This ICR seeks to extend PRA authority for 
an information collection that provides the public a means to request 
for assistance from the EBSA. The EBSA assists employee benefit plan 
participants in understanding their rights, responsibilities, and 
benefits under employee benefit law and intervenes informally on 
participants' behalf with the plan sponsor in order to help them obtain 
health and retirement benefits that may have been inappropriately 
denied. Such informal intervention can avert the necessity for a formal 
investigation or a civil action. The EBSA maintains a toll-free 
telephone number through which inquirers can reach Benefits Advisors in 
ten Regional Offices. The EBSA has also made a request for assistance 
form available on its Web site for those wishing to obtain assistance 
in this manner.
    This information collection is subject to the PRA. A Federal agency 
generally cannot conduct or sponsor a collection

[[Page 57134]]

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 1210-0146.
    OMB authorization for an ICR cannot be for more than three (3) 
years without renewal, and the current approval for this collection is 
scheduled to expire on September 30, 2014. The DOL seeks to extend PRA 
authorization for this information collection for three (3) more years, 
without any change to existing requirements. The DOL notes 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 21, 2014 (79 FR 29208).
    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 thirty (30) days of publication of this 
notice in the Federal Register. In order to help ensure appropriate 
consideration, comments should mention OMB Control Number 1210-0146. 
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: Request for Assistance From the Department of 
Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration.
    OMB Control Number: 1210-0146.
    Affected Public: Individuals or Households.
    Total Estimated Number of Respondents: 6,500.
    Total Estimated Number of Responses: 6,500.
    Total Estimated Annual Time Burden: 3,250 hours.
    Total Estimated Annual Other Costs Burden: $0.

    Dated: September 17, 2014.
Michel Smyth,
Departmental Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2014-22636 Filed 9-23-14; 8:45 am]
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