[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 146 (Wednesday, July 29, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45723-45731]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-16361]


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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

[Docket No: SSA-2020-0033]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Request and 
Comment Request

    The Social Security Administration (SSA) publishes a list of 
information collection packages requiring clearance by the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) in compliance with Public Law 104-13, the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, effective October 1, 1995. This notice 
includes extensions and revisions of OMB-approved information 
collections, as well as two new collections.
    SSA is soliciting comments on the accuracy of the agency's burden 
estimate; the need for the information; its practical utility; ways to 
enhance its quality, utility, and clarity; and ways to minimize burden 
on respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology. Mail, email, or fax your 
comments and recommendations on the information collection(s) to the 
OMB Desk Officer and SSA Reports Clearance Officer at the following 
addresses or fax numbers.

(OMB) Office of Management and Budget, Attn: Desk Officer for SSA, Fax: 
202-395-6974, Email address: [email protected]
(SSA) Social Security Administration, OLCA, Attn: Reports Clearance 
Director, 3100 West High Rise, 6401 Security Blvd., Baltimore, MD 
21235, Fax: 410-966-2830, Email address: [email protected]

    Or you may submit your comments online through www.regulations.gov, 
referencing Docket ID Number [SSA-2020-0033].
    I. The information collections below are pending at SSA. SSA will 
submit them to OMB within 60 days from the date of this notice. To be 
sure we consider your comments, we must receive them no later than 
September 28, 2020. Individuals can obtain copies of the collection 
instruments by writing to the above email address.
    1. Online Request for Correction of Earnings Record--0960-NEW. We 
are offering an alternative to the paper process of requesting a 
correction to an

[[Page 45724]]

earnings record, and launching a new service that enables our users to 
make these same requests electronically via the online my Social 
Security portal. Information collected from the public will not exceed 
that which is requested by paper Form SSA-7008, OMB No. 0960-0029, 
Request for Correction of Earnings Record. The information we collect 
includes that which supports an earnings correction action, such as 
employer names, addresses, wage amounts, and pertinent details about 
the nature of employment. The respondents are authorized, authenticated 
individuals accessing the earnings correction process from their 
personal my Social Security portal.
    Type of Request: Request for a new information collection.

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                                                                                                                            Average
                                                                                       Average burden  Estimated total    theoretical      Total annual
              Modality of completion                   Number of       Frequency of     per response    annual burden     hourly cost      opportunity
                                                      respondents        response        (minutes)         (hours)           amount       cost (dollars)
                                                                                                                          (dollars) *           **
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Online Request for Correction of Earnings Record..          76,047                1               15           19,012         * $25.72      ** $488,989
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* We based this figure on average U.S. citizen's hourly salary, as reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics data (https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_stru.htm).
** This figure does not represent actual costs that SSA is imposing on recipients of Social Security payments to complete this application; rather,
  these are theoretical opportunity costs for the additional time respondents will spend to complete the application. There is no actual charge to
  respondents to complete the application.

    2. Statement of Death by Funeral Director--20 CFR 404.715 and 
404.720--0960-0142. When an SSA-insured worker dies, the funeral 
director or funeral home responsible for the worker's burial or 
cremation completes Form SSA-721 and sends it to SSA. SSA uses this 
information for three purposes: (1) To establish proof of death for the 
insured worker; (2) to determine if the insured individual was 
receiving any pre-death benefits SSA needs to terminate; and (3) to 
ascertain which surviving family member is eligible for the lump-sum 
death payment or for other death benefits. The respondents are funeral 
directors who handled death arrangements for the insured individuals.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

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                                                                                                                            Average
                                                                                       Average burden  Estimated total    theoretical      Total annual
              Modality of completion                   Number of       Frequency of     per response    annual burden     hourly cost      opportunity
                                                      respondents        response        (minutes)         (hours)           amount       cost (dollars)
                                                                                                                          (dollars) *           **
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-721...........................................         544,233                1                4           36,282          * 28.06    ** $1,018,073
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* We based this figure on average funeral arranger's hourly salary, as reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics data (https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes394031.htm).
** This figure does not represent actual costs that SSA is imposing on recipients of Social Security payments to complete this application; rather,
  these are theoretical opportunity costs for the additional time respondents will spend to complete the application. There is no actual charge to
  respondents to complete the application.

    3. Government Pension Questionnaire--20 CFR 404.408a--0960-0160. 
The basic Social Security benefits application (OMB No. 0960-0618) 
contains a lead question asking if applicants are qualified (or will 
qualify) to receive a government pension. If the respondent is 
qualified, or will qualify, to receive a government pension, the 
applicant completes Form SSA-3885 either on paper or through a personal 
interview with an SSA claims representative. If applicants are not 
entitled to receive a government pension at the time they apply for 
Social Security benefits, SSA requires them to provide the government 
pension information as beneficiaries when they become eligible to 
receive their pensions. Regardless of the timing, at some point the 
applicants or beneficiaries must complete and sign Form SSA-3885 to 
report information about their government pensions before the pensions 
begin. SSA uses the information to: (1) Determine whether the 
Government Pension Offset provision applies; (2) identify exceptions as 
stated in 20 CFR 404.408a; and (3) determine the benefit reduction 
amount and effective date. If the applicants and beneficiaries do not 
respond using this questionnaire, SSA offsets their entire benefit 
amount. The respondents are applicants or recipients of spousal 
benefits who are eligible for or already receiving a Government 
pension.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

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                                                                                                           Average
                                                                      Average burden  Estimated total    theoretical      Average wait     Total annual
      Modality of completion          Number of       Frequency of     per response    annual burden     hourly cost     time in field     opportunity
                                     respondents        response        (minutes)         (hours)           amount           office       cost (dollars)
                                                                                                         (dollars) *      (minutes) **         ***
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-3885.........................           6,495                1               13            1,407         * $25.72            ** 24     *** $103,009
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* We based this figure on average U.S. citizen's hourly salary, as reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics data (https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_stru.htm).
** We based this figure on the average FY 2020 wait times for field offices, based on SSA's current management information data.
*** This figure does not represent actual costs that SSA is imposing on recipients of Social Security payments to complete this application; rather,
  these are theoretical opportunity costs for the additional time respondents will spend to complete the application. There is no actual charge to
  respondents to complete the application.


[[Page 45725]]

    4. Application for Benefits under a U.S. International Social 
Security Agreement--20 CFR 404.1925--0960-0448. Section 233(a) of the 
Social Security Act (Act) authorizes the President to enter into 
international Social Security agreements (Totalization Agreements) 
between the United States and foreign countries. SSA collects 
information using Form SSA-2490-BK to determine entitlement to Social 
Security benefits from the United States, or from a country that enters 
into a Totalization Agreement with the United States. The respondents 
are individuals applying for Old Age Survivors and Disability Insurance 
(OASDI) benefits from the United States, or from a Totalization 
Agreement country.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

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                                                                                                              Average
                                                                          Average burden     Estimated      theoretical    Average wait    Total annual
         Modality of completion              Number of     Frequency of    per response    total annual     hourly cost    time in field    opportunity
                                            respondents      response        (minutes)    burden (hours)      amount          office      cost (dollars)
                                                                                                            (dollars) *    (minutes) **         ***
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-2490-BK (MCS).......................          16,195               1              30           8,098        * $10.73           ** 24    *** $156,401
SSA-2490-BK (Paper).....................           2,120               1              30           1,060         * 10.73           ** 24      *** 20,473
                                         ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals..............................          18,315  ..............  ..............           9,158  ..............  ..............     *** 176,874
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* We based this figure on average DI payments, as reported in SSA's disability insurance payment data (https://www.ssa.gov/legislation/2020Fact%20Sheet.pdf).
** We based this figure on the average FY 2020 wait times for field offices, based on SSA's current management information data.
*** This figure does not represent actual costs that SSA is imposing on recipients of Social Security payments to complete this application; rather,
  these are theoretical opportunity costs for the additional time respondents will spend to complete the application. There is no actual charge to
  respondents to complete the application.

    5. Employee Identification Statement--20 CFR 404.702--0960-0473. 
When two or more individuals report earnings under the same Social 
Security Number (SSN), SSA collects information on Form SSA-4156 to 
credit the earnings to the correct individual and SSN. We send SSA-4156 
to the employer to: (1) Identify the employees involved; (2) resolve 
the discrepancy; and (3) credit the earnings to the correct SSN. The 
respondents are employers involved in erroneous wage reporting for an 
employee.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

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                                                                                                           Average
                                                                      Average burden  Estimated total    theoretical      Average wait     Total annual
      Modality of completion          Number of       Frequency of     per response    annual burden     hourly cost     time in field     opportunity
                                     respondents        response        (minutes)         (hours)           amount           office       cost (dollars)
                                                                                                         (dollars) *      (minutes) **         ***
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-4156.........................           3,600                1               10              600         * $25.72            ** 24      *** $52,469
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* We based this figure on average U.S. worker's hourly wages as reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics data (https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_stru.htm).
** We based this figure on the average FY 2020 wait times for field offices, based on SSA's current management information data.
*** This figure does not represent actual costs that SSA is imposing on recipients of Social Security payments to complete this application; rather,
  these are theoretical opportunity costs for the additional time respondents will spend to complete the application. There is no actual charge to
  respondents to complete the application.

    6. Public Information Campaign--0960-0544. Periodically, SSA sends 
various public information materials, including public service 
announcements, news releases, and educational tapes to public 
broadcasting systems so they can inform the public about various 
programs and activities SSA conducts. SSA frequently sends follow-up 
business reply cards for these public information materials to obtain 
suggestions for improving them. The respondents are broadcast sources.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

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                                                                                                                            Average
                                                                                       Average burden  Estimated total    theoretical      Total annual
              Modality of completion                   Number of       Frequency of     per response    annual burden     hourly cost      opportunity
                                                      respondents        response        (minutes)         (hours)           amount       cost (dollars)
                                                                                                                          (dollars) *           **
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Radio Announcement................................           5,000                2                1              167         * $25.76        ** $4,302
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* We based this figure on average Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockey's hourly salary, as reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics data (https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes273011.htm).
** This figure does not represent actual costs that SSA is imposing on recipients of Social Security payments to complete this application; rather,
  these are theoretical opportunity costs for the additional time respondents will spend to complete the application. There is no actual charge to
  respondents to complete the application.

    7. SSI Notice of Interim Assistance Reimbursement (IAR)--0960-0546. 
Section 1631(g) of the Act authorizes SSA to reimburse an IAR agency 
from an individual's retroactive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) 
payment for assistance the IAR agency gave the individual for meeting 
basic needs while an SSI claim was pending or SSI payments were 
suspended or terminated. The State or local agency needs an IAR 
agreement with SSA to participate in the IAR program. The individual 
receiving the IAR payment signs an authorization form with an IAR 
agency to allow SSA to repay the IAR agency for funds paid in advance 
prior to SSA's determination on the

[[Page 45726]]

individual's claim. The authorization represents the individual's 
intent to file for SSI, if the individual did not file an application 
before SSA received the authorization. Agencies who wish to enter into 
an IAR agreement with SSA need to meet the following requirements:
     Reporting Requirements--Each IAR agency agrees to:
    (a) Notify SSA of receipt of an authorization for initial claims or 
cases the agency is appealing;
    (b) submit a copy of that authorization either through a manual or 
electronic process;
    (c) inform SSA of the amount of reimbursement;
    (d) submit a written request for dispute resolution on a 
determination;
    (e) notify SSA of interim assistance paid (using the SSA-8125 or 
the SSA-L8125-F6);
    (f) inform SSA of any deceased claimants who participate in the IAR 
program;
    (g) review and sign an agreement with SSA.
     Recordkeeping Requirements (h & i)--the IAR agencies agree 
to retain all notices, agreement, authorizations, and accounting forms 
for the period defined in the IAR agreement so SSA may verify 
transactions covered under the agreement.
     Third Party Disclosure Requirements (j)--each 
participating IAR agency agrees to send written notices from the IAR 
agency to the recipient regarding payment amounts and appeal rights.
     Periodic Review of Agency Accounting Process (k-m)--the 
IAR agency makes the IAR accounting records of paid cases available for 
SSA review and verification. SSA conducts reviews either onsite or 
through the mail of the authorization forms, notices to the claimant 
and accounting forms. Upon completion of the review, SSA provides a 
written report of findings to the IAR agency director.
    The respondents are State IAR officers.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

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                                                                                                                              Average
                                             Number of                                        Average        Estimated      theoretical    Total annual
         Modality of completion             respondents    Frequency of      Number of      burden per     total annual     hourly cost     opportunity
                                             (States)        response        responses       response      burden hours       amount           cost
                                                                                             (minutes)        (hours)       (dollars) *    (dollars) **
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                 Reporting Requirements
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(a) State notification of receipt of                  11           6,973          76,703               1           1,278        * $19.58      ** $25,023
 authorization (Electronic Process).....
(b) State submission of copy of                       27           1,894          51,138               3           2,557         * 19.58       ** 50,066
 authorization (Manual Process).........
(c) State submission of amount of IA                  38           1,346          51,148               8           6,820         * 19.58      ** 133,536
 paid to recipients (using eIAR)........
(d) State request for determination--              (\1\)               1               2              30               1         * 19.58           ** 20
 dispute resolution.....................
(e) State computation of reimbursement                38               1              38              30               4         * 19.58           ** 78
 due form SSA using paper Form SSA-L8125-
 F6.....................................
(f) State notification to SSA of                      20               2              40              15              10         * 19.58          ** 196
 deceased claimant......................
(g) State reviewing/signing of IAR                    38               1              38          \2\ 12             456         * 19.58        ** 8,928
 Agreement..............................
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                               Recordkeeping Requirements
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(h) Maintenance of authorization forms..              38           3,364     \3\ 127,832               3           6,392         * 21.09      ** 134,807
(i) Maintenance of accounting forms and               38           1,346          51,148               3           2,557         * 21.09       ** 53,927
 notices................................
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Third Party Disclosure Requirements
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(j) Written notice from State to                      38            2668         101,384               7          11,828         * 19.58      ** 231,592
 recipient regarding amount of payment..
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                      Periodic Review of Agency Accounting Process
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(k) Retrieve and consolidate                          12               1              12               3              36         * 21.09          ** 759
 authorization and accounting forms.....

[[Page 45727]]

 
(l) Participate in periodic review......              12               1              12              16             192         * 21.09        ** 4,049
(m) Correct administrative and                         6               1               6               4              24         * 21.09          ** 506
 accounting discrepancies...............
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                                                               Total Administrative Burden
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total...............................              38  ..............         408,353  ..............          32,155  ..............      ** 643,487
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\1\ Average of about 2 States per year.
\2\ Hours.
\3\ Includes both denied and approved SSI claims.
* We based this figure on average Social and Human Services Assistants (https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes211093.htm), and Information and Records
  Clerks (https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes434199.htm).
** This figure does not represent actual costs that SSA is imposing on recipients of Social Security payments to complete this application; rather,
  these are theoretical opportunity costs for the additional time respondents will spend to complete the application. There is no actual charge to
  respondents to complete the application.

    8. Appeal of Determination for Extra Help with Medicare 
Prescription Drug Plan Costs--0960-0695. Public Law 108-173, the 
Medicare Perscription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003, 
established the Medicare Part D program for voluntary prescription drug 
coverage for certain low-income individuals. The law provides for 
subsidies for individuals who are eligible for the program and who meet 
eligibility criteria for help with premium, deductible, and co-payment 
costs. SSA uses Form SSA-1021, Appeal of Determination for Extra Help 
With Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Costs, to obtain information from 
individuals who appeal SSA's decisions regarding eligibility or 
continuing eligibility for a Medicare Part D subsidy. The respondents 
are Medicare beneficiaries, or representative payee applicants acting 
on behalf of a Medicare beneficiary, who do not agree with the outcome 
of an SSA subsidy eligibility determination, and are filing an appeal.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

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                                                                                                              Average
                                                                              Average        Estimated      theoretical    Average wait    Total annual
         Modality of completion              Number of     Frequency of     burden per     total annual     hourly cost    time in field    opportunity
                                            respondents      response        response         burden          amount          office           cost
                                                                             (minutes)        (hours)       (dollars) *    (minutes) **    (dollars) ***
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-1021 (Paper version)................           2,872               1              10             479        * $25.72               0     *** $12,320
SSA-1021 (Intranet version: MAPS).......           9,691               1              10           1,615         * 25.72           ** 24     *** 141,229
                                         ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals..............................          12,563  ..............  ..............           2,094  ..............  ..............     *** 153,549
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* We based this figure on average U.S. worker's hourly wages as reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics data (https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_stru.htm).
** We based this figure on the average FY 2020 wait times for field offices, based on SSA's current management information data.
*** This figure does not represent actual costs that SSA is imposing on recipients of Social Security payments to complete this application; rather,
  these are theoretical opportunity costs for the additional time respondents will spend to complete the application. There is no actual charge to
  respondents to complete the application.

    9. Request for Medical Treatment in an SSA Employee Health 
Facility: Patient Self-Administered or Staff Administered Care--0960-
0772. SSA operates onsite Employee Health Clinics (EHC) in eight 
different States. These clinics provide health care for all SSA 
employees including treatments of personal medical conditions when 
authorized through a physician. Form SSA-5072 is the employee's 
personal physician's order form. The information we collect on Form 
SSA-5072 gives the EHC nurses the guidance they need to perform certain 
medical procedures and to administer prescription medications such as 
allergy immunotherapy. In addition, the information allows the SSA 
medical officer to determine whether the nurses can administer 
treatment safely and appropriately in the SSA EHCs. Respondents are 
physicians of SSA employees who need to have medical treatment in an 
SSA EHC.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                                              Average
                                                                                              Average        Estimated      theoretical    Total annual
         Modality of completion              Number of     Frequency of      Number of      burden per     total annual     hourly cost     opportunity
                                            respondents      response        responses       response         burden          amount           cost
                                                                                             (minutes)        (hours)       (dollars) *    (dollars) **
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-5072 Annually.......................              25               1              25               5               2        * $96.85         ** $194
SSA-5072 Bi-Annually....................              75               2             150               5              13         * 96.85        ** 1,259
                                         ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 45728]]

 
    Totals..............................             100  ..............  ..............  ..............              15  ..............        ** 1,453
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* We based this figure on average physician's hourly salary, as reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics data (https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes291216.htm).
** This figure does not represent actual costs that SSA is imposing on recipients of Social Security payments to complete this application; rather,
  these are theoretical opportunity costs for the additional time respondents will spend to complete the application. There is no actual charge to
  respondents to complete the application.

    10. Medicare Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount--Life-
Changing Event Form--0960-0784. Federally mandated reductions in the 
Federal Medicare Part B and prescription drug coverage subsidies result 
in selected Medicare recipients paying higher premiums due to income 
above a specific threshold. The amount of the premium subsidy reduction 
is an income-related monthly adjustment amount (IRMAA). The Internal 
Revenue Service (IRS) transmits income tax return data to SSA for SSA 
to determine the IRMAA. SSA uses the Form SSA-44 to determine if a 
recipient qualifies for a reduction in the IRMAA. If affected Medicare 
recipients believe SSA should use more recent tax data because of a 
life-changing event that significantly reduces their income, they can 
report these changes to SSA and ask for a new initial determination of 
their IRMAA. The respondents are Medicare Part B and prescription drug 
coverage Retirement Insurance recipients and enrollees with modified 
adjusted gross income over a high-income threshold who experience one 
of eight significant life-changing event.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                              Average
                                                                              Average        Estimated      theoretical    Average  wait   Total annual
         Modality of completion              Number of     Frequency of     burden per     total annual     hourly cost   time in  field    opportunity
                                            respondents      response        response         burden          amount          office           cost
                                                                             (minutes)        (hours)       (dollars) *    (minutes) **    (dollars) ***
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Personal Interview (SSA field office)...         178,840               1              30          89,420        * $25.72           ** 24  *** $4,139,788
SSA-44..................................          76,645               1              45          57,484         * 25.72               0   *** 1,478,488
                                         ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals..............................         255,485  ..............  ..............         146,904  ..............  ..............   *** 5,618,276
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* We based this figure on average U.S. worker's hourly wages as reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics data (https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_stru.htm).
** We based this figure on the average FY 2020 wait times for field offices, based on SSA's current management information data.
*** This figure does not represent actual costs that SSA is imposing on recipients of Social Security payments to complete this application; rather,
  these are theoretical opportunity costs for the additional time respondents will spend to complete the application. There is no actual charge to
  respondents to complete the application.

    11. Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on 
Agency Service Delivery--0960-0788. SSA, as part of our continuing 
effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general 
public to take this opportunity to comment on the ``Generic Clearance 
for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery 
'' for approval under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3501 
et seq.). We developed this collection as part of a Federal Government-
wide effort to streamline the process for seeking feedback from the 
public on service delivery.
    Under the auspices of Executive Order 12862, Setting Customer 
Service Standards, SSA conducts multiple satisfaction surveys each 
year. This proposed information collection activity provides a means to 
garner qualitative customer and stakeholder feedback in an efficient, 
timely manner, in accordance with SSA's commitment to improving service 
delivery. By qualitative feedback we mean information that provides 
useful insights on perceptions and opinions, but are not statistical 
surveys that yield quantitative results that can be generalized to the 
population of study. This feedback will provide insights into customer 
or stakeholder perceptions, experiences and expectations, provide an 
early warning of issues with service, or focus attention on areas where 
communication, training or changes in operations might improve delivery 
of products or services. These collections will allow for ongoing, 
collaborative, and actionable communications between SSA and our 
customers and stakeholders.
    The solicitation of feedback will target areas such as: Timeliness; 
appropriateness; accuracy of information; courtesy; efficiency of 
service delivery; and resolution of issues with service delivery. We 
will assess responses to plan and inform efforts to improve or maintain 
the quality of service offered to the public. If we do not collect this 
information, we would not have access to vital feedback from customers 
and stakeholders on SSA's services.
    We will only submit a collection for approval under this generic 
clearance if it meets the following conditions: (1) The collections are 
voluntary; (2) the collections are low-burden for respondents (based on 
considerations of total burden hours, total number of respondents, or 
burden-hours per respondent) and are low-cost for both the respondents 
and the Federal Government; (3) the collections are non-controversial 
and do not raise issues of concern to other Federal agencies; (4) any 
collection targeted to the solicitation of opinions from respondents 
who have experience with the program or may have experience with the 
program in the near future; (5) we collect personally identifiable 
information (PII) only to the extent necessary and we do not retain it; 
(6) we will use information gathered only internally for general 
service improvement and program management

[[Page 45729]]

purposes and we will not release it outside of the agency; (7) we will 
not use information we gather for the purpose of substantially 
informing influential policy decisions; and (8) information we gather 
will yield qualitative information; the collections will not be 
designed or expected to yield statistically reliable results or used as 
though the results are generalizable to the population of study.
    Feedback collected under this generic clearance provides useful 
information, but it does not yield data that can be generalized to the 
overall population. This type of generic clearance for qualitative 
information will not be used for quantitative information collections 
that are designed to yield reliably actionable results, such as 
monitoring trends over time or documenting program performance. Such 
data uses require more rigorous designs that address the target 
population to which generalizations will be made, the sampling frame, 
the sample design (including stratification and clustering), the 
precision requirements or power calculations that justify the proposed 
sample size, the expected response rate, methods for assessing 
potential non-response bias, the protocols for data collection, and any 
testing procedures that were or will be undertaken prior to fielding 
the study. Depending on the degree of influence the results are likely 
to have, such collections may still be eligible for submission for 
other generic mechanisms that are designed to yield quantitative 
results.
    As a general matter, information collections will not result in any 
new system of records containing privacy information and will not ask 
questions of a sensitive nature, such as sexual behavior and attitudes, 
religious beliefs, and other matters that are commonly considered 
private.
    The respondents are recipients of SSA services (including most 
members of the public), professionals, and individuals who work on 
behalf of SSA beneficiaries.
    Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information 
collection.
    Affected Public: Individuals and households, businesses and 
organizations, State, Local or Tribal government.
    Total Estimated Number of Respondents: 5,454,212.
    Below we provide projected average estimates for the next three 
years:
    Annual Respondents: 1,818,404.
    Annual Responses: 1,818,404.
    Frequency of Response: Once per request.
    Average Minutes per Response: 13 minutes (12.6912).
    Estimated Annual Burden: 384,629 hours.
    II. SSA submitted the information collection below to OMB for 
clearance. Your comments regarding this information collection would be 
most useful if OMB and SSA receive them 30 days from the date of this 
publication. To be sure we consider your comments, we must receive them 
no later than August 28, 2020. Individuals can obtain copies of the OMB 
clearance package by writing to [email protected].
    1. Notice to Electronic Information Exchange Partners to Provide 
Contractor List--0960-NEW. The Privacy Act of 1974, E-Government Act of 
2002, and the National Institute of Standard Special Publications 800-
53-4 require the SSA to maintain oversight of the information it 
provides to Electronic Information Exchange Partners (EIEPs). EIEPs 
obtain SSA data for the administration of federally funded and state-
administered programs. SSA has a responsibility to monitor and protect 
the personally identifiable information SSA shares with other Federal 
and State agencies, and private organizations through the Computer 
Matching and Privacy Protection Act, and the Information Exchange 
Agreements (IEA). Under the terms of the State Transmission Component 
IEA, and agency IEA, EIEPs agree to comply with Electronic Information 
Exchange security requirements and procedures for State and local 
agencies exchanging electronic information with SSA. SSA's Technical 
Systems Security Requirements document provides that all agencies using 
SSA data ensure that SSA information is not processed, maintained, 
transmitted, or stored in (including by means of data communications 
channel) any electronic devices, computers, or computer networks 
located in geographic or virtual areas not subject to U.S. law. SSA 
conducts tri-annual compliance reviews of all State and local agencies, 
and Tribes with whom we have an IEA, to verify appropriate security 
safeguards remain in place to protect the confidentiality of 
information SSA supplies. SSA requires any organization with an 
electronic data exchange agreement, to provide the SSA Regional Office 
contact a current list of contractors, or agents who have access to SSA 
data upon request. SSA uses Form SSA-731, Notice to Electronic 
Information Exchange Partners to Provide Contractor List, to collect 
this information. The respondents are Federal agencies; State, local, 
or tribal agencies; who exchange electronic information with SSA.
    Type of Request: Request for a new information collection.

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                                                                                                                            Average
                                                                                      Average  burden     Estimated       theoretical      Total annual
              Modality of completion                   Number of       Frequency of    per  response     total annual     hourly cost      opportunity
                                                      respondents        response        (minutes)     burden  (hours)       amount      cost  (dollars)
                                                                                                                          (dollars) *           **
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-731...........................................             300                1               20              100         * $18.00        ** $3,960
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* We based this figure on average State, local and tribal government worker's salaries (https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes434199.htm).
** This figure does not represent actual costs that SSA is imposing on recipients of Social Security payments to complete this application; rather,
  these are theoretical opportunity costs for the additional time respondents will spend to complete the application. There is no actual charge to
  respondents to complete the application.

    2. Application for Survivor's Benefits--20 CFR 404.611(a) and (c)--
0960-0062. Surviving family members of armed services personnel can 
file for Social Security and veterans' benefits with SSA or at the 
Veterans Administration (VA). Applicants filing for Title II survivor 
benefits at the VA complete Form SSA-24, which the VA forwards to SSA 
for processing. SSA uses the information to determine eligibility for 
benefits. The respondents are survivors of deceased armed services 
personnel who are applying for benefits at the VA.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

[[Page 45730]]



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                                                                                                           Average
                                                                     Average  burden     Estimated       theoretical     Average  wait     Total annual
      Modality of completion          Number of       Frequency of    per  response     total annual     hourly cost     time in  field    opportunity
                                     respondents        response        (minutes)     burden  (hours)       amount           office      cost  (dollars)
                                                                                                         (dollars) *      (minutes) **         ***
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-8060-U3......................           3,200                1               15              800         * $25.72            ** 24      *** $53,498
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* We based this figure on average U.S. worker's hourly wages as reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics data (https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_stru.htm).
** We based this figure on the average FY 2020 wait times for field offices, based on SSA's current management information data.
*** This figure does not represent actual costs that SSA is imposing on recipients of Social Security payments to complete this application; rather,
  these are theoretical opportunity costs for the additional time respondents will spend to complete the application. There is no actual charge to
  respondents to complete the application.

    3. Railroad Employment Questionnaire--20 CFR 404.1401, 404.1406-
404.1408--0960-0078. Railroad workers, their dependents, or survivors 
can concurrently apply for railroad retirement and Social Security 
benefits at SSA if the number holder, or claimant on the number 
holder's Social Security Number, worked in the railroad industry. SSA 
uses Form SSA-671 to coordinate Social Security claims processing with 
the Railroad Retirement Board and to determine benefit entitlement and 
amount. The respondents are Social Security benefit applicants 
previously employed by a railroad or dependents of railroad workers.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                           Average
                                                                     Average  burden     Estimated       theoretical     Average  wait     Total annual
      Modality of completion          Number of       Frequency of    per  response     total annual     hourly cost     time in  field    opportunity
                                     respondents        response        (minutes)     burden  (hours)       amount           office      cost  (dollars)
                                                                                                         (dollars) *      (minutes) **         ***
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-671..........................         125,000                1                5           10,417         * $25.72            ** 24   *** $1,553,925
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* We based this figure on average U.S. worker's hourly wages as reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics data (https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_stru.htm).
** We based this figure on the average FY 2020 wait times for field offices, based on SSA's current management information data.
*** This figure does not represent actual costs that SSA is imposing on recipients of Social Security payments to complete this application; rather,
  these are theoretical opportunity costs for the additional time respondents will spend to complete the application. There is no actual charge to
  respondents to complete the application.

    4. Modified Benefit Formula Questionnaire-Employer--20 CFR 404.213 
and 404.243--0960-0477. Sections 215(a)(7) and 215(d)(3) of the Social 
Security Act requires SSA to use a modified benefit formula to compute 
Social Security retirement or disability benefits for persons first 
eligible (after 1985) for both a Social Security benefit and a pension 
or annuity, based on employment not covered by Social Security. This 
method is the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP). SSA makes a 
determination regarding whether the WEP applies, and when to apply it 
to a person's benefit. SSA uses Form SSA-58 to verify the claimant's 
allegations on Form SSA-150 (OMB No. 0906-0395, Modified Benefits 
Formula Questionnaire). SSA also uses Form SSA-58 to determine if the 
modified benefit formula applies, and when to apply it to a person's 
benefits. SSA sends Form SSA-58 to an employer for pension related 
information, if the claimant is unable to provide it. The respondents 
are employers of people who are eligible after 1985 for both Social 
Security benefits and a pension based on work not covered by SSA.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                                            Average
                                                                                      Average  burden     Estimated       theoretical      Total annual
              Modality of completion                   Number of       Frequency of    per  response     total annual     hourly cost      opportunity
                                                      respondents        response        (minutes)     burden  (hours)       amount      cost  (dollars)
                                                                                                                          (dollars) *           **
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA-58............................................          26,925                1                3            1,346         * $20.39       ** $27,445
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* We based this figure on average Information and Records Clerks (https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes434199.htm).
** This figure does not represent actual costs that SSA is imposing on recipients of Social Security payments to complete this application; rather,
  these are theoretical opportunity costs for the additional time respondents will spend to complete the application. There is no actual charge to
  respondents to complete the application.

    5. myWageReport--20 CFR 404.1520(b), 404.1571-404.1576, & 404.1584-
404.1593--0960-0808. The myWageReport application will enable Social 
Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) beneficiaries, and representative 
payees to report earnings electronically. It will also generate a 
receipt for the beneficiary or representative payee, providing 
confirmation that SSA has received the earnings report. SSA will screen 
the information submitted through the myWageReport application and will 
determine if we need additional employment information. If so, agency 
personnel will reach out to beneficiaries, or their representative 
payees and will use Form SSA-821, Work Activity Report (0960-0059), to 
collect the additional required information. The respondents for this 
collection are SSDI recipients or their representative payees.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB approved information 
collection.

[[Page 45731]]



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                                                                                                                            Average
                                                                                      Average  burden     Estimated       theoretical      Total annual
              Modality of completion                   Number of       Frequency of    per  response     total annual     hourly cost      opportunity
                                                      respondents        response        (minutes)     burden  (hours)       amount      cost  (dollars)
                                                                                                                          (dollars) *           **
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
myWageReporting...................................          88,000                1                7           10,267         * $10.73      ** $110,165
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* We based this figure on average DI payments, as reported in SSA's disability insurance payment data (https://www.ssa.gov/legislation/2020Fact%20Sheet.pdf).
** This figure does not represent actual costs that SSA is imposing on recipients of Social Security payments to complete this application; rather,
  these are theoretical opportunity costs for the additional time respondents will spend to complete the application. There is no actual charge to
  respondents to complete the application.


    Date: July 23, 2020.
Naomi Sipple,
Reports Clearance Officer, Social Security Administration.
[FR Doc. 2020-16361 Filed 7-28-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4191-02-P