[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 192 (Friday, October 2, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62327-62328]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-21790]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Workers Compensation Programs Office


Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; 
Division of Energy Employees Occupational Illness (DEEOIC) 
Authorization Forms

AGENCY: Office of Workers' Compensation, Department of Labor.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor (DOL) is soliciting comments 
concerning a proposed extension for the authority to conduct the 
information collection request (ICR) titled, ``DEEOIC Authorization 
Request Forms''. This comment request is part of continuing 
Departmental efforts to reduce paperwork and respondent burden in 
accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA).

DATES: Consideration will be given to all written comments received 
December 1, 2020.

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 by 
contacting Anjanette Suggs by telephone at 202-354-9660 or by email at 
[email protected].
    Submit written comments about, or requests for a copy of, this ICR 
by mail or courier to the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Workers' 
Compensation Programs, Room S3323, 200 Constitution Avenue NW, 
Washington, DC 20210; by email: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anjanette Suggs by telephone at 202-
354-9660 or by email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The DOL, as part of continuing efforts to 
reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a pre-clearance 
consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies 
an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing collections of 
information before submitting them to the OMB for final approval. This 
program helps to ensure 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 can be properly assessed.
    Background: The Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP) is 
the primary agency responsible for administration of the Energy 
Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act of 2000, as 
amended (EEOICPA), 42 U.S.C. 7384 et seq. EEOICPA provides for the 
payment of compensation to covered employees and, where applicable, 
survivors of deceased employees, who sustained either an ``occupational 
illness'' or a ``covered illness'' in the performance of duty for the 
Department of Energy and certain of its contractors and subcontractors. 
One element of the compensation provided to covered employees is 
medical benefits for the treatment of their occupational or covered 
illnesses that are accepted as compensable. OWCP contracts with a 
private sector bill processing agent that handles many of the tasks 
associated with paying bills for medical treatment provided to covered 
employees under EEOICPA. This bill processing agent uses an automated 
system that matches incoming bills with the authorized medical 
treatment of covered employees before it issues payments, and a 
provider of medical treatment, supplies or services to covered 
employees must provide the bill processing agent with information 
necessary for creation of an authorization within the agent's automated 
system before a bill can be paid. The collection of this information is 
authorized by 20 CFR 30.400(a) and (c), 30.403, 30.404(b) and 30.700. 
The information collections in this ICR collect demographic, factual 
and medical information that OWCP and/or its bill processing agent 
needs to process bills for medical treatment, supplies or services.
    DOL authorizes this information collection. 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 
the OMB under the PRA approves it 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.
    Interested parties are encouraged to provide comments to the 
contact shown in the ADDRESSES section. Written comments will receive 
consideration, and summarized and included in the request for OMB 
approval of the final ICR. In order to help ensure appropriate 
consideration, comments should mention OMB# 1240-0NEW.
    Submitted comments will also be a matter of public record for this 
ICR and posted on the internet, without redaction. The DOL encourages 
commenters not to include personally identifiable information, 
confidential business data, or other sensitive statements/information 
in any comments.
    The DOL 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,

[[Page 62328]]

e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses.
    Agency: DOL-Office of Workers' Compensation Programs
    Type of Review: New Collection.
    Title of Collection: DEEOIC Authorization Forms
    Agency Form Number: EE-22, EE-24, EE-26, EE-28, EE-30, EE-32
    OMB Control Number: 1240-0NEW.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households; businesses or other 
for-profit.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 12,890.
    Frequency: Varies by form.
    Total Estimated Annual Responses: 66,770.
    Estimated Average Time per Response: 10 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 11,129.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for Office of Management and Budget 
approval of the information collection request; they will also become a 
matter of public record.

    Authority:  44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A).

Anjanette Suggs,
Agency Clearance Officer, Office of Workers' Compensation Programs, 
U.S. Department of Labor.
[FR Doc. 2020-21790 Filed 10-1-20; 8:45 am]
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