[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 129 (Friday, July 5, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55666-55670]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-14685]



[[Page 55666]]

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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

[Docket No: SSA-2024-0025]


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 revisions of OMB-approved information collections, and one new 
collection for OMB-approval.
    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
(SSA) Social Security Administration, OLCA, Attn: Reports Clearance 
Director, Mail Stop 3253 Altmeyer, 6401 Security Blvd., Baltimore, MD 
21235, Fax: 833-410-1631, Email address: [email protected]

    Or you may submit your comments online through https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAmain by clicking on Currently under 
Review--Open for Public Comments and choosing to click on one of SSA's 
published items. Pleas reference Docket ID Number [SSA-2024-0025] in 
your submitted response.
    I. The information collection below is pending at SSA. SSA will 
submit it 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 3, 2024. Individuals can obtain copies of the collection 
instruments by writing to the above email address.
    1. Social Security Number Verification Services--20 CFR 401.45--
0960-0660. Internal Revenue Service regulations require employers to 
provide wage and tax data to SSA using Form W-2, or its electronic 
equivalent. As part of this process, the employer must furnish the 
employee's name and Social Security number (SSN). In addition, the 
employee's name and SSN must match SSA's records for SSA to post 
earnings to the employee's earnings record, which SSA maintains. SSA 
offers the Social Security Number Verification Service (SSNVS), which 
allows employers to verify the reported names and SSNs of their 
employees match those in SSA's records. SSNVS is a cost-free, voluntary 
method for employers to verify employee information via the internet. 
SSA annotates data an employer supplies to SSA for verification that 
does not match SSA's records with a no match indicator and returns it 
to the employer. The respondents are employers who need to verify SSN 
data using SSA's records.
    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      Number of       per response    annual burden     hourly cost      opportunity
                                     respondents        response        responses        (minutes)         (hours)           amount       cost (dollars)
                                                                                                                          (dollars) *           **
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SSNVS............................          44,891               60        2,663,460                5          221,955         * $43.65    ** $9,688,336
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* We based this figure on the average hourly wage for Accountants and Auditors, as reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data (https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes132011.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. Request for Deceased Individual's Social Security Record--20 CFR 
402.130--0960-0665. The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), at 5 U.S.C. 
552(a)(3) of the U.S. Code, provides instructions for members of the 
public to request records from Federal Agencies. When a member of the 
public requests an individual's Social Security record under FOIA, SSA 
needs the name and address of the requestor as well as a description of 
the requested record to process the request. While SSA respondents may 
submit these requests in writing, SSA also allows for the use of Form 
SSA-711, Deceased Individual's Social Security Records, for FOIA 
requests for a deceased individual's records for genealogical research, 
family estate matters, and other reasons. SSA then uses the information 
the respondent provides on Form
    SSA-711, or via an internet request through SSA's electronic 
Freedom of Information Act Xpress (FOIAXpress) website, to: (1) verify 
the wage earner is deceased; and (2) access the correct Social Security 
record. Respondents are members of the public requesting deceased 
individuals' Social Security records.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

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                                                                                                                           Average wait
                                                                                                              Average      time in field   Total annual
                                             Number of     Frequency of   Average burden     Estimated      theoretical    office or for    opportunity
         Modality of completion             respondents      response      per response    total annual     hourly cost     teleservice   cost (dollars)
                                                                             (minutes)    burden (hours)      amount          centers           ***
                                                                                                            (dollars) *    (minutes) **
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Internet Request through FOIAXpress.....          49,800               1               7           5,810        * $31.48  ..............    *** $182,899
SSA-711 (paper).........................             200               1               7              23         * 31.48           ** 21       *** 2,928
                                         ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total...............................          50,000  ..............  ..............           5,833  ..............  ..............     *** 185,827
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* 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_nat.htm).
** We based this figure on averaging both the average FY 2024 wait times for field offices and teleservice centers, 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 55667]]

    II. SSA submitted the information collections below to OMB for 
clearance. Your comments regarding these information collections 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 5, 2024. Individuals can obtain copies of 
these OMB clearance packages by writing to the 
[email protected].
    1. Supportive Housing & Individual Placement and Support (SHIPS) 
Study--0960-NEW
    Background: Homelessness and unemployment are linked issues, with 
rising housing costs often leaving people unable to afford homes when 
combined with unemployment. The instability of housing makes finding 
employment even more challenging, creating a difficult cycle to break. 
While studies have shown that supportive housing programs improve 
housing stability, there is no significant evidence that such programs 
reliably increase employment among residents. (For the purposes of this 
study, we define supportive housing as housing services coupled with 
additional services that include case management support. These include 
place-based permanent supportive housing, scattered site permanent 
supportive housing, and rapid rehousing.) Conversely, Individual 
Placement and Support (IPS), a proven method for supporting employment, 
has not demonstrated effectiveness in stabilizing housing. SSA is 
requesting clearance to collect data for the Supportive Housing and 
Individual Placement and Support (SHIPS) study, under the 
Interventional Cooperative Agreement Program (ICAP), to determine 
whether participation in Individual Placement and Support (IPS) 
improves the employment, income, health, and self-sufficiency of people 
who are recently homeless and living in supportive housing. ICAP allows 
SSA to partner with various non-federal groups and organizations to 
advance interventional research connected to the Supplemental Security 
Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) programs. 
SSA awarded Westat a cooperative agreement to conduct SHIPS. In 
addition to SSA, Westat is partnering with three subrecipients for this 
project: (1) People Assisting the Homeless (PATH), (2) the University 
of Southern California (U.S.C.), and (3) the Research Foundation for 
Mental Hygiene (RFMH) to implement the SHIPS study.

ICAP SHIPS Study Project Description

    The SHIPS study is a randomized controlled trial (RCT) designed to 
determine whether participation in Individual Placement and Support 
(IPS) improves the employment, income, health, and self-sufficiency of 
people who are recently homeless and living in supportive housing. The 
SHIPS study will mark the first study testing the effectiveness of 
implementing IPS in a supportive housing program. SSA hypothesizes that 
combining the two most successful evidence-based practices that 
separately address homelessness and supported employment will yield a 
single intervention that effectively addresses both. The intent of the 
SHIPS study is to measure the effectiveness of evidence-based IPS 
compared to the services provided by local WorkSource Centers broadly 
available to jobseekers in the Los Angeles area, The housing case 
managers will refer PATH clients interested in finding employment and 
will randomly assign participants to one of two groups:
    a. IPS: The Individual Placement and Support (IPS) service team 
will offer a range of structured services customized to participants' 
personal needs, preferences, and challenges related to disabilities 
and/or mental health conditions. IPS was specifically designed as a 
supported employment model for individuals with serious mental illness 
and includes standardized training and fidelity requirements. 
Components of IPS that differ from those offered by WorkSource Services 
include integrated treatment that incorporates vocational and mental 
health services; benefits planning; and focus on rapid job search 
without extensive training.
    b. WorkSource Centers: Under PATH's current housing model, housing 
case managers refer PATH clients who express interest in finding 
employment to local American Job Centers, known as WorkSource Centers 
in Los Angeles. The City of Los Angeles Economic and Workforce 
Development Department operates the WorkSource Centers, and follow an 
employment services model that varies by WorkSource Center; is not 
evidence-based or subject to fidelity monitoring, and is not 
necessarily responsive to the individual needs of jobseekers with 
disabilities.
    The primary goals of the SHIPS study are:
     To measure the effects of IPS participation on employment, 
income, health, and long-term self-sufficiency measured as a 
combination of housing stability, income, and receipt of DI and SSI 
benefits.
     To describe the study population in order to understand 
both the generalizability of the study's findings and the potential 
reasons for the observed effects.
     To explore the IPS implementation process to understand 
barriers and facilitators to high-fidelity IPS implementation in the 
supportive housing context.
    Grantee researchers and SSA will use the information collected 
during this study to (1) assess the short-term and long-term 
effectiveness of the proposed intervention to improve employment, 
income, and self-sufficiency; (2) understand the implementation 
process; (3) provide detailed subgroup-specific data related to the 
effect of IPS.
    The respondents are residents in supportive housing units operated 
by PATH who are unemployed and looking for employment.

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                                                                                                                                                                   Average wait
                                                                                                                                                      Average     time in office   Total annual
                                                                     Number of     Frequency of      Number of    Average burden     Estimated      theoretical       or for        opportunity
                     Modality of completion                         respondents      response        responses     per response    total annual     hourly cost     teleservice   cost (dollars)
                                                                                                                     (minutes)    burden (hours)      amount          centers           ***
                                                                                                                                                    (dollars) *    (minutes) **
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Study enrollees: baseline interview.............................             200               1             200              60             200        * $13.30           ** 24      *** $3,724
Study enrollees: quarterly interviews...........................             200               7           1,400              10             233         * 13.30           ** 21       *** 4,030
Study enrollees: final interview................................             200               1             200              60             200         * 13.30           ** 21       *** 3,591
PATH Interviews: Staff..........................................               5               1               5              60               5         * 31.94           ** 24         *** 224
SHIPS Interviews: enrollees.....................................               5               1               5              60               5         * 13.30           ** 24          *** 93
                                                                 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 55668]]

 
    Totals......................................................             610  ..............  ..............             250             643  ..............  ..............      *** 11,662
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* We based this figure on the average DI payments based on SSA's current FY 2024 data (https://mwww.ba.ssa.gov/legislation/2024FactSheet.pdf), and survey researchers (https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes193022.htm).
** We based this figure on averaging both the average FY 2024 wait times for field offices and teleservice centers, 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.

    2. Partnership Questionnaire--20 CFR 404.1080-404.1082--0960-0025. 
SSA considers partnership income in determining entitlement to Social 
Security benefits. SSA uses information from Form SSA-7104 to determine 
several aspects of eligibility for benefits, including the accuracy of 
reported partnership earnings; the veracity of a retirement; and lag 
earnings where SSA needs this information to determine the status of 
the insured. The respondents are applicants for, and recipients of, 
Title II Social Security benefits who are reporting partnership 
earnings.
    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) **         ***
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SSA-7104 (mailed).......................           2,154               1              30           1.077        * $31.48  ..............     *** $33,904
SSA-7104 (completed in or brought to a             2,154               1              30           1,077         * 31.48           ** 24      *** 61,040
 field office)..........................
                                         ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals..............................            4308  ..............  ..............            2154  ..............  ..............      *** 94,944
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* We based this figure on average the U.S. citizen's hourly salary, as reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics data (https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nat.htm).
** We based this figure on the average FY 2024 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. Certification by Religious Group--20 CFR 404.1075--0960-0093. 
SSA is responsible for determining whether religious groups meet the 
qualifications exempting certain members and sects from payment of 
Self-Employment Contribution Act taxes under the Internal Revenue Code, 
Section 1402(g). SSA sends Form SSA-1458, Certification by Religious 
Group, to a group's authorized spokesperson to complete and verify 
organizational members meet or continue to meet the criteria for 
exemption. The respondents are spokespersons for religious groups or 
sects.
    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) *          ***
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SSA-1458..........................................             142                1               15               35         * $31.48        ** $1,102
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* 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_nat.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.

    4. Medical Source Statement of Ability To Do Work Related 
Activities (Physical and Mental)--20 CFR 404.1512-404.1513, 416.912-
416.913, 404.1517, and 416.917--0960-0662. When a claimant appeals a 
denied disability claim, SSA may ask the claimant to have a 
consultative examination at the agency's expense, if the claimant's 
medical sources cannot, or will not, give the agency sufficient 
evidence to determine whether the claimant is disabled. The medical 
providers who perform these consultative examinations provide a 
statement about the claimant's state of disability. Specifically, these 
medical source statements determine the work-related capabilities of 
these claimants. SSA collects the medical data on the HA-1151 and HA-
1152 to assess the work-related physical and mental capabilities of 
claimants who appeal SSA's previous determination on their issue of 
disability. The respondents are medical sources who provide reports 
based either on existing medical evidence or on consultative 
examinations.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

[[Page 55669]]



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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) *         ***
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HA-1151.................................................           5,000              30              15          37,500        * $49.07   ** $1,840,125
HA-1152.................................................           5,000              30              15          37,500         * 49.07    ** 1,840,125
                                                         -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals..............................................          10,000  ..............  ..............          75,000  ..............    ** 3,680,250
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* We based this figure on average medical professionals' salaries, as reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes290000.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. Filing Claims Under the Federal Tort Claims Act--20 CFR 429.101-
429.110--0960-0667. The Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) is the mechanism 
for compensating people who Federal employees injured through negligent 
or wrongful acts that occurred during the performance of those 
employees' official duties. SSA accepts claims filed under the FTCA for 
damages against the United States; loss of property; personal injury; 
or death resulting from an SSA employee's wrongful act or omission. The 
various types of claims included under this information collection 
request require claimants to provide information SSA can use to 
determine whether to make an award, compromise, or settlement under the 
FTCA. The respondents are individuals or entities making a claim under 
the FTCA.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

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                                                                                                                              Average
                                                                                          Average burden     Estimated      theoretical    Total annual
                  Regulation citations                       Number of     Frequency of    per response    total annual     hourly cost     opportunity
                                                            respondents      response        (minutes)    burden (hours)      amount      cost (dollars)
                                                                                                                           (dollars) **         ***
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429.102; 429.103 *......................................               1               1               1               0       ** $31.48          *** $0
429.104(a)..............................................               8               1              60               8        ** 31.48         *** 252
429.104(b)..............................................              30               1              60              30        ** 31.48         *** 944
429.104(c)..............................................               1               1              60               1        ** 31.48          *** 32
429.106(b)..............................................               1               1              60               1        ** 31.48          *** 32
                                                         -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals..............................................              41  ..............  ..............              40  ..............       *** 1,260
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* We are including a one-hour placeholder burden for 20 CFR 429.102 and 429.103, as respondents complete OMB-approved Form SF-95, OMB No. 1105-0008.
  Since the burden for these citations is covered under a separate OMB number, we are not double-counting the burden here.
** We based this figure on the average U.S. citizen's hourly salary, as reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nat.htm#00-0000).
*** 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. Internet and Telephone Appointment Applications--20 CFR 404.620-
404.630, 416.330-416.340--0960-0822. SSA offers both internet and 
Telephone appointment options for applicants or recipients who wish to 
request an appointment when they are unable to complete one of SSA's 
online or automated telephone applications because they failed the 
initial verification checks, or when they state their reading language 
preference is other than English.
    SSA offers two modalities for scheduling appointments: (1) an 
internet-based option (iAppointment), and (2) the Enhanced Leads and 
Appointment System (eLAS):
    iAppointment: iAppointment is an online process that allows members 
of the public an easy-to-use method to schedule an appointment with the 
servicing office of their choice. Since the application date can affect 
when a claimant's benefit begins, iAppointment establishes a protective 
filing date and provides respondents information related to the date by 
which they must file their actual application. The iAppointment 
application propagates information the applicant already entered onto 
any of SSA's internet applications for SSN, name, date of birth, and 
gender. However, applicants must provide minimal additional 
information: mailing address; telephone number; language preference; 
type of appointment (Disability, Retirement, Medicare); and whether 
they prefer a telephone interview or in-office appointment. 
iAppointment is a customer-centric application. If the available 
appointment times do not meet the customer's needs, iAppointment allows 
them to enter a different zip code to identify another field office, 
which may offer different appointment times. At this time, SSA only 
allows domestic first party applicants to use iAppointment. If users 
indicate they are filing as third parties, iAppointment provides a 
message directing them to call the National 800 Number for assistance. 
If a foreign first party user is unable to complete iClaim, 
iAppointment directs them to contact a Social Security representative, 
and provides a link to SSA's Service Around the World website.
    Enhanced Leads and Appointment System (eLAS)--eLAS is an Intranet-
based version of the iAppointment screens for use by SSA technicians 
both in the field offices and call centers. eLAS interacts with 
iAppointment directly to ensure we always record the same information 
whether an individual requests an appointment through our internet 
screens, or via telephone. eLAS is a non-public facing system that 
allows SSA employees in the field offices, workload support units, and 
teleservice centers to use an telephone interview process to schedule 
appointments and document an individual's intent to file using a 
specific script and asking the same questions to each individual. We 
use eLAS with individuals who use our automated telephone system, or 
who prefer not to use iAppointment to set up their appointment.
    The respondents are individuals who are unable to use our internet 
or automated telephone systems because they failed the initial 
verification

[[Page 55670]]

checks, or because they state their reading language preference is 
other than English.
    Type of Request: Request for a new information collection.

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                                                                                                                              Average
                                                                                                                           combined wait
                                                                          Average burden     Estimated        Average      time in field   Total annual
         Modality of completion              Number of     Frequency of    per response    annual burden    theoretical    office or for    opportunity
                                            respondents      response        (minutes)        (hours)       cost amount     teleservice   cost (dollars)
                                                                                                            (dollars) *       center            ***
                                                                                                                           (minutes) **
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iAppointment............................          20,965               1              10           3,494        * $31.48  ..............    *** $103,981
eLAS....................................       7,270,161               1              10       1,211,694         * 31.48            **21     *** 111,786
                                         ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals..............................       7,291,126  ..............  ..............       1,215,188  ..............  ..............     *** 215,767
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* We based these figures on average U.S. worker's hourly wages (based on BLS.gov data, (https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nat.htm#00-0000).
** We based this figure on the combined average FY 2024 wait times for field offices (approximately 24 minutes per respondent) and teleservice centers
  (approximately 17 minutes per respondent), 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.


    Dated: June 28, 2024.
Tasha Harley,
Acting Reports Clearance Officer, Social Security Administration.
[FR Doc. 2024-14685 Filed 7-3-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4191-02-P