80 FR 27705 - Comment Request for Information Collection for OMB 1205-0245, Unemployment Insurance (UI) Benefit Accuracy Measurement (BAM), Extension Without Revisions
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training Administration Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 93 (May 14, 2015)
Employment and Training Administration
Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 93 (May 14, 2015)
| Page Range | 27705-27706 | |
| FR Document | 2015-11646 |
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 93 (Thursday, May 14, 2015)] [Notices] [Pages 27705-27706] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2015-11646] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Employment and Training Administration Comment Request for Information Collection for OMB 1205-0245, Unemployment Insurance (UI) Benefit Accuracy Measurement (BAM), Extension Without Revisions AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration (ETA), Labor. ACTION: Notice. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Department of Labor (Department), as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a preclearance consultation program to provide the public and Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 [44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)]. This program helps ensure that requested data can be provided in the desired format, reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized, collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of collection requirements on respondents can be properly assessed. Currently, ETA is soliciting comments concerning the continuation of collection of data about the accuracy of paid and denied UI claims, which is accomplished through the BAM survey. The Department's BAM information collection authority, under Office of Management and Budget (OMB) number 1205-0245, is scheduled to expire on December 31, 2015. DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the addresses section below on or before July 13, 2015. ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Dennis Austin, Office of Unemployment Insurance, Room S-4524, Employment and Training Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20210. Telephone number: 202-693-3056 (this is not a toll-free number). Individuals with hearing or speech impairments may access the telephone number above via TTY by calling the toll-free Federal Information Relay Service at 1-877-889-5627 (TTY/TDD). Email: [email protected]. To obtain a copy of the proposed information collection request (ICR), please contact the person listed above. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Background Since 1987, all State Workforce Agencies (SWAs) except the U.S. Virgin Islands have been required by regulation at 20 CFR part 602 to operate BAM programs to assess the accuracy of their UI benefit payments in three programs: State UI, Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE), and Unemployment Compensation for Ex- servicemembers (UCX). Beginning in 2001, BAM was modified to include the sampling and investigation of UI claims denied for monetary, separation, or nonseparation issues. BAM is one of the tools the Department uses to measure and reduce waste, fraud, and abuse in the UI program. By investigating small representative weekly samples of both paid and denied UI claims, each state is able to estimate reliably the number and dollar value of proper and improper payments; the number of proper and improper denials of claims for UI benefits; the rates of occurrence of these proper and improper payments and denials; and the error types, error causes, and the parties that are responsible for the errors. Paid Claims Accuracy (PCA). Each week SWAs select random samples of both intrastate and interstate original payments (including combined wage claims) made for a week of UI benefits under the State UI, UCX or UCFE programs. A sample of 360 cases per year is pulled in the ten states with the smallest UI program workloads (defined as the average annual UI weeks paid during the last five years) and 480 cases per year in the other states. State BAM staff audit each selected claim, examining all aspects of a claimant's eligibility to receive UI benefits during the sampled week. The findings are entered into an automated database that is maintained on a computer located in each state. Denied Claims Accuracy (DCA). Each week states select random samples from three separate sampling frames constructed from the universes of UI claims for which eligibility was denied for monetary, separation and nonseparation reasons. All states sample a minimum of 150 cases of each denial type in each calendar year. State BAM staff review agency records and contact claimants, employers, and all other relevant parties to verify information in agency records or obtain additional information pertinent to the determination that denied eligibility for UI benefits. Unlike the investigation of paid claims, in which all prior determinations affecting claimant eligibility for the compensated week selected for the sample are evaluated, the investigation of denied claims is limited to the issue upon which the denial determination is based. The findings are entered into an automated database that is maintained on a computer located in each state. The Department maintains a database of each state's BAM paid and denied claims cases, minus any personally identifying information. The Department uses BAM data to measure state performance with respect to UI payment integrity and to meet the Department's reporting requirements of the Improper Payments Information Act [[Page 27706]] of 2002 (IPIA), the Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act of 2010 (IPERA), and the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA). The Department also relies heavily on BAM data for information on UI operations, such as claims filing method, UI wage replacement rates, and claimant characteristics. The results of the BAM survey are reported annually on the ETA Web site at the following link: http://oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/. II. Review Focus The Department is particularly interested in comments which:Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility; evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submissions of responses. III. Current Actions Type of Review: Extension without revisions. Title: Unemployment Insurance Benefit Accuracy Measurement. OMB Number: 1205-0245. Affected Public: State Workforce Agencies (Primary), individuals, businesses, and not-for-profit institutions. Form(s): BAM State Operations Handbook (ET Handbook 395, 5th edition). Total Annual Respondents: 179,145.2. Annual Frequency: BAM samples are selected weekly; the BAM data collection instrument is updated continuously as the audits are conducted. Average Time per Response: 10.09 hours per investigation. This estimate is a weighted average. Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 476,013.2. Total Annual Burden Cost for Respondents: $18,870,582.59. BAM PCA/DCA Data Annual Collection Burden per State Workforce Agency ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Monetary Separation Non-separation Paid claims denied claims denied claims denied claims Total ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cases........................... * 457 150 150 150 907 Respondents/Case................ 4.65 3.10 3.10 2.6 3.80 Hours/Case...................... 12.59 7.85 7.85 6.97 10.09 Total Respondents........... 2125.1 465 465 390 3445.10 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total Hours................. 5753.6 1177.5 1177.5 1045. 5 9154.1 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Average for all 52 State Workforce Agencies (SWAs). The 10 smallest states in terms of UI weeks paid sample at the rate of 360 cases per year; the other 42 states sample at the rate of 480 cases per year. 52 SWAs x 3,445.1 respondents = 179,145.2 respondents. 52 SWAs x 9,154.1 hours = 476,013.2 hours. Annual PCA/DCA Total Cost by Respondent ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cost summary Paid claims Denied claims Cost per state Cost--52 SWAs ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SWA Staff............................... $208,317.97 $135,142.56 $343,460.53 $17,859,947.56 Claimants............................... 3,313.25 2,463 128,076 300,365 Employers + 3rd Parties................. 20,402.67 5,015.34 25,418.01 1,321,720.67 Total All Costs..................... 224,901.94 137,994.18 485,195.87 18,870,582.59 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We will summarize and/or included in the request for OMB approval of the ICR, the comments received in response to this comment request; they will also become a matter of public record. Portia Wu, Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training, Labor. [FR Doc. 2015-11646 Filed 5-13-15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4510-FW-P
![Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 93 / Thursday, May 14, 2015 / Notices 27705
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ACTION: Notice. BAM is one of the tools the
Department uses to measure and reduce
Antitrust Division SUMMARY: The Department of Labor waste, fraud, and abuse in the UI
(Department), as part of its continuing program. By investigating small
Notice Pursuant to The National effort to reduce paperwork and representative weekly samples of both
Cooperative Research and Production respondent burden, conducts a paid and denied UI claims, each state is
Act of 1993—Cloudfoundry.Org preclearance consultation program to able to estimate reliably the number and
Foundation, Inc. provide the public and Federal agencies dollar value of proper and improper
with an opportunity to comment on payments; the number of proper and
Notice is hereby given that, on April proposed and/or continuing collections improper denials of claims for UI
16, 2015, pursuant to Section 6(a) of the of information in accordance with the benefits; the rates of occurrence of these
National Cooperative Research and Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 [44 proper and improper payments and
Production Act of 1993, 15 U.S.C. 4301 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)]. This program denials; and the error types, error
et seq. (‘‘the Act’’), CloudFoundry.org helps ensure that requested data can be causes, and the parties that are
Foundation, Inc. (‘‘CFF’’) has filed
provided in the desired format, responsible for the errors.
written notifications simultaneously
reporting burden (time and financial Paid Claims Accuracy (PCA). Each
with the Attorney General and the
resources) is minimized, collection week SWAs select random samples of
Federal Trade Commission disclosing instruments are clearly understood, and both intrastate and interstate original
(1) the name and principal place of
the impact of collection requirements on payments (including combined wage
business of the standards development
respondents can be properly assessed. claims) made for a week of UI benefits
organization and (2) the nature and Currently, ETA is soliciting comments under the State UI, UCX or UCFE
scope of its standards development concerning the continuation of programs. A sample of 360 cases per
activities. The notifications were filed collection of data about the accuracy of year is pulled in the ten states with the
for the purpose of invoking the Act’s paid and denied UI claims, which is smallest UI program workloads (defined
provisions limiting the recovery of accomplished through the BAM survey. as the average annual UI weeks paid
antitrust plaintiffs to actual damages The Department’s BAM information during the last five years) and 480 cases
under specified circumstances. collection authority, under Office of per year in the other states. State BAM
Pursuant to Section 6(b) of the Act, staff audit each selected claim,
Management and Budget (OMB) number
the name and principal place of examining all aspects of a claimant’s
1205–0245, is scheduled to expire on
business of the standards development eligibility to receive UI benefits during
December 31, 2015.
organization is: CloudFoundry.org the sampled week. The findings are
Foundation, Inc., San Francisco, CA. DATES: Written comments must be
submitted to the office listed in the entered into an automated database that
The nature and scope of CFF’s standards is maintained on a computer located in
development activities are: to establish addresses section below on or before
July 13, 2015. each state.
and sustain Cloud Foundry as the global Denied Claims Accuracy (DCA). Each
industry standard Platform-as-a-Service ADDRESSES: Send written comments to
week states select random samples from
(‘‘PaaS’’) open source technology with a Dennis Austin, Office of Unemployment three separate sampling frames
thriving ecosystem; to deliver Insurance, Room S–4524, Employment constructed from the universes of UI
continuous quality, value, and and Training Administration, U.S. claims for which eligibility was denied
innovation to users, operators, and Department of Labor, 200 Constitution for monetary, separation and
providers of Cloud Foundry technology Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20210. nonseparation reasons. All states sample
and thereby promote the common Telephone number: 202–693–3056 (this a minimum of 150 cases of each denial
business interests of such users, is not a toll-free number). Individuals type in each calendar year. State BAM
operators, and providers; and to provide with hearing or speech impairments staff review agency records and contact
a vibrant agile experience for the may access the telephone number above claimants, employers, and all other
community’s contributors that delivers via TTY by calling the toll-free Federal relevant parties to verify information in
the highest quality cloud-native Information Relay Service at 1–877– agency records or obtain additional
applications and software at high 889–5627 (TTY/TDD). Email: information pertinent to the
velocity with global scale. Austin.Dennis@dol.gov. To obtain a determination that denied eligibility for
copy of the proposed information UI benefits. Unlike the investigation of
Patricia A. Brink, collection request (ICR), please contact paid claims, in which all prior
Director of Civil Enforcement, Antitrust the person listed above.
Division. determinations affecting claimant
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: eligibility for the compensated week
[FR Doc. 2015–11611 Filed 5–13–15; 8:45 am]
selected for the sample are evaluated,
BILLING CODE P I. Background
the investigation of denied claims is
Since 1987, all State Workforce limited to the issue upon which the
Agencies (SWAs) except the U.S. Virgin denial determination is based. The
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Islands have been required by regulation findings are entered into an automated
at 20 CFR part 602 to operate BAM database that is maintained on a
Employment and Training programs to assess the accuracy of their computer located in each state.
Administration UI benefit payments in three programs: The Department maintains a database
Comment Request for Information State UI, Unemployment Compensation of each state’s BAM paid and denied
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Collection for OMB 1205–0245, for Federal Employees (UCFE), and claims cases, minus any personally
Unemployment Insurance (UI) Benefit Unemployment Compensation for Ex- identifying information. The
Accuracy Measurement (BAM), servicemembers (UCX). Beginning in Department uses BAM data to measure
Extension Without Revisions 2001, BAM was modified to include the state performance with respect to UI
sampling and investigation of UI claims payment integrity and to meet the
AGENCY:Employment and Training denied for monetary, separation, or Department’s reporting requirements of
Administration (ETA), Labor. nonseparation issues. the Improper Payments Information Act
VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:59 May 13, 2015 Jkt 235001 PO 00000 Frm 00078 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\14MYN1.SGM 14MYN1](https://thefederalregister.org/doc/80_FR_27798/page/1.svg)
![27706 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 93 / Thursday, May 14, 2015 / Notices
of 2002 (IPIA), the Improper Payments • evaluate the accuracy of the OMB Number: 1205–0245.
Elimination and Recovery Act of 2010 agency’s estimate of the burden of the Affected Public: State Workforce
(IPERA), and the Government proposed collection of information, Agencies (Primary), individuals,
Performance and Results Act (GPRA). including the validity of the businesses, and not-for-profit
The Department also relies heavily on methodology and assumptions used; institutions.
BAM data for information on UI • enhance the quality, utility, and
Form(s): BAM State Operations
operations, such as claims filing clarity of the information to be
Handbook (ET Handbook 395, 5th
method, UI wage replacement rates, and collected; and
• minimize the burden of the edition).
claimant characteristics. The results of
the BAM survey are reported annually collection of information on those who Total Annual Respondents: 179,145.2.
on the ETA Web site at the following are to respond, including through the Annual Frequency: BAM samples are
link: http://oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/. use of appropriate automated, selected weekly; the BAM data
electronic, mechanical, or other collection instrument is updated
II. Review Focus technological collection techniques or continuously as the audits are
The Department is particularly other forms of information technology, conducted.
interested in comments which: e.g., permitting electronic submissions Average Time per Response: 10.09
of responses. hours per investigation. This estimate is
• Evaluate whether the proposed
collection of information is necessary III. Current Actions a weighted average.
for the proper performance of the Type of Review: Extension without Estimated Total Annual Burden
functions of the agency, including revisions. Hours: 476,013.2.
whether the information will have Title: Unemployment Insurance Total Annual Burden Cost for
practical utility; Benefit Accuracy Measurement. Respondents: $18,870,582.59.
BAM PCA/DCA DATA ANNUAL COLLECTION BURDEN PER STATE WORKFORCE AGENCY
Non-separa-
Monetary Separation
Paid tion
denied denied Total
claims denied
claims claims claims
Cases ................................................................................... * 457 150 150 150 907
Respondents/Case ............................................................... 4.65 3.10 3.10 2.6 3.80
Hours/Case .......................................................................... 12.59 7.85 7.85 6.97 10.09
Total Respondents ........................................................ 2125.1 465 465 390 3445.10
Total Hours ................................................................... 5753.6 1177.5 1177.5 1045. 5 9154.1
* Average for all 52 State Workforce Agencies (SWAs). The 10 smallest states in terms of UI weeks paid sample at the rate of 360 cases per
year; the other 42 states sample at the rate of 480 cases per year.
52 SWAs × 3,445.1 respondents = 179,145.2 respondents.
52 SWAs × 9,154.1 hours = 476,013.2 hours.
ANNUAL PCA/DCA TOTAL COST BY RESPONDENT
Cost summary Paid claims Denied claims Cost per state Cost—52 SWAs
SWA Staff ........................................................................................ $208,317.97 $135,142.56 $343,460.53 $17,859,947.56
Claimants ......................................................................................... 3,313.25 2,463 128,076 300,365
Employers + 3rd Parties .................................................................. 20,402.67 5,015.34 25,418.01 1,321,720.67
Total All Costs .......................................................................... 224,901.94 137,994.18 485,195.87 18,870,582.59
We will summarize and/or included DEPARTMENT OF LABOR and Federal agencies with an
in the request for OMB approval of the opportunity to comment on proposed
ICR, the comments received in response Employment and Training and/or continuing collection of
to this comment request; they will also Administration information in accordance with the
become a matter of public record. Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
Comment Request for Information
(PRA95) [44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)]. This
Portia Wu, Collection Request for OMB 1205–
program helps to ensure that requested
Assistant Secretary for Employment and 0154, Unemployment Insurance (UI)
Trust Fund Activities Reports, data can be provided in the desired
Training, Labor.
Extension Without Revisions format, reporting burden (time and
[FR Doc. 2015–11646 Filed 5–13–15; 8:45 am]
financial resources) is minimized,
BILLING CODE 4510–FW–P AGENCY: Employment and Training collection instruments are clearly
Administration (ETA), Labor. understood, and the impact of collection
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
ACTION: Notice. requirements on respondents can be
properly assessed.
SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as
part of its continuing effort to reduce Currently, ETA is soliciting comments
paperwork and respondent burden, concerning the continuation of the
conducts a preclearance consultation collection of data on UI Trust Fund
program to provide the general public Activities Reports. The current
VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:59 May 13, 2015 Jkt 235001 PO 00000 Frm 00079 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\14MYN1.SGM 14MYN1](https://thefederalregister.org/doc/80_FR_27798/page/2.svg)
Document Created: 2015-12-15 15:33:11
Document Modified: 2015-12-15 15:33:11
| Category | Regulatory Information | |
| Collection | Federal Register | |
| sudoc Class | AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106: | |
| Publisher | Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration | |
| Section | Notices | |
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| Dates | Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the | |
| FR Citation | 80 FR 27705 |
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