Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA), Disaster Payment Activities Under the ``Stafford Disaster Relief Act''

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA), Disaster Payment

Activities Under the ``Stafford Disaster Relief Act''

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to

reduce paperwork and respondent burden conducts a preclearance

consultation program to provide the general public and State agencies

with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing

collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction

Act of 1995 (PRA95) [44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)]. This program helps to

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, the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) is

soliciting comments concerning the proposed one year extension of

previous approval by OMB of the attached ETA Form 90-2, Disaster

Payment Activities Under the ``Stafford Disaster Relief Act.'' A copy

of the proposed information collection request (ICR) can be obtained by

contacting the office listed below in the addressee section of this

notice.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the

addressee section below on or before August 20, 1996.

The Department of Labor 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.

ADDRESSES: Mary Ann Wyrsch, Director, Unemployment Insurance Service,

Employment and Training Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, Room

S4231, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210, telephone

number (202) 219-7831 (this is not a toll-free number).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

The monthly report on Disaster Payment Activities under the Robert

T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (the ``act'')

provides vital information on the nature and scope of activities

performed in administering provisions of sections 410 and 423 of the

act. Its workload items and final disaster reports are also used with

fiscal reports to estimate the cost of administering the act.

(Previously cleared for use thru OMB by ETA under OMB No. 1205-0234.)

The President is directed by the act to provide Disaster

Unemployment Assistance through agreements with States, which in his

judgement, have an adequate system for administering such assistance

through existing State agencies. Without the data obtained from the

report, the Employment and Training Administration would have no grasp

on the program, as its is administered by the States.

II. Current Actions

The data obtained from the reports are used by at least three

organizational units within the Employment and Training Administration

(ETA). The Unemployment Insurance Service uses the data for evaluation

of State agency performance on making payments and providing claimant

services and for making required reports. The Employment Services uses

the data to project funding needs in the areas of counseling, referrals

to suitable work opportunities and suitable training. The Office of

Financial and Administrative Management (OFAM) uses the data in

accounting for the financial management of the program funds and fund

transfers. In addition, the data are also used by the Federal Emergency

Management Agency (FEMA), to whom the President has delegated the

responsibility by Executive Order No. 12148, for administering the act.

As previously indicated, without the data obtained from the report, the

Department would have no grasp on the program, as it is administered by

the States.

Type of Review: Extension.

Agency: Employment and Training Administration.

Title: ETA Form 90-2, Disaster Payment Activities Under the

``Stafford Disaster Relief Act.''

OMB Number: 1205-0234.

Affected Public: Individuals/State Government.

Cite/Reference/Form/etc: ETA Form 90-2, Disaster Payment Activities

Under the ``Stafford Disaster Relief Act''.

Total Respondents: 50.

Frequency: Six months per annum.

Total Responses: 300.

Average Time per Response: \1/4\ hour.

Estimated Total Burden Hours: 75.

Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0.00.

Total Burden Cost (operating/maintaining): $10,300 annually.

Comments submitted in response to this comment request will be

[[Page 31952]]

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.

Dated: June 6, 1996.

Mary Ann Wyrsch,

Director, Unemployment Insurance Service, Employment and Training

Administration.

[FR Doc. 96-15872 Filed 6-20-96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4510-30-M