Proposed Collection; Comment Request

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

Proposed Collection; Comment Request

ACTION: Notice.

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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 Federal agencies

with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing

collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction

Act of 1955 (PRA95) [44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(a)(A)]. This program helps to

ensure that requested data can be provided in the desired format,

reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized,

[[Page 27782]]

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 extension of the collection

of the ETA-227 Report, Overpayment Detection and Recovery Activities. 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 July 21, 1997.

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: Robert Whiting, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution

Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210, 202-219-5211 (this is not a toll-

free number).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

Form ETA-227, Overpayment and Recovery Activities, provides

information on determinations, overpayments, and recoveries of

overpayments on intrastate and liable interstate claims under State and

Federal unemployment compensation programs; i.e., programs providing

unemployment compensation for Federal employees (UCFE) and ex-

servicepersons (UCX), established under Chapter 85, Title 5, U.S. Code.

This report includes claims for regular, additional and Federal-State

extended benefits.

The State agency's accomplishments in principal detection areas of

benefit payment control are shown in the ETA-227 report. ETA and State

agencies need such information to monitor the effectiveness of the

controls of benefit payment operations.

Data are also provided for criminal and civil actions involving

benefit overpayments obtained fraudulently, and an aging schedule of

outstanding benefit overpayment accounts is included.

II. Current Actions

By collecting data on overpayment detection and recovery, State

agencies can monitor the effectiveness of their benefit payment process

and the controls built into their systems. Section A of the report

shows the establishment of fraud and nonfraud overpayments, with fraud

being broken out into categories that identify cause. Section B shows

overpayment recoveries and other actions taken to reconcile amounts

outstanding. Section C shows the results of the primary detection

activities. Section D shows the criminal and civil actions taken

against claimants. Section E shows the aging of accounts, i.e., how

long overpayments have remained uncollected. Together these data

provide a comprehensive tool useful for management of benefit

operations at the State level.

For ETA, the data provide a valuable tool to fulfill the

Secretary's responsibility to oversee operations in State agencies

individually and collectively. Periodic reporting provides data useful

for trend analyses.

Type of Review: Extension.

Agency: Employment and Training Administration.

Title: Overpayment Detection and Recovery Activities.

OMB Number: 1205-0173.

Agency Number: ETA-227.

Recordkeeping: State agencies are required to maintain all

documentation supporting the information reported on the ETA-227 for

three years following the end of each report period.

Affected Public: State Government.

Cite/Reference/Form/etc.: Form.

Total Respondents: 53 State agencies.

Frequency: Quarterly.

Total Responses: 212.

Average Time per Response: 10 hours.

Estimated Total Burden Hours: 2120.

Total Burden Cost (operating/maintaining): Estimated at $42,400

which is an allowable cost under the administrative grants awarded to

States by the Federal government.

Comments submitted in response to this comment request 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.

Dated: May 15, 1997.

Grace A. Kilbane,

Director, Unemployment Insurance Service.

[FR Doc. 97-13337 Filed 5-20-97; 8:45 am]

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