Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) Program Forms Comment Request

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) Program

Forms 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

Action 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 is soliciting

comments concerning the proposed revision and extension of the

Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) Handbook.

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 September 2, 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 or responses.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on this notice may be mailed or delivered

to Merri Baldwin, Unemployment Insurance Service, U.S. Department of

Labor, Room S-4231, Frances Perkins Building, 200 Constitution Ave.,

NW, Washington, DC 20210, telephone (202) 219-7301 ext 185 (this is not

a toll-free number) fax number (202) 219-8506.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

The UCFE law (5 U.S.C. 8501-8509) requires State employment

security agencies to administer the UCFE program in accordance with the

same terms and conditions as payable under the unemployment insurance

law of the State if their Federal service and Federal wages had been

included as employment and wages under that State law. Each State

agency must be able to obtain from the Federal agency wage and

separation information from each claimant filing claims for UCFE

benefits to enable them to determine his/her eligibility for benefits.

The State agencies record or obtain required UCFE information on forms

developed by the Department of Labor, ES-931, ES-935, and ES-934. The

use of each of these forms is essential to the UCFE claims process

Information pertaining to the UCFE claimant can only be obtained

from the individual's former Federal agency be using the Form ES-931,

Request for Wage and Separation Information. If the claimant's former

employer does not provide the information, the most feasible and

effective way to obtain this information is by use of the Forms ES-935,

claimant's Affidavit of Federal Civilian Service, Wages and Reason for

Separation, prescribed by the Department of Labor for State agency use.

Without this information, we could not adequately determine the

eligibility of former Federal employees and would not be able to

properly administer the program.

II. Current Actions

This is a request for OMB approval under the Paperwork Reduction

Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)) of an extension to an existing

collection of information previously approved and assigned OMB control

No. 1205-0179. A current inventory of 144,000 UCFE claims were filed in

FY 1995 and a proposed inventory of 188,000 UCFE claims will be

reported for by delayed returns of completed Form ES-931 by the

employing Federal agency. This form is required to be completed in 100%

of all claims. Form ES-934 is used to obtain information when missing

or clarified data is needed from a Federal agency. This form is used in

about 10% of claims. Form ETA 8-32 is used to provide a 6-month summary

of verification activities by each SESA of Form ES-936, Verification of

Wage and Separation Information, sent to payroll offices as a result of

incomplete and/or incorrect information entered on Form ES-931, Request

for Wage and Separation Information. This form is used semi-annually.

Form ES-939, Federal Agency Visits Report, is completed by a SESA

representative, on each visit to a Federal agency installation in

connection with he UCFE program. The number of times this form is used

varies with each State.

Type of Review: Renewal.

Agency: Employment and Training Administration.

Title: Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE)

Handbook.

OMB Number: 1205-0179.

Recordkeeping: The Department of Labor (DOL) does not maintain a

system of records for the UCFE program. UCFE records are maintained by

the SESAs acting as agents for the Federal Government in the

administration of the UCFE program. The DOL Handbook.

OMB Number: 1205-0179.

Recordkeeping: The Department of Labor (DOL) does not maintain a

system of records for the UCFE program. UCFE records are maintained by

the SESAs acting as agents for the Federal Government in the

administration of the UCFE program. The DOL procedures permit the

SESAs, upon request, to dispose of UCFE records according to State law

provisions, 3 years after final action (including appeals or court

action) on the claim, or such records may be transferred in less than

the 3-year period if microphotographed in accordance with appropriate

microphotography standards.

Affected Public: State governments (State employment security

agencies) and Federal government agencies.

Cite/Reference/Form/etc: Forms ES-931, ES-931A, ES-935, ES-933, ES-

934, ES-936, ES-939, and ETA 8-32.

Total Respondents: 188,000.

Frequency: As needed.

Total Responses: 188,000.

Average Time per Response: .05 min.

Estimated Total Burden Hours: 28,434 hrs. or chart for multiple

forms/information collections.

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Average time

Cite/reference Total Frequency Total per response Burden (hours)

respondents responses (mins.)

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ES-931.......................... 188,000 1 188,000 .05 9,400

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ES-931A......................... 43,240 1 43,240 .05 2,162

ES-935.......................... 188,000 1 188,000 .08 15,040

ES-933.......................... 3,760 1 3,760 .05 188

ES-934.......................... 20,680 1 20,608 .05 1,034

ES-936.......................... 9,400 1 9,400 .05 470

ES-939.......................... 75 1 75 1.75 131

ETA 8-32........................ 53 2 106 .08 9

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Totals.................... .............. .............. 453,261 .............. 28,434

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Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): 0.

Total Burden Cost (operating/maintaining): $65,807.

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: June 26, 1997.

Grace A. Kilbane,

Director, Unemployment Insurance Service.

[FR Doc. 97-17349 Filed 7-1-97; 8:45 am]

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