Proposed Collection; Comment Request

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment Standards Administration

Proposed Collection; Comment Request

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 Federal 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 Standards Administration is soliciting

comments concerning the information collection: Request from Claimant

for Information on Earnings, Dual Benefits, Dependents, and Third Party

Settlements, Form CA-1032. Copies of the proposed information

collection requests 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

[[Page 59740]]

addresses section below on or before January 5, 1998. 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 response.

ADDRESSES: Contact Ms. Margaret Sherrill at the U. S. Department of

Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Room S-3201, Washington, D.C.

20210, telephone (202) 219-7601. The Fax number is (202) 219-6592.

(These are not toll-free numbers.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

The Federal Employees' Compensation Act (FECA) provides for the

collection of information from claimants, receiving continuing

compensation on the periodic disability rolls. The FECA states the

following: Compensation must be adjusted to reflect a claimant's

earning while in receipt of benefits (5 U.S.C. 8106); Compensation is

payable at the augmented rate of 75 percent only if the claimant has

one or more dependents (5 U.S.C. 8110); Compensation may not be paid

concurrently with certain benefits from other Federal agencies, e.g.,

Social Security (5 U.S.C. 8116); and, Compensation must be adjusted to

reflect any settlement from a third party responsible for the injury

for which the claimant is being paid compensation (5 U.S.C. 8132).

Completion of Form CA-1032 is requested annually and is used to ensure

that compensation being paid on the periodic roll is correct.

II. Current Actions

The Department of labor (DOL) seeks extension of approval to

collect this information in order to carry out its responsibility to

meet the statutory requirements of FECA to obtain information for

determining claimants' entitlement to ongoing compensation. The

information on Form CA-1032 enables the Director, Office of Worker's

Compensation Programs to ensure that the correct compensation is being

paid to claimants on the periodic roll.

Type of Review: Extension.

Agency: Employment Standards Administration.

Title: Request from Claimant for Information on Earnings, Dual

Benefits, Dependents, and Third Party Settlements.

OMB Number: 1215-0151.

Agency Numbers: CA-1032.

Affected Public: Individuals or households.

Total Respondents: 50,000.

Frequency: Annually.

Total Responses: 50,000.

Average Time Per Response for Reporting: 20 minutes.

Estimated Total Burden Hours: 16,667.

Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): 0.

Total Burden Cost (Operating/maintenance): 95,163.

Comments submitted in response to this notice 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: October 28, 1997.

Cecily A. Rayburn,

Director, Division of Financial Management, Office of Management,

Administration and Planning, Employment Standards Administration.

[FR Doc. 97-29163 Filed 11-3-97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4510-27-M