[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 226 (Friday, November 22, 2013)] [Notices] [Pages 70070-70071] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 2013-28045] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Office of the Secretary Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; Annual Funding Notice for Defined Benefit Pension Plans ACTION: Notice. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) sponsored information collection request (ICR) titled, ``Annual Funding Notice for Defined Benefit Pension Plans,'' to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval for continued use, without change, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq. DATES: Submit comments on or before December 23, 2013. ADDRESSES: A copy of this ICR with applicable supporting documentation; including a description of the likely respondents, proposed frequency of response, and estimated total burden may be obtained free of charge from the RegInfo.gov Web site at http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAViewICR?ref_nbr=201307-1210-002 (this link will only become active on the day following publication of this notice) or by contacting Michel Smyth by telephone at 202-693-4129 (this is not a toll-free number) or sending an email to [email protected]. Submit comments about this request by mail or courier to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attn: OMB Desk Officer for DOL- EBSA, Office of Management and Budget, Room 10235, 725 17th Street NW., Washington, DC 20503; by Fax: 202- [[Page 70071]] 395-6881 (this is not a toll-free number); or by email: [email protected]. Commenters are encouraged, but not required, to send a courtesy copy of any comments by mail or courier to the U.S. Department of Labor-OASAM, Office of the Chief Information Officer, Attn: Information Policy and Assessment Program, Room N1301, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20210; or by email: [email protected]. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michel Smyth by telephone at 202-693- 4129 (this is not a toll-free number) or by email at [email protected]. Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3507(a)(1)(D). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) section 101(f) sets forth the requirements for plan administrators of most single-employer defined benefit (DB) plans to furnish annual funding notices to the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation, plan participants and beneficiaries, and each labor organization representing such participants or beneficiaries. The Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) has amended the ERISA, by adding a requirement for a single-employer DB plan administrator to disclose additional information in the annual funding notice for a plan year beginning after December 31, 2011, and before January 1, 2015, regarding the effect of MAP-21 segment rate stabilization rules on plan liabilities and the plan sponsor's minimum required contributions to the plan. The MAP-21 sets a floor (or ceiling) for the interest rates that a single employer DB plan administrator generally is required to use for calculating contributions. The required interest rates are generally limited to rates that are within a specified range, or corridor, above or below a 25-year average for the rates. The MAP-21 also required the DOL to modify the model annual funding notice required under Pension Protection Act of 2006 section 501(c) to include, prominently, the supplemental information required under new ERISA section 101(f)(2)(D). On March 8, 2013, the DOL released EBSA Field Assistance Bulletin (FAB) 2013-01 concerning the new disclosure requirements mandated by MAP-21 provisions. The FAB addresses a need for interim guidance pending the adoption of regulations or other guidance under ERISA section 101(f), as amended by the MAP-21. The FAB sets forth technical questions and answers and provides a model supplement that plan administrators may use to discharge their MAP-21 disclosure obligations and provides that, pending further guidance and as a matter of enforcement policy, the DOL will treat a single employer DB plan administrator as satisfying MAP-21 requirements if the plan administrator complies with the guidance in the memorandum and otherwise acts in accordance with a good faith and reasonable interpretation of those requirements. This information collection is subject to the PRA. A Federal agency generally cannot conduct or sponsor a collection of information, and the public is generally not required to respond to an information collection, unless it is approved by the OMB under the PRA and displays a currently valid OMB Control Number. In addition, notwithstanding any other provisions of law, no person shall generally be subject to penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information that does not display a valid Control Number. See 5 CFR 1320.5(a) and 1320.6. The DOL obtains OMB approval for this information collection under Control Number 1210-0126. The current approval for this collection is scheduled to expire on December 31, 2013. The DOL seeks to extend PRA authorization for this information collection for three (3) more years, without any change to existing requirements. The DOL notes that existing information collection requirements submitted to the OMB receive a month-to-month extension while they undergo review. For additional substantive information about this ICR, see the related notice published in the Federal Register on August 15, 2013 (78 FR 49771). Interested parties are encouraged to send comments to the OMB, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs at the address shown in the ADDRESSES section within 30 days of publication of this notice in the Federal Register. In order to help ensure appropriate consideration, comments should mention OMB Control Number 1210-0126. The OMB is particularly interested in comments that: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 submission of responses. Agency: DOL-EBSA. Title of Collection: Annual Funding Notice for Defined Benefit Pension Plans. OMB Control Number: 1210-0126. Affected Public: Private Sector--businesses or other for-profits and not-for-profit institutions. Total Estimated Number of Respondents: 27,534. Total Estimated Number of Responses: 77,989,123. Total Estimated Annual Burden Hours: 977,000. Total Estimated Annual Other Costs Burden: $26,845,755. Dated: November 18, 2013. Michel Smyth, Departmental Clearance Officer. [FR Doc. 2013-28045 Filed 11-21-13; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4510-29-P