[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 95 (Friday, May 16, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28557-28558]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-11299]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Office of Workers' Compensation Programs
Proposed Extension of Existing Collection; Comment Request
AGENCY: Division of Coal Mine Workers' Compensation, Office of Workers'
Compensation Programs, Department of Labor.
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 pre-clearance
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 Office of Workers' Compensation Programs is soliciting
comments concerning the proposed collection: Report of Changes that May
Affect Your Black Lung Benefits (CM-929 and CM-929P). A copy of the
proposed information collection request can be obtained by contacting
the office listed below in the addresses section of this Notice.
DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the
addresses section below on or before July 15, 2014.
ADDRESSES: Ms. Yoon Ferguson, U.S. Department of Labor, 200
Constitution Ave. NW., Room S-3323, Washington, DC 20210, telephone
(202) 693-0701, fax (202) 693-1449, Email [email protected]. Please
use only one method of transmission for comments (mail, fax, or Email).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
The Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977, as amended, 30
U.S.C. 936, 30 U.S.C. 941 and 20 CFR 725.533(e) authorizes the Division
of Coal Mine Workers' Compensation (DCMWC) to pay compensation to coal
miner beneficiaries. Once a miner or survivor is found eligible for
benefits, the primary beneficiary is requested to report certain
changes that may affect benefits. To ensure that there is a review and
update of all claims paid from the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund,
and from Social Security cases transferred to the Department of Labor
under the Black Lung Consolidation of Administrative Responsibilities
Act of 2002, and to help the beneficiary comply with the need to report
certain changes, the CM-929 is sent to all appropriate primary
beneficiaries. The CM-929 is printed by the DCMWC computer system with
information specific to each beneficiary, such as name, address, number
of dependents on record, state workers' compensation information, and
amount of current benefits. The beneficiary reviews the information and
certifies that the information is current, or provides updated
information. The form includes a warning about potential consequences
of failure to report changes. DCMWC uses Information Collection OMB
1240-0020, Forms CM-623 and CM-623S, to monitor a representative
payee's use of funds use of funds paid on a beneficiary's behalf. This
is an annual reporting requirement and, while the information collected
on OMB 1240-0028 and 1240-0020 is different, the same payees complete
both forms and the same DCMWC claims examiner reviews them. Therefore,
DCMWC incorporated the CM-929 into the CM-623 and CM-623S in those
cases that appropriately had been sent both forms. This composite form
is entitled CM-929P, and allows respondents to verify information to
DCMWC once annually instead of twice, as is now required. This
information collection is currently approved for use through September
30, 2014.
II. Review Focus
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.
III. Current Actions
The Department of Labor seeks the approval for the extension of
this currently-approved information collection in order to verify the
accuracy of information in the beneficiary's
[[Page 28558]]
claims file, to identify changes in the beneficiary's status, and to
ensure that the amount of compensation being paid the beneficiary is
accurate.
Agency: Office of Workers' Compensation Programs.
Type of Review: Extension.
Title: Report of Changes That May Affect Your Black Lung Benefits.
OMB Number: 1240-0028.
Agency Number: CM-929 and CM-929P.
Affected Public: Individuals and Not-for-profit institutions.
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Time to
Form complete Frequency of Number of Number of Hours burden
(minutes) response respondents responses
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CM-929........................ 5-8 Annually........ 31,000 31,000 2,738
CM-929P....................... 6-80 Annually........ 4,030 4,030 4,380
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Totals.................... 12 ................ 35,030 35,030 7,118
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Total Respondents: 35,030.
Total Annual Responses: 35,030.
Average Time per Response: 12 minutes.
Estimated Total Burden Hours: 7,118.
Frequency: Annually.
Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0.
Total Burden Cost (operating/maintenance): $0.
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: May 9, 2014.
Yoon Ferguson,
Agency Clearance Officer, Office of Workers' Compensation Programs,
U.S. Department of Labor.
[FR Doc. 2014-11299 Filed 5-15-14; 8:45 am]
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