[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 201 (Wednesday, October 16, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53938-53939]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-26493]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Proposed Information Collection Request Submitted for Public
Comment and Recommendations; Unemployment Insurance Benefit Accuracy
Measurement Program
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 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. With
this notice, the Employment and Training Administration is soliciting
comments concerning a proposed pilot test of collecting information on
the accuracy of denials of Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefit
eligibility. A copy of the proposed information collection request can
be obtained by contacting the employee named below in the contact
section of this notice.
DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before December 16,
1996.
Written comments should:
--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.
ADDRESSES: Burman H. Skrable, Unemployment Insurance Service,
Employment and Training Administration, U.S. Department of
[[Page 53939]]
Labor, Room S-4522, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC
20210, 202-219-5922 (this is not a toll-free number); FAX, 202-219-
8506; Internet: eta.sao.skrableb@doleta.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
Since 1987, all State Employment Security Agencies (SESAs) except
the Virgin Islands have been required by regulation at 20 CFR 602 to
operate a Benefits Quality Control (BQC) program to assess the accuracy
of their UI benefit payments. The Department's authority is found at
Sections 303(a)(1), 303(a)(6) and 303(b)(1) of the Social Security Act.
The methodology of this program, renamed Benefit Accuracy Measurement
(BAM) in 1996, requires each State draw to a weekly sample of UI
payments. Annual samples presently average slightly over 800 cases per
State, with a range of 480 to 1800. A specially trained staff of
investigators reviews agency records and contacts the claimant,
employers and third parties to verify all the information pertinent to
the benefit amount for the sampled week. Using the verified
information, the investigators determine whether the benefit payment
were proper or improper in accordance with State law and policy. Any
differences between the amount BAM determines proper and the actual
payment is an underpayment or overpayment error and is coded into an
automated database, which resides on each State's computer. Data on
error types, causes and responsibilities are also entered into the
database. This information is used by the State and DOL to estimate the
extent of mispayments, monitor program quality, guide possible future
program improvements, inform system stake-holders and perform various
policy analyses. The program is operated under Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) approval number 1205-0245; approval expires September 30,
1999.
To date, the nationwide BAM program has only assessed the accuracy
of decisions to pay UI benefits. In 1986-87, five States measured the
accuracy of decisions denying UI benefits eligibility using the BQC
methodology in a one-year pilot test.
The test covered monetary denials and nonmonetary denials at the
separation and nonseparation decision levels. Although most pilot
States showed relatively high rates of error in their denial
determinations, resource considerations and other priorities precluded
the Department from expanding the pilot effort or expanding the BQC
program to include denials. Since that time, however, the Department
has been urged by several groups to measure denied UI benefit claims'
accuracy in the States. The groups have included organized labor,
employee rights legal support groups, the Department's Office of
Inspector General, and, most recently, the Vice President's National
Performance Review.
In fall 1995, after a two-year effort, a joint workgroup of senior
SESA managers and Federal staff recommended several changes in the way
UI operational performance was measured and improved. The Department
has accepted most of the recommendations and is now implementing them
under the rubric of UI Performs. One of these is to add the measurement
of denied claim accuracy to the BAM program. Because of the time
elapsed and changes in State environments since the first pilot, the
Department deems it prudent to conduct a new pilot to guide
implementation of this measure.
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))] to conduct a pilot test of
applying the BAM sample verification methodology to ascertain the
accuracy of SESA decisions that deny UI benefits. This will be an
operational pilot test of measuring denied claim accuracy, intended to
identify costs and operational difficulties and develop workable
procedures and software for a nationwide program.
The salient characteristics of the pilot are as follows:
Five States, selected from volunteers, representing a
range of geography, size and eligibility provisions of State law and
policy. The States are Nebraska, New Jersey, South Carolina, West
Virginia and Wisconsin.
Separate samples of approximately 200 each will be
selected from State universes of monetary denials, and nonmonetary
denials for separation and nonseparation reasons. Between the claimant,
State staff, employers and third parties, it is expected that
respondents per sampled case will average 3.3, or 1,980 per State in
the one-year pilot.
All samples will be investigated using the BAM procedures
in which records are reviewed and interested parties are contacted to
verify or obtain additional information pertinent to the decision.
In addition, the two kinds of nonmonetary denials will be
independently assessed using the Quality Performance Index instrument
to see whether this records-only review is a workable alternative to
BAM's more costly den-novo factfinding.
Type of Review: New.
Agency: Employment and Training Administration.
Title: Unemployment Insurance Benefit Accuracy Measurement Program
Pilot Test.
Timing: May 1997-May 1998.
Recordkeeping: States are required to follow their State laws
regarding public record retention in retaining BAM records.
Affected Public: Individuals; business; other for-profit/not-for-
profit institutions; farms; Federal, State, Local, or Tribal
Governments.
Total Respondents: 9,900 (5 States/1,980 per State).
Frequency: Weekly.
Total Responses: 9,900 (5 States/1,980 per State).
Estimated Time Per Response: 1.65 hours.
Total Burden Hours: 16,320 hours.
Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $457,500.
Total Burden Cost (operating/maintaining): $413,315.
Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of the information
collection request; they will also become a matter of public record.
Dated: October 10, 1996.
Mary Ann Wyrsch,
Director, Unemployment Insurance Service.
[FR Doc. 96-26493 Filed 10-15-96; 8:45 am]
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