2013-25510. Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; Claim for Reimbursement of Benefit Payments and Claims Expense Under the War Hazards Compensation Act

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP) sponsored information collection request (ICR) revision titled, “Claim for Reimbursement of Benefit Payments and Claims Expense under the War Hazards Compensation Act,” to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval for use in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

DATES:

Submit comments on or before November 29, 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=​201306-1240-002 (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 [e-mail].

Submit comments about this request to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attn: OMB Desk Officer for DOL-OWCP, Office of Management and Budget, Room 10235, 725 17th Street NW., Washington, DC 20503, Fax: [phone] (this is not a toll-free number), email: [e-mail]. Commenters are encouraged, but not required, to send a courtesy copy of any comments to the U.S. Department of Labor-OASAM, Office of the Chief Information Officer, Attn: Information Management Program, Room N1301, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20210, email: [e-mail].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Contact Michel Smyth by telephone at 202-693-4129 (this is not a toll-free number) or by email at [e-mail].

Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3507(a)(1)(D).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The OWCP is responsible for administering the War Hazards Compensation Act (WHCA) (42 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.). WHCA section 1704(a) provides that an insurance carrier or self-insured who has paid workers' compensation benefits to or on account of any person for a war-risk hazard may seek reimbursement for benefits paid (plus expenses) out of the Federal Employees' Compensation Fund. See also 5 U.S.C. 8147.

Insurance carriers and the self-insured file a Claim for Reimbursement of Benefit Payments and Claims Expense under the War Hazards Compensation Act, Form CA-278, to request reimbursement. Regulations implementing the WHCA permit the OWCP to collect the information needed to consider an insurance carrier's or self-insured's reimbursement request. See 20 CFR 61.101 and 61.104. This ICR has been classified as a revision, because the OWCP has revised Form CA-278 to include an accommodation statement informing claimants with mental or physical limitations to contact the OWCP, Division of Federal Employees' Compensation if they need further assistance with the claims process.

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 1240-0006. The current approval is scheduled to expire on October 31, 2013; however, it should be noted that existing information collection requirements submitted to the OMB receive a month-to-month extension while they undergo review. New requirements would only take effect upon OMB approval. For additional substantive information about this ICR, see the related notice published in the Federal Register on July 5, 2013 (78 FR 40514).

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 1240-0006. 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-OWCP.

Title of Collection: Claim for Reimbursement of Benefit Payments and Claims Expense under the War Hazards Compensation Act.

OMB Control Number: 1240-0006.

Affected Public: Private Sector-businesses or other for-profits.

Total Estimated Number of Respondents: 7.

Total Estimated Number of Responses: 393.

Total Estimated Annual Burden Hours: 197.

Total Estimated Annual Other Costs Burden: $1,407.

Dated: October 23, 2013.

Michel Smyth,

Departmental Clearance Officer.