[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 100 (Tuesday, May 25, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28216-28217]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-13187]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training Administration
Revision of Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) Handbook and
Program Operating Forms, Including the ETA 90-2, Disaster Payment
Activities Under the ``Stafford Disaster Relief Act''; Comment Request
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.
Currently, the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) is
soliciting comments concerning the proposed revision of a currently
approved collection of the Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA)
Handbook and Program Operating forms, including the ETA 90-2, Disaster
Payment Activities Under the ``Stafford Disaster Relief Act.'' A copy
of the proposed information collection request (ICR) 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 26, 1999.
addresses: Sterling Green, Unemployment Insurance Service, Employment
and Training Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, Room S4231, 200
Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210, telephone: 202-219-
7301 (this is not a toll-free number).
for further information contact: Sterling Green, telephone number (202)
219-7301, ext. 186 (this is not a toll-free number).
supplementary information:
I. Background
Public Law 100-707 (Sections 410 and 423) provide for benefit
assistance to ``any individual unemployed as a result of a major
disaster.'' State Employment Security Agencies (SESA's), through
agreements between the States and the Secretary of Labor, act as agents
of the Secretary for the purpose of providing assistance to applicants
in the various States who are unemployed as a result of a major
disaster. The forms in Chapters III through V, VII and X of the DUA
Handbook are used in connection with the provision of this benefit
assistance. In the revised DUA Handbook, as approved by OMB on 8/26/98,
we have eliminated the use of Federally-mandated DUE initial claims,
weekly claims, determinations of entitlement and overpayment forms. We
have permitted the SESA's to adopt forms to better accommodate the
types of disasters involved and the requirements of their automated
eligibility determination and payment systems. The President is
directed by the Act to provide DUA through agreements with States which
in his judgment have an adequate system for administering such
assistance through existing State agencies. Without the data obtained
from these reports, ETA would have no grasp on the program as it is
administered by the States.
II. Current Actions
The data obtained from the Form ETA 90-2 are used by at least three
organizational units within ETA. The Umemployment Insurance Service
uses the data for evaluation of State agency performance on making
payments and providing claimant services and for making required
reports. The Employment Service uses the data to project funding needs
in the areas of counseling, referrals to suitable work opportunities
and suitable training. The Office of Financial and Administrative
Management (OFAM) uses the data in accounting for the financial
management of the program funds and fund transfers. In addition, the
data are also used by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA),
to whom the President has delegated the responsibility by Executive
Order No. 12148, for administering the Act. All other forms (described
above) are used by SESA's in operating the program and are not reports
per se. Use of these forms by SESA's is essential to the operation of
the DUA program. 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.
Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
Agency: Employment and Training Administration.
Title: Employment and Training Administration (ETA) Disaster
Unemployment Assistance (DUA) Handbook and Program Operating Forms,
Including the ETA 90-2, Disaster Payment Activities Under the
``Stafford Disaster Relief Act.''
OMB Number: 1205-0051.
[[Page 28217]]
Agency Number(s): DUA Handbook and Program Operating Forms,
Including the ETA 90-2.
Affected Public: Individuals/State Governments.
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Average time
Cite/reference Total Frequency Total per response Burden hours
respondents responses (hour)
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Initial Application............................ 11,000 Annually............................... 11,000 \1/6\ 1,833
Supplemental/Self-emp.......................... 3,800 Annually............................... 3,800 \1/6\ 633
Weekly Claim................................... 11,000 6...................................... 66,000 \1/12\ 5,500
Notice of Overpayment.......................... 235 Annually............................... 235 \1/4\ 59
ETA 90-2....................................... 50 6...................................... 300 \1/6\ 50
Totals..................................... 26,035 ....................................... 81,035 .............. 8,075
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Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0.00.
Total Burden Cost (operating/maintaining): $124,193.00.
Comments submitted in response to this comment request 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 19, 1999.
Grace A. Kilbane,
Director, Unemployment Insurance Service.
[FR Doc. 99-13187 Filed 5-24-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-30-M