2014-28612. Submission for Review: (1) Report of Withholdings and Contributions for Health Benefits, Life Insurance and Retirement (Standard Form 2812); (2) Report of Withholdings and Contributions for Health Benefits By Enrollment Code (Standard ...

AGENCY:

U.S. Office of Personnel Management.

ACTION:

60-Day notice and request for comments.

SUMMARY:

Trust Funds Group of the Office of Chief Financial Officer, Office of Personnel Management (OPM), offers the general public and other federal agencies the opportunity to comment on changes to the existing information collection 3206-0262, Standard Form 2812, Standard Form 2812-A, and OPM Form 1523. As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. chapter 35), as amended by the Clinger-Cohen Act (Pub. L. 104-106), OPM is soliciting comments for this collection.

DATES:

Comments are encouraged and will be accepted until February 6, 2015. This process is conducted in accordance with 5 CFR 1320.1.

ADDRESSES:

Interested persons are invited to submit written comments on the proposed information collection to the Trust Funds Group, Room 4416, Office of Personnel Management, 1900 E Street NW., Washington, DC 20415, Attention: Paul Gvozdov, or sent via electronic mail to [e-mail].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

A copy of this ICR, with applicable supporting documentation, may be obtained by contacting the Trust Funds Group, Room 4416, Office of Personnel Management, 1900 E Street NW., Washington, DC 20415, Attention: Paul Gvozdov, or sent via electronic mail to [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Section 401 of the “Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013,” signed into law by the President on December 26, 2013, makes another change to the Federal Employees' Retirement System (FERS). Beginning January 1, 2014, new employees (as designated in the statute) will have to pay higher employee contributions, an increase of 1.3 percent of salary above the percentage set for the FERS Revised Annuity Employees (RAE). Section 8401 of Title 5, United States Code, has been amended to add a new definition of FERS Further Revised Annuity Employees (FRAE). With one exception, there is no difference in the FERS basic benefit paid to FERS, FERS-RAE, and FERS-FRAE employees. (The FERS basic benefit for congressional employees and Members of Congress under FERS-RAE and FERS-FRAE is different than the basic benefit paid to those groups under FERS.)

The Office of Management and Budget is particularly interested in comments that:

1. 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;

2. 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;

3. Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and

4. 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.

Analysis

Agency: Trust Funds Group of the Office of Chief Financial Officer, Office of Personnel Management.

Title: (1) Report of Withholdings and Contributions for Health Benefits, Life Insurance and Retirement (Standard Form 2812); (2) Report of Withholdings and Contributions for Health Benefits By Enrollment Code (Standard Form 2812-A); (3) Supplemental Semiannual Headcount Report (OPM Form 1523).

OMB Number: 3260-0262.

Frequency: Semiannually for OPM Form 1523 and once-per-pay-period for the Standard Form 2812 and Standard Form 2812-A.

Affected Public: Public Entities with Federal Employees and Retirees.

Number of Respondents: 100.

Estimated Time per Respondent: 30 minutes.

Total Burden Hours: 2700.

U.S. Office of Personnel Management.

Katherine Archuleta,

Director.