Notice2022-03765
Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; Benefit Accuracy Measurement (BAM) Program
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
February 23, 2022
Issuing agencies
Labor DepartmentEmployment and Training Administration
Abstract
The Department of Labor's (DOL) Employment and Training Administration (ETA) is soliciting comments concerning a proposed extension for the authority to conduct the information collection request (ICR) titled, "Benefit Accuracy Measurement (BAM) Program." This comment request is part of continuing Departmental efforts to reduce paperwork and respondent burden in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA).
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 36 (Wednesday, February 23, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 36 (Wednesday, February 23, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10244-10246]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-03765]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training Administration
Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request;
Benefit Accuracy Measurement (BAM) Program
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor's (DOL) Employment and Training
Administration (ETA) is soliciting comments concerning a proposed
extension for the authority to conduct the information collection
request (ICR) titled, ``Benefit Accuracy Measurement (BAM) Program.''
This comment request is part of continuing Departmental efforts to
reduce paperwork and respondent burden in accordance with the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA).
DATES: Consideration will be given to all written comments received by
April 25, 2022.
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 by
contacting Rhonda Cowie by telephone at 301-693-3821 (this is not a
toll-free number), TTY 1-877-889-5627 (this is not a toll-free number),
or by email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#a6c5c9d1cfc388d4cec9c8c2c788cbe6c2c9ca88c1c9d0"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="690a061e000c471b0106070d084704290d0605470e061f">[email protected]</span></a>.
Submit written comments about, or requests for a copy of, this ICR
by mail or courier to the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and
Training Administration, Office of Unemployment Insurance, Room S-4520,
200 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20210, by email at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b4d7dbc3ddd19ac6dcdbdad0d59ad9f4d0dbd89ad3dbc2"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="f69599819f93d8849e99989297d89bb692999ad8919980">[email protected]</span></a>, or by Fax at 202-693-3975.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: DOL, as part of continuing efforts to reduce
paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a pre-clearance consultation
program to provide the general public and Federal agencies an
opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing collections of
information before submitting them to the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) for final approval. This program helps to ensure 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 can be properly
assessed.
Since 1987, all State Workforce Agencies (SWA), except the U.S.
Virgin Islands, have been required by regulation at 20 CFR part 602 to
operate BAM programs to assess the accuracy of their unemployment
insurance (UI) benefit payments in three programs: State UI,
Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE), and
Unemployment Compensation for Ex-servicemembers (UCX). Beginning in
2001, BAM was modified to include the sampling and investigation of UI
claims denied for monetary, separation, or nonseparation issues.
BAM is one of the tools DOL uses to measure and reduce improper
payments in the UI program. By investigating small representative
weekly samples of both paid and denied UI claims, each SWA calculates a
reliable estimate of the number and dollar value of proper and improper
payments; the number of proper and improper denials of claims for UI
benefits; the rates of occurrence of these proper and improper payments
and denials; and the error types, error causes, and the parties that
are responsible for the errors.
Paid Claims Accuracy. Each week, SWAs select random samples of both
intrastate and interstate original payments (including combined wage
claims) made for a week of UI benefits under the State UI, UCX, and
UCFE programs. A sample of 360 cases per year are pulled in the 10 SWAs
with the smallest UI program workloads (defined as the average annual
UI weeks paid during the last five years) and 480 cases per year in the
other SWA. SWA BAM staff audit each selected claim, examining all
aspects of a claimant's eligibility to receive UI benefits during the
sampled week. The findings are entered into an automated database that
is maintained on a computer located in each SWA.
Denied Claims Accuracy (DCA). Each week, SWAs select random samples
from three separate sampling frames constructed from the universes of
UI claims for which eligibility was denied for monetary, separation,
and nonseparation reasons. All SWAs sample a minimum of 150 cases of
each denial type in each calendar year. SWA BAM staff members review
agency records and contact claimants, employers, and all other relevant
parties to verify information in agency records or obtain additional
information pertinent to the determination that denied eligibility for
UI benefits. Unlike the investigation of paid claims, in which all
prior determinations affecting claimant eligibility for the compensated
week selected for the sample are evaluated, the investigation of denied
claims is limited to the issue upon which the denial determination is
based. The findings are entered into an automated database that is
maintained on a computer located in each SWA.
DOL maintains a database of each SWA's BAM paid and denied claims
cases, minus any personally identifying information. DOL uses BAM data
to measure SWA performance with respect to UI payment integrity and to
meet the DOL's reporting requirements of the Payment Integrity
Information Act of 2019 and the Government Performance and Results Act.
DOL also relies heavily on BAM data for information on UI operations,
such as claims filing method, UI wage replacement rates, and claimant
characteristics. The results of the BAM survey are reported annually on
the ETA website at the following link: <a href="https://oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/bqc.asp">https://oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/bqc.asp</a>. The Payment Integrity Information Act of 2019 (31 U.S.C. 3352)
and Section 303(a)(6) of the Social Security Act authorize this
information collection.
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 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.
Interested parties are encouraged to provide comments to the
contact shown in the ADDRESSES section. Comments must be written to
receive consideration, and they will be summarized and included in the
request for OMB approval of the final ICR. In order to help ensure
appropriate consideration, comments should mention OMB Control Number
1205-0245. Submitted comments will also be a matter of public record
for this ICR and posted on the internet, without redaction. DOL
encourages commenters not to include personally identifiable
information, confidential business data, or other sensitive statements/
information in any comments.
DOL is particularly interested in comments that:
<bullet> 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;
<bullet> 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;
<bullet> Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and
<bullet> 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
[[Page 10246]]
other forms of information technology, (e.g., permitting electronic
submission of responses).
Agency: DOL-ETA.
Type of Review: Extension without changes.
Title of Collection: Unemployment Insurance Benefit Accuracy
Measurement.
Form: BAM State Operations Handbook (ET Handbook 395, 5th edition).
OMB Control Number: 1205-0245.
Affected Public: State Workforce Agencies (Primary), individuals,
businesses, and not-for-profit institutions.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 181,633.
Frequency: Varies.
Total Estimated Annual Responses: 228,745.
Estimated Average Time per Response: Varies.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 618,084 hours.
Total Estimated Annual Other Cost Burden: $0.
(Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A))
Angela Hanks,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training, Labor.
[FR Doc. 2022-03765 Filed 2-22-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-FW-P
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