Notice2024-13439
Proposed Revision of Information Collection; Peace Corps Volunteer Authorization for Examination and/or Treatment, CA-15 (OMB Control No. 1240-0059)
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
June 20, 2024
Issuing agencies
Labor DepartmentWorkers' Compensation Programs Office
Abstract
The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a pre-clearance request for comment to provide the general public and Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This request 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 Office of Workers' Compensation Programs, Division of Federal Employees' Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation, (OWCP/ DFELHWC) is soliciting comments on the information collection for Peace Corps Volunteer Authorization for Examination and/or Treatment, CA-15.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 119 (Thursday, June 20, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 119 (Thursday, June 20, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51908-51909]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-13439]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Office of Workers' Compensation Programs
Proposed Revision of Information Collection; Peace Corps
Volunteer Authorization for Examination and/or Treatment, CA-15 (OMB
Control No. 1240-0059)
AGENCY: Office of Workers' Compensation Programs, Division of Federal
Employees' Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation, (OWCP/DFELHWC)
Labor.
ACTION: Request for public comments.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to
reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a pre-clearance
request for comment to provide the general public and Federal agencies
with an opportunity to comment on proposed collections of information
in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This request
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 Office of Workers' Compensation Programs, Division of
Federal Employees' Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation, (OWCP/
DFELHWC) is soliciting comments on the information collection for Peace
Corps Volunteer Authorization for Examination and/or Treatment, CA-15.
DATES: All comments must be received on or before August 19, 2024.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comment as follows. Please note that late,
untimely filed comments will not be considered.
Electronic Submissions: Submit electronic comments in the following
way:
<bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>.
Follow the instructions for submitting comments for WCPO-2024-0013.
Comments submitted electronically, including attachments, to <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> will be posted to the docket, with no changes.
Because your comment will be made public, you are responsible for
ensuring that your comment does not include any confidential
information that you or a third party may not wish to be posted, such
as your or anyone else's Social Security number or confidential
business information.
<bullet> If your comment includes confidential information that you
do not wish to be made available to the public, submit the comment as a
written/paper submission.
Written/Paper Submissions: Submit written/paper submissions in the
following way:
<bullet> Mail/Hand Delivery: Mail or visit DOL-OWCP/DFELHWC, Office
of Workers' Compensation Programs, Division of Federal Employees'
Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation, U.S. Department of Labor,
200 Constitution Ave. NW, Room S-3323, Washington, DC 20210.
<bullet> OWCP/DFELHWC will post your comment as well as any
attachments, except for information submitted and marked as
confidential, in the docket at <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anjanette Suggs, Office of Workers'
Compensation Programs, Division of Federal Employees' Longshore, and
Harbor Workers' Compensation, OWCP/DFELHWC, at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b0c3c5d7d7c39ed1dedad1ded5c4c4d5f0d4dfdc9ed7dfc6"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="5c2f293b3b2f723d32363d32392828391c383330723b332a">[email protected]</span></a>
(email); (202) 354-9660.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
The Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP) administers the
Federal Employees' Compensation Act (FECA), 5 U.S.C. 8101 et seq. The
statute provides for the payment of benefits for wage loss and/or for
permanent impairment to a scheduled member, arising out of a work-
related injury or disease. The Act outlines the elements of pay which
are to be included in an individual's pay rate, and sets forth various
other criteria for determining eligibility to and the amount of
benefits, including: augmentation of basic compensation for individuals
with qualifying dependents; a requirement to report any earnings during
a period that compensation is claimed; a prohibition against concurrent
receipt of FECA benefits and benefits from the Office of Personnel
Management or certain Department of Veterans Affairs benefits; a
mandate that money collected from a liable third party found
responsible for
[[Page 51909]]
the injury for which compensation has been paid is applied to benefits
paid or payable.
A Peace Corps Volunteer who sustains an injury or contracts an
illness overseas while in Peace Corps service may be entitled to
benefits under the FECA. Peace Corps Volunteers are in the performance
of duty while abroad during the period of Peace Corps service for
purposes of FECA coverage. An injury sustained outside the United
States during service is deemed proximately caused by such service,
unless the injury or illness was proximately caused by willful
misconduct, intention to bring about injury or death, or intoxication.
The Sam Farr and Nick Castle Peace Corps Reform Act of 2018 (Farr-
Castle), regulates various aspects of the Peace Corps, including
changes to the provision of health care to volunteers. The legislation
is named in honor of former Peace Corps volunteers Sam Farr, a retired
Democratic congressman, and Nick Castle, who lost his life at age 23
while serving overseas in the Peace Corps in 2013.
The Peace Corps was established on September 22, 1961, by Public
Law 87-293, known as the ``Peace Corps Act.'' It authorizes the
enrollment of qualified citizens and nationals of the United States as
``volunteers'' and ``volunteer leaders'' for service abroad in
interested countries and areas, to help the people of such countries
and areas in meeting their needs for trained workers, and to help
promote a better understanding of the American people on the part of
the peoples served and a better understanding of other peoples on the
part of the American people.
Under the provisions of the FECA, 5 U.S.C. 8142 of the FECA
provides that,
(a) For the purpose of this section, ``volunteer'' means--
(1) a volunteer enrolled in the Peace Corps under section 2504 of
title 22;
(2) a volunteer leader enrolled in the Peace Corps under section
2505 of title 22; and
(3) an applicant for enrollment as a volunteer or volunteer leader
during a period of training under section 2507(a) of title 22 before
enrollment.
Entitlement to disability compensation payments does not commence
until the day after the date of termination of service as a volunteer.
5 U.S.C. 8142(b).
Farr-Castle directs the Secretary of the Department of Labor to
authorize the Director of the Peace Corps to furnish medical benefits
to a volunteer, who is injured during the volunteer's period of
service, for a period of 120 days following the termination of such
service if the Director certifies that the volunteer's injury probably
meets the requirements set forth in 5 U.S.C. 8142(c)(3). The Secretary
may then certify vouchers for these expenses for such volunteers out of
the Employees' Compensation Fund.
OWCP and the Peace Corps collaborated on this form which authorizes
medical treatment for recently terminated Peace Corps volunteers who
require medical treatment for injuries/exposure sustained in the
performance of their volunteer service. Issuance of this form will
solely be at the discretion of the Peace Corps. This bridges the gap
between the occurrence of an initial injury and/or disease exposure and
the actual adjudication of a claim by OWCP by helping ensure that
recently terminated volunteers receive prompt medical care, without
delay, for a period of 120 days following separation from service.
References:
<a href="https://www.dol.gov/agencies/owcp/FECA/regs/statutes/feca">https://www.dol.gov/agencies/owcp/FECA/regs/statutes/feca</a>
Sam Farr & Nick Castle Peace Corps Reform Act of 2018, Public Law
115-256, 102, 132 Stat. 3650 (2018) (codified as amended at 5 U.S.C.
8142).
<a href="https://www.congress.gov/115/plaws/publ256/PLAW-115publ256.pdf">https://www.congress.gov/115/plaws/publ256/PLAW-115publ256.pdf</a>
II. Desired Focus of Comments
OWCP/DFELHWC is soliciting comments concerning the proposed
information collection related to the Peace Corps Volunteer
Authorization for Examination and/or Treatment, CA-15.
OWCP/DFELHWC is particularly interested in comments that:
<bullet> Evaluate whether the collection of information is
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Agency,
including whether the information has practical utility;
<bullet> Evaluate the accuracy of OWCP/DFELHWC's estimate of the
burden related to the information collection, including the validity of
the methodology and assumptions used in the estimate;
<bullet> Suggest methods to enhance the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information to be collected; and
<bullet> Minimize the burden of the information collection 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.
Background documents related to this information collection request
are available at <a href="https://regulations.gov">https://regulations.gov</a> and at DOL-OWCP/DFELHWC
located at 200 Constitution Ave. NW, Room S-3323, Washington, DC 20210.
Questions about the information collection requirements may be directed
to the person listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION section of this
notice.
III. Current Actions
This information collection request concerns Peace Corps Volunteer
Authorization for Examination and/or Treatment, CA-15. OWCP/DFELHWC has
updated the data with respect to the number of respondents, responses,
burden hours, and burden costs supporting this information collection
request from the previous information collection request.
Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
Agency: Office of Workers' Compensation Programs, Division of
Federal Employees' Longshore, and Harbor Workers' Compensation, OWCP/
DFELHWC.
OMB Number: 1240-0059.
Affected Public: Private Sector--Businesses or other For-profits.
Number of Respondents: 252.
Frequency: On Occasion.
Number of Responses: 252.
Annual Burden Hours: 63 hours.
Annual Respondent or Recordkeeper Cost: $179.00.
OWCP/DFELHWC Forms: OWCP/DFELHWC Form CA-15, Peace Corps Volunteer
Authorization for Examination and/or Treatment.
Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized in
the request for Office of Management and Budget approval of the
proposed information collection request; they will become a matter of
public record and will be available at <a href="https://www.reginfo.gov">https://www.reginfo.gov</a>.
Anjanette Suggs,
Certifying Officer.
[FR Doc. 2024-13439 Filed 6-18-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-CH-P
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