[Federal Register: August 13, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 157)]
[Notices]
[Page 47243]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr13au08-144]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employee Benefits Security Administration
Proposed Extension of Information Collection Request Submitted
for Public Comment; Furnishing Documents to the Secretary of Labor on
Request Under ERISA Section 104(a)(6)
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA
95) (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)), the Department of Labor (the Department)
conducts a preclearance consultation program so that the general public
and other federal agencies can comment on proposed and continuing
collections of information. This program helps to ensure that the data
the Department gathers arrive in the desired format, that the reporting
burden on the public (time and financial resources) is minimized, that
the public understands the collection instruments, and that the
Department can accurately assess the impact of collection requirements
on respondents.
By this notice, the Department is soliciting comments on the
information collection provisions of regulations pertaining to section
104(a)(6) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as
amended (ERISA). The statute and the regulatory provisions codified at
29 CFR 2520.104a-8 require the administrator of an employee benefit
plan subject to Part 1 of Title I of ERISA to furnish the Secretary of
Labor with certain documents relating to the plan upon request. A copy
of the information collection request (ICR) can be obtained by
contacting the office shown in the ADDRESSES section of this notice.
ICRs submitted to OMB also are available at http://www.RegInfo.gov.
DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office shown in the
addresses section on or before October 14, 2008.
ADDRESSES: Interested parties are invited to submit written comments
regarding the information collection request and burden estimates to:
Gerald B. Lindrew, Office of Policy and Research, U.S. Department of
Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, 200 Constitution
Avenue, NW., Room N-5647, Washington, DC 20210. Telephone: (202) 693-
8410; Fax: (202) 219-4745. These are not toll-free numbers.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
Pursuant to section 101(a)(6) of ERISA, the administrator of any
employee benefit plan subject to Part 1 of Title I of ERISA is required
to furnish to the Secretary of Labor, on request, any documents related
to the employee benefit plan including but not limited to, the latest
SPD (including any summaries of plan changes not contained in the SPD),
and the bargaining agreement, trust agreement, contract, or other
instrument under which the plan is established or operated. The
Department issued a final implementing regulation under this provision
on January 7, 2002 (67 FR 777), which is codified at 29 CFR 2520.104a-
8. The ICR relating to the regulation was approved following
publication of a notice of proposed rulemaking on August 5, 1999 (64 FR
42797). The ICR is scheduled to expire on December 31, 2008.
II. Desired Focus of Comments
The Department 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;
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.
III. Current Actions
The Employee Benefits Security Administration is requesting an
extension of the currently approved ICR for the Furnishing Documents to
the Secretary of Labor under ERISA section 104(a)(6) and 29 CFR
2520.104a-8. The Department is not proposing or implementing changes to
the regulation or to the existing ICR. A summary of the ICR and the
current burden estimates follows:
Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
Agency: Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security
Administration.
Title: Furnishing Documents to the Secretary of Labor on Request
under ERISA.
OMB Number: 1210-0112.
Frequency: On occasion.
Affected Public: Individuals or households; business or other for-
profit institutions; not-for-profit institutions.
Total Respondents: 1,000.
Total Responses: 1,000.
Estimated Total Burden Hours: 95.
Estimated Annual Burden Cost: $4,000.
Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of the ICR. They will
also become a matter of public record.
Dated: August 7, 2008.
Joseph S. Piacentini,
Director, Office of Policy and Research, Employee Benefits Security
Administration.
[FR Doc. E8-18632 Filed 8-12-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-29-P