[Federal Register: May 4, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 85)]
[Notices]               
[Page 23872-23873]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr04my99-97]

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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

 
Proposed Information Collection Request, Submitted for Public 
Comment and Recommendations; Extension of the Unemployment Insurance 
(UI) Revenue Quality Control (RQC) Program

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 is soliciting 
comments concerning the proposed revision and extension of the UI RQC 
Program. Note that as part of an Unemployment Insurance Service (UIS) 
reorganization effort, the name was changed from RQC to the Tax 
Performance System (TPS). Discussions are still taking place as to the 
most appropriate name for the program and so, during the process of 
extending this program, the reference name shall remain as Revenue 
Quality Control on all papers, documents, handbooks, forms and software 
packages. A copy of the proposed information collection request can be 
obtained by contacting the employee listed below in the contact section 
of this notice.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before July 6, 1999.

[[Page 23873]]

    Written comments should:
    <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> Evaluate 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 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.

ADDRESSES: Rett Hensley, Unemployment Insurance Service, Employment and 
Training Administration, Department of Labor, Room S4522, 200 
Constitution Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20210; 202-219-5615 (this is not 
a toll-free number).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    Since 1987, all State Employment Security Agencies (SESAs) except 
the Virgin Islands have been required by regulation at 20 CFR 602 to 
operate a program to assess their Unemployment Insurance tax and 
benefit programs. RQC developed new measures for tax performance to 
replace those previously gathered under the Quality Appraisal (QA) 
system. RQC is designed to assess the major internal UI tax functions 
by utilizing several methodologies: Computed Measures which are 
indicators of timeliness and completeness based on data automatically 
generated via the existing ET 581 automated report; and Program Reviews 
which assess accuracy through a two-fold examination: (a) ``Systems 
Review'' examine tax systems for the existence of internal controls; 
(b) small samples of those systems' transactions are then examined to 
verify the effectiveness of controls.

II. Current Actions

    This is a request for OMB approval under the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)) of an extension to an existing 
collection of information previously approved and assigned OMB Control 
No. 1205-0332.
    Agency: Employment and Training Administration, Department of 
Labor.
    Title: Unemployment Insurance Revenue Quality Control Program.
    OMB Number: 1205-0332.
    Affected Public: State governments (State Employment Security 
Agencies).
    Total Respondents: Fifty two state governments.
    Frequency: Annually.
    Total Response: Fifty two.
    Average time per response: 1,750 hours.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 91,000 hours for 52 States.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for Office of Management and Budget 
approval of the extension of the information collection request; they 
will also become a matter of public record.

    Dated: April 27, 1999.
Grace A. Kilbane,
Director, Unemployment Insurance Service.
[FR Doc. 99-11133 Filed 5-3-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-30-M