[Federal Register: January 17, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 12)]
[Notices]
[Page 3307-3309]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr17ja08-109]
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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Request and
Comment Request
The Social Security Administration (SSA) publishes a list of
information collection packages that will require clearance by the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in compliance with Public Law
(Pub. L.) 104-13, the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, effective
October 1, 1995. The information collection packages included in this
notice are for new information collections, revisions to OMB-approved
information collections and extensions (no change) of OMB-approved
information collections.
SSA is soliciting comments on the accuracy of the Agency's burden
estimate; the need for the information; its practical utility; ways to
enhance its quality, utility and clarity; and how to minimize the
burden on respondents, including the use of automated collection
techniques or other forms of information technology. Written comments
and recommendations regarding the information collection(s) should be
submitted to the OMB Desk Officer and the SSA Reports Clearance
Officer. The information can be mailed, faxed or e-mailed to the
individuals at the addresses and fax numbers listed below:
(OMB), Office of Management and Budget, Attn: Desk Officer for SSA,
Fax: 202-395-6974, E-mail address: OIRA_Submission@omb.eop.gov.
(SSA), Social Security Administration, DCBFM, Attn: Reports Clearance
Officer, 1333 Annex Building, 6401 Security Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21235,
Fax: 410-965-6400, E-mail address: OPLM.RCO@ssa.gov.
I. The information collections listed below are pending at SSA and
will be submitted to OMB within 60 days from the date of this notice.
Therefore, your comments should be submitted to SSA within 60 days from
the date of this publication. You can obtain copies of the collection
instruments by calling the SSA Reports Clearance Officer at 410-965-
0454 or by writing to the address listed above.
Application for a Social Security Card--20 CFR 422.103-.110--0960-
0066. Forms SS-5 (used in the United States) and SS-5-FS (used outside
the United States) are to apply for original and replacement Social
Security cards. Revisions are being made to the race/ethnicity question
of the form to reflect OMB standards; additionally, several other minor
changes are being made to the form's instructions. The respondents are
applicants for original and replacement Social Security cards.
Type of Request: Revision to an OMB-approved information
collection.
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Number of
Application scenario annual Completion Burden hours
respondents time
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Respondents who do not have to provide parents' SSNs............ 13,000,000 8\1/2\ 1,841,667
Respondents who are asked to provide parents' SSNs (for 540,000 9 81,000
application for original SSN cards for children under age 18)..
Applicants age 12 or older who need to answer additional 40,000 9\1/2\ 6,333
questions so SSA can determine whether an SSN was previously
assigned.......................................................
[[Page 3308]]
Applicants asking for a replacement SSN card beyond the 4,000 60 4,000
allowable limits (i.e., who must provide additional
documentation to accompany the application)....................
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Totals...................................................... 13,584,000 .............. 1,933,000
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II. The information collections listed below have been submitted to
OMB for clearance. Your comments on the information collections would
be most useful if received by OMB and SSA within 30 days from the date
of this publication. You can obtain a copy of the OMB clearance
packages by calling the SSA Reports Clearance Officer at 410-965-0454,
or by writing to the address listed above.
1. State Mental Institution Policy Review Booklet--20 CFR 404.2035,
404.2065, 416.635, & 416.665--0960-0110. SSA uses the information
collected on Form SSA-9584-BK to determine whether an institution's
policies and practices conform with SSA's regulations in the use of
benefits and whether the institution is performing other duties and
responsibilities required of a representative payee. The information
also provides a basis for conducting an onsite review of the
institution and the subsequent report of findings. The respondents are
State mental institutions which serve as representative payees for
Social Security beneficiaries and Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
claimants.
Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information
collection.
Number of Respondents: 95.
Frequency of Response: 1.
Average Burden Per Response: 60 minutes.
Estimated Annual Burden: 95 hours.
2. Development for Participation in a Vocational Rehabilitation or
Similar Program--20 CFR 404.316(c), 404.337(c), 404.352(d),
404.1586(g), 404.1596, 404.1597(a), 404.327, 404.328, and 416.1338(c)
and (d) 416.1320(d), 416.1331(a)-(b), and 416.1338--0960-0282. SSA
State Disability Determination Services (DDS) must determine if a
disability beneficiary who (1) no longer has a disability and (2) is
enrolled in a vocational rehabilitation program can continue to receive
Social Security disability benefits and SSI payments. To determine
continuing eligibility, SSA needs information about the beneficiary,
the type of program he/she is enrolled in and the types of services the
beneficiary is receiving under the auspices of that program. SSA uses
Form SSA-4290 to collect this information. The respondents are State
Employment Networks, Vocational Rehabilitation agencies or other
providers of education/job training services.
Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information
collection.
Number of Respondents: 3,000.
Frequency of Response: 1.
Average Burden Per Response: 15 minutes.
Estimated Annual Burden: 750 hours.
3. Social Security Statement Survey -0960-NEW.
Background
As per 42 U.S.C. 1320b-13, SSA is required to provide benefits and
earnings statements to Social Security number-holders age 25 and over
who earn wages. This document, provided annually, is called the Social
Security Statement. In response to a recommendation from the Government
Accountability Office (GAO), SSA has begun a systematic and regular
evaluation of customer satisfaction with the Statement. To implement
the GAO recommendations, SSA has developed a process for evaluating
customer satisfaction with the Social Security Statement on a
systematic and routine basis.
Description of Proposed Surveys
To take the evaluation process one step further, SSA is planning to
conduct a national survey to monitor and improve customer satisfaction
with the messages in the 2007 Statement. The 2007 Statement contains
new Windfall Elimination Provision/Government Pension Offset (WEP/GPO)
language as mandated by law. There are two versions of the WEP/GPO
language in the Statement to accommodate different groups of wage-
earners: Those who have an earnings history with both covered and non-
covered earnings under Social Security and those who have only earnings
covered under Social Security. Each group will receive a Statement with
WEP/GPO language specific to them and will be surveyed to determine
their satisfaction.
Information obtained through this evaluation will help SSA improve
the Statement as a communications product that meets SSA's goals and
assures the public is aware of, understands and can act upon the
information the Statement provides in a timely way. The two groups of
respondents match the two groups of wage earners.
Burden Information
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Average
Number of Frequency of burden per Estimated
respondents response response annual burden
(minutes) (hours)
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Recipients with covered and non-covered earnings 600 1 10 100
history........................................
Recipients with covered earnings only........... 600 1 10 100
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Total....................................... 1200 .............. .............. 200
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4. Student Reporting Form--20 CFR 404.352(b)(2), 404.368, 404.415,
404.434, 422.135--0960-0088. SSA uses the information collected by Form
SSA-1383 to determine the effect of reported events on Social Security
student beneficiaries' continuing entitlement to these benefits.
Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information
collection.
Number of Respondents: 75,000.
Frequency of Response: 1.
Average Burden Per Response: 6 minutes.
[[Page 3309]]
Estimated Annual Burden: 7,500 hours.
5. Electronic Death Registration (EDR)--20 CFR 404.301; 404.310-
311; 404.316; 404.330-341; 404.350-352; and 404.371; 416.912--0960-
0700. SSA has contracted with the States to obtain death certificate
information to compare it to SSA's payment files. This match ensures
the accuracy of our payment files by detecting unreported or inaccurate
dates of deaths of beneficiaries. Entitlement to retirement,
disability, wife's, husband's or parent's benefits under the provisions
of the Social Security Act terminates when the beneficiary dies.
Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information
collection.
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Average cost Estimated
Collection format Number of Frequency of responses per record annual cost
respondents request burden
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State Death Match--Manual Process. 35 50,000 per State............ $0.72 $1,260,000
State Death Match--Electronic 18 50,000 per State............ 2.58 2,322,000
Death Registration (EDR).
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Total......................... 53 ............................ .............. 3,582,000
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Estimated Annual Cost for all respondents:
**Please note that both of these data matching processes are
entirely electronic and there is no hourly burden for the respondent to
provide this information. The cost burdens are based on the four cost
components incurred by the respondents:
--Software;
--hardware;
--average annual salaries of database management personnel; and
--average annual salaries of support personnel.
6. Work Activity Report (Self-Employed Person)--20 CFR 404.1520(b),
404.1571-404.1576, 404.1584-404.1593, and 416.971-.976--0960-0598. SSA
uses the information on Form SSA-820-F4 to determine initial or
continuing eligibility for SSI or Social Security disability benefits.
Under Titles II and XVI of the Act, applicants for disability benefits
must prove an inability to perform any kind of Substantial Gainful
Activity (SGA) generally available in the national economy for which
they might be expected to qualify on the basis of age, education and
work experience. SSA needs to secure information about this work to
ascertain whether the applicant was (or is) engaging in SGA. Work after
a claimant becomes entitled can cause the cessation of disability
benefits. SSA needs the information obtained on Form SSA-820-F4 to
determine if a cessation of benefits should occur. The respondents are
applicants and claimants for SSI or Social Security disability
benefits.
Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information
collection.
Number of Respondents: 100,000.
Frequency of Response: 1.
Average Burden Per Response: 30 minutes.
Estimated Annual Burden: 50,000 hours.
7. Modified Benefit Formula Questionnaire-Employer--20 CFR 401 &
402--0960-0477. When a claimant alleges receipt of a pension based on
non-covered employment after 1956 and the claimant reaches age 62 or
becomes disabled after 1985, SSA must determine whether the modified
benefit formula is applicable and when to first apply it to a person's
benefit. SSA collects information on Form SSA-58 to determine whether
Social Security benefits should be adjusted. This form will be sent to
an employer for pension-related information if the claimant is unable
to provide it. The respondents are certain individuals who are eligible
for both Social Security benefits and a pension based on work not
covered by SSA.
Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information
collection.
Number of Respondents: 30,000.
Frequency of Response: 1.
Average Burden Per Response: 20 minutes.
Estimated Average Burden: 10,000 hours.
8. Disability Determination and Transmittal--20 CFR 404.1615(e),
416.1015(f)--0960-0437. SSA uses the information collected on Form SSA-
831-C3/U3 to document the State agency determination as to whether an
individual who applies for disability benefits is eligible for those
benefits based on his/her alleged disability. SSA also uses the
information for program management and evaluation. The respondents are
State DDS adjudicating Title II and Title XVI disability determinations
for SSA.
Type of Request: Extension of OMB-approved information collection.
Number of Respondents: 3,079,916.
Frequency of Response: 1.
Average Burden Per Response: 15 minutes.
Estimated Average Burden: 769,979 hours.
9. Cessation or Continuance of Disability or Blindness
Determination--20 CFR 404.1615. 416.1015--0960-0443. SSA uses the
information on Form SSA-832-U3/C3 to document whether an individual's
disability benefits should be terminated or continued on the basis of
his/her impairment. The respondents are State DDS employees
adjudicating Title II and Title XVI disability claims.
Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information
collection.
Number of Respondents: 200,753.
Frequency of Response: 1.
Average Burden Per Response: 30 minutes.
Estimated Annual Burden: 100,376 hours.
10. Employer Report of Special Wage Payments--20 CFR 404.428-
404.429--0960-0565. SSA gathers the information on Form SSA-131 to
prevent earnings-related overpayments to Social Security beneficiaries,
and to avoid erroneous withholding of benefits. The respondents are
employers who provide special wage payment verification.
Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information
collection.
Number of Respondents: 30,000.
Frequency of Response: 1.
Average Burden of Response: 20 minutes.
Estimated Average Burden: 10,000 hours.
Dated: January 11, 2008.
Elizabeth A. Davidson,
Reports Clearance Officer, Social Security Administration.
[FR Doc. E8-810 Filed 1-16-08; 8:45 am]
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