1205-0150 Supporting Statement_FINAL 2.27.17

Nonmonetary Determination Activity Report

OMB Control No. 1205-0150

February 2017

SUPPORTING STATEMENT

NONMONETARY DETERMINATION ACTIVITY REPORT

OMB Control No. 1205-0150

This ICR seeks to revise the Nonmonetary Determination Activity Report Information Collection to remove the burden associated with reporting burden for the now expired Federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation Program.

A. Justification.

1. Explain the circumstances that make the collection of information necessary. Identify any legal or administrative requirements that necessitate the collection. Attach a copy of the appropriate section of each statute and regulation mandating or authorizing the collection of information.

The data reported on the ETA 207 provides current information on the volume and nature of nonmonetary determinations and denials under state Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE), and Unemployment Compensation for Ex-Service Members (UCX) programs.

Claimants for unemployment insurance may be denied their benefits for reasons associated with their separation from employment, such as voluntary quit, or questions of continuing eligibility, such as refusal of suitable work. These data are a byproduct of the normal program operations. The ETA 207 report contains state data on the number and types of issues that arise and on the denials of benefits that may result.

This collection is authorized under the Social Security Act, Section 303(a)(6).

2. Indicate how, by whom, and for what purpose the information is to be used. Except for a new collection, indicate the actual use the agency has made of the information received from the current collection.

These data are used by the Office of Unemployment Insurance (OUI) to determine workload counts, to enable the OUI to evaluate the adequacy and effectiveness of adjudication determination procedures, and to evaluate the impact of state and Federal legislation with respect to disqualifications. They are also used for general statistical purposes. For instance, these data are used to compute ratios of nonmonetary determinations resulting in disqualifications, as well as measures reflecting the distributions of nonmonetary determinations by the eligibility issues involved. No similar data are available from other sources.

Workload counts are an input for funding states for administrative costs. Comparative figures among states give the ETA National Office information about the effectiveness of the various state provisions and or administrative procedures in carrying out the program. Combined with information from the ETA 5130 (OMB No. 1205-0172) and the ETA 227 (OMB No. 1205-0173), individual state programs and legal provisions can be evaluated as to effectiveness.

Without this information, the National Office would not be able to evaluate state performance in the adjudication area on an ongoing basis and it would not have one of the key inputs to the administrative funding process.

3. Describe whether, and to what extent, the collection of information involves the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses, and the basis for the decision for adopting this means of collection. Also describe any consideration of using information technology to reduce burden.

As with most UI reports, the ETA 207 is a part of an electronic reporting system through which State Workforce Agencies enter and transmit data to the National Office. States have the option of creating a file on their own computer system and uploading it to the UI system to eliminate hand keying and the potential for errors that go along with it.

4. Describe efforts to identify duplication. Show specifically why any similar information already available cannot be used or modified for use for the purposes described in Item 2 above.

There is no other source for this information.

5. If the collection of information impacts small businesses or other small entities, describe any methods used to minimize burden.

This collection does not involve small business or entities.

6. Describe the consequence to Federal program or policy activities if the collection is not conducted or is conducted less frequently, as well as any technical or legal obstacles to reducing burden.

Less frequently than a quarterly collection would mean less ability to track impact of legislation and less ability to track patterns of activity within a state over time.

7. Explain any special circumstances that would cause an information collection to be conducted in a manner that requires further explanation pursuant to regulations 5 CFR 1320.5:

There are no special circumstances.

8. If applicable, provide a copy and identify the date and page number of publication in the Federal Register of the agency's notice, required by 5 CFR 1320.8(d), soliciting comments on the information collection prior to submission to OMB. Summarize public comments received in response to that notice and describe actions taken by the agency in response to these comments. Specifically address comments received on cost and hour burden.

Describe efforts to consult with persons outside the agency to obtain their views on the availability of data, frequency of collection, the clarity of instructions and recordkeeping, disclosure, or reporting format (if any), and on the data elements to be recorded, disclosed, or reported.

Consultation with representatives of those from whom information is to be obtained or those who must compile records should occur at least once every 3 years - even if the collection of information activity is the same as in prior periods. There may be circumstances that may preclude consultation in a specific situation. These circumstances should be explained.

National Office program staff are routinely in touch with Regional staff who work with state staff through phone calls, visits and conferences and are also available to state staff. During the last three year clearance cycle no comments have been made that would suggest that changes are needed to this information collection. Also, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the public was allowed 60 days to comment through the Federal Register Notice posted on September 6, 2016 (81 FR 61253). No public comments were received.

9. Explain any decision to provide any payment or gift to respondents, other than remuneration of contractors or grantees.

There were no payments or gifts to any respondents.

10. Describe any assurance of confidentiality provided to respondents and the basis for the assurance in statute, regulation, or agency policy.

There is no assurance of confidentiality to respondents.

11. Provide additional justification for any questions of a sensitive nature, such as sexual behavior and attitudes, religious beliefs, and other matters that are commonly considered private. This justification should include the reasons why the agency considers the questions necessary, the specific uses to be made of the information, the explanation to be given to persons from whom the information is requested, and any steps to be taken to obtain their consent.

There are no questions of a sensitive nature.

12. Provide estimates of the hour burden of the collection of information.

The estimated annual burden for this collection is 1,696 hours (848 hours for the ETA 207 report covering the regular state program, and the Federal-State Extended Benefits program).

The following table can be used as a guide to calculate the total burden of an information collection.

Program Type	Number of Respondents	Annual Frequency	Total Annual Responses	Time Per Response (Hours)	Total Annual Burden (Hours)	Hourly Rate*	Monetized Value of Respondent Time
Regular	53	4	212	4	848	$47.20	$40,026
EB (Extended Benefits)	53	4	212	4	848	$47.20	$40,026
Unduplicated Totals	53		424		1,696		$80,052

*Source: The hourly rate is computed by dividing the FY 2016 national average PS/PB annual salary for state staff as provided for through the distribution of state UI administrative grants (http://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/attach/UIPL/UIPL_21-15.pdf) by the average number of hours worked in a year (1,711). For FY2016, this calculation was: $80,756 / 1,711 = $47.20.

13. Provide an estimate for the total annual cost burden to respondents or record keepers resulting from the collection of information. (Do not include the cost of any hour burden already reflected on the burden worksheet).

The ETA 207 is a long standing data collection, and as such there are no startup costs. All reports are collected and electronically transmitted. The Department has determined that additional costs incurred by States choosing to create a file on their own computer system and uploading it to the UI system would not be considered an additional burden under the PRA; rather any additional effort would most appropriately be considered a usual or customary business practice that a respondent engages in for its own purposes. See 5 C.F.R. § 1320.3(b)(2).

14. Provide estimates of annualized costs to the Federal government. Also, provide a description of the method used to estimate cost, which should include quantification of hours, operational expenses (such as equipment, overhead, printing, and support staff), and any other expense that would not have been incurred without this collection of information. Agencies may also aggregate cost estimates from Items 12, 13, and 14 in a single table.

During FY2016, ETA has budgeted $839,171.90 to operate and maintain the Unemployment Insurance Required Reports system.  Including the subject ICR, this system supports 30 information collections.  For administrative purposes, each information collection is assumed to contribute an equal share of the cost for supporting the entire system; therefore, the cost allocated to this ICR is estimated to be $27,972 ($839,171.90 system cost/30 information collections).

The agency associates the following Federal personnel costs for this collection:

Pay Grade¹ * Overhead Adjustment * Level of Effort = Total Personnel Cost

GS12, Step 4: $79,386 * 1.4 * 75% = $83,355

GS-15 Step 4: $131,214 * 1.4 * 15% = $27,555

Total Personnel Cost $110,910

Total Annual Federal Cost Estimate: $138,882 ($27,972 + $110,910).

15. Explain the reasons for any program changes or adjustments reported on the burden worksheet.

Adjustments were made to reflect the expiration of Federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation Program, which occurred on January 1, 2014. Reporting under that program is now complete.

16. For collections of information whose results will be published, outline plans for tabulation and publication. Address any complex analytical techniques that will be used. Provide the time schedule for the entire project, including beginning and ending dates of the collection of information, completion of report, publication dates, and other actions.

This data is not routinely published.

17. If seeking approval to not display the expiration date for OMB approval of the information collection, explain the reasons that display would be inappropriate.

Instrument cleared through this ICR will bear the expiration date.

18. Explain each exception to the topics of the certification statement identified in “Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submission.”

There are no exceptions to the certification statement.

B. Collection of Information Employing Statistical Methods

This information collection does not employ statistical methods.

1 Source: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/salary-tables/pdf/2017/RUS.pdf

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