Consent to Receive Employee Benefit Plan Disclosures Electronically

Forms and Documents

Document Name	Status
1210-0121 ss 4-21-2020-YLedit (clean).docx Supporting Statement A	2020-04-22

IC Document Collections

IC ID	Document Title	Status
13499	Consent To Receive Employee Benefit Plan Disclosures Electronically	Modified

ICR Details

OMB Control No: 1210-0121	ICR Reference No: 202003-1210-002
Status: Active	Previous ICR Reference No: 201801-1210-001
Agency/Subagency: DOL/EBSA	Agency Tracking No: 1210-AB10(Final)
Title: Consent to Receive Employee Benefit Plan Disclosures Electronically
Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently approved collection	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Regular
OIRA Conclusion Action: Approved without change	Conclusion Date: 08/17/2020
	Date Received in OIRA: 05/27/2020
Terms of Clearance:

	Inventory as of this Action	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	08/31/2023	36 Months From Approved	05/31/2021
Responses	82,853,832	0	4,792,744
Time Burden (Hours)	1,567,541	0	19,709
Cost Burden (Dollars)	21,441,854	0	239,637

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Abstract: Regulations at 29 CFR 2520.104b-1 and 2520.107-1 govern the use of electronic technologies to satisfy information disclosure and recordkeeping requirements under Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (ERISA). Generally, consent is required to be obtained prior to providing disclosures electronically to participants and beneficiaries at a location other than the workplace.

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Authorizing Statute(s): US Code: 29 USC 1024(b) Name of Law: Employee Income Security Act of 1974
  

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

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Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
1210-AB90	Final or interim final rulemaking	85 FR 31884	05/27/2020

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Federal Register Notices & Comments

Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? No

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Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 1

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
Consent To Receive Employee Benefit Plan Disclosures Electronically

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ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Approved	Previously Approved	Change Due to New Statute	Change Due to Agency Discretion	Change Due to Adjustment in Estimate	Change Due to Potential Violation of the PRA
Annual Number of Responses	82,853,832	4,792,744	0	78,061,088	0	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	1,567,541	19,709	0	1,547,832	0	0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	21,441,854	239,637	0	21,202,217	0	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: Yes

Burden Increase Due to: Miscellaneous Actions

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: In accordance with Executive Order 13847, the Department finalized a new safe harbor for the use of electronic media by administrators of retirement plans covered by ERISA. This amendment enables plan administrators to furnish covered documents to covered individuals by means of electronic delivery if they have electronic addresses and if they do not opt out of electronic delivery. Cost increases reflect the creation a website by some plans and the creation and distribution of notices to notify participants of the changes. This rule creates cost savings by increasing the number of electronically delivered documents, thereby reducing printing, mailing, and postage costs. This cost savings is reflected in the lower estimated costs for materials and postage reflected in Item 13 of documents covered under the related ICRs. The requirement for retirement plan administrators to furnish to participants and beneficiaries with a notice of internet availability of these disclosures increases the costs of this ICR.

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Annual Cost to Federal Government: $0

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? No

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? No

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Common Form ICR:  No

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On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).

The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:

(a) It is necessary for the proper performance of agency functions;

(b) It avoids unnecessary duplication;

(c) It reduces burden on small entities;

(d) It uses plain, coherent, and unambiguous language that is understandable to respondents;

(e) Its implementation will be consistent and compatible with current reporting and recordkeeping practices;

(f) It indicates the retention periods for recordkeeping requirements;

(g) It informs respondents of the information called for under 5 CFR 1320.8 (b)(3) about:

(i) Why the information is being collected;

(ii) Use of information;

(iii) Burden estimate;

(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);

(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and

(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;

(h) It was developed by an office that has planned and allocated resources for the efficient and effective management and use of the information to be collected.

(i) It uses effective and efficient statistical survey methodology (if applicable); and

(j) It makes appropriate use of information technology.

If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.

Certification Date: 05/27/2020

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