Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 19 / Tuesday, January 29, 2013 / Notices 6171 

2The ODAR Regional Office or DQS will notify 

the ALJ pursuant to our contractual obligations. Our 

current contract governing notification with the 

Association of Administrative Law Judges, 

International Federation of Professional and 

Technical Engineers, AFL–CIO became effective on 

August 31, 2001. 

The Division of Quality Service (or its 

designee) will review all complaints 

that it receives. A review includes an 

audit of the hearing recording if 

available, and an examination of the 

complaint, the hearing decision, and 

any other relevant documentation. If the 

Division of Quality Service’s review 

indicates an investigation is 

unnecessary, we will close out the 

complaint and forward it to the 

appropriate ODAR Regional Office.2 If 

the Division of Quality Service 

determines that an investigation is 

necessary, the Division of Quality 

Service will forward the complaint to 

the appropriate Regional Chief 

Administrative Law Judge (RCALJ). At 

the beginning of the investigation, the 

RCALJ (or his or her designee) will 

notify the ALJ, give him or her a copy 

of the complaint, and provide him or 

her with an opportunity to respond to 

the complaint. In addition to auditing 

the hearing recording and examining the 

complaint, the hearing decision, and 

any other relevant documentation, an 

investigation may include contacting 

any witnesses who have information 

related to the complaint. Following the 

investigation, the appropriate RCALJ 

will prepare a report for the Division of 

Quality Service’s review containing 

findings and recommending any 

necessary action regarding the ALJ. 

Such action could include counseling, 

training, mentoring, or disciplinary 

action. Once a review or investigation is 

complete, we will notify the 

complainant that we processed the 

complaint. However, we will also 

explain that the Privacy Act prevents us 

from disclosing whether there was an 

investigation and whether we took any 

action against the ALJ who is the subject 

of the complaint. 

The Division of Quality Service will 

use the same process described above to 

review or investigate complaints 

alleging ‘‘general bias’’ as well as those 

alleging a pattern of ALJ bias or 

misconduct against a group of 

claimants, or a particular category of 

claimants. In addition, the Division of 

Quality Service will monitor individual 

complaints that it receives to identify 

any patterns of alleged ALJ bias or 

misconduct against a group of 

claimants, or a particular category of 

claimants, for further investigation. If 

we substantiate these complaints, we 

will take appropriate action as described 

in this Ruling. 

We may also find after a review or 

investigation the complaint is 

unsubstantiated, and we will take no 

action with respect to the ALJ. Our 

findings or actions in the Division of 

Quality Service ALJ complaint 

investigation process do not constitute 

findings on a claim for benefits under 

the Social Security Act. Rather, they 

represent an action committed to agency 

discretion by law and are not subject to 

judicial review. 

Investigation of Allegations of 

Discrimination Under Our Civil Rights 

Complaint Process 

A person who was a party to a hearing 

may file a discrimination complaint 

with us alleging discrimination in our 

hearing process based on race, color, 

national origin (including English 

language ability), religion, sex, sexual 

orientation, age, disability or in 

retaliation for having previously filed a 

civil rights complaint. Currently, our 

Office of the General Counsel has the 

responsibility to investigate and decide 

complaints that individuals file under 

this process. A person who was a party 

to a hearing may file a discrimination 

complaint under our civil rights 

investigation process in addition to 

filing a request for Appeals Council 

review or filing a complaint with the 

Division of Quality Service. 

An individual may file a 

discrimination complaint alleging 

discrimination by an ALJ by using Form 

SSA–437–BK (available at http:// 

www.socialsecurity.gov/online/ssa437.pdf); however, an individual is not 

required to use this form and may make 

a complaint with a letter that contains 

the same information. The 

discrimination complaint must be filed 

within 180 days of the alleged 

discriminatory action unless we find 

there is good cause for late filing. Form 

SSA–437–BK provides: 

‘‘If you disagree with a decision that was 

made on a claim you filed for benefits, you 

must appeal that decision according to the 

procedure described in the notice of appeal 

rights that accompanied the decision. If you 

believe the decision was based on 

discrimination, you may file a complaint of 

discrimination using this form, but even if 

we find that you were discriminated against, 

that would not mean that the decision on 

your claim for benefits would change. A 

decision can still be a correct application of 

the law even if the decision-maker was 

biased. The only way to get the benefits 

decision changed is to file an appeal of that 

decision.’’ 

After we receive an allegation of 

discrimination involving an ALJ based 

on the categories discussed above, the 

Division of Quality Service (or its 

designee) will assist the Office of the 

General Counsel or its designee in its 

review of the allegation of 

discrimination. The Division of Quality 

Service will prepare a copy of its 

findings and supporting documents. We 

will use the facts and documents 

stemming from the Division of Quality 

Service’s investigation to make a finding 

of discrimination or non-discrimination. 

We should issue a decision within 

180 days of receiving the complaint. We 

may dismiss complaints for a lack of 

jurisdiction, such as those that allege 

discrimination based solely on a denial 

of benefits under SSA’s program law 

and not on race, color, national origin 

(including English language ability), 

religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, 

disability or in retaliation for having 

previously filed a civil rights complaint. 

We will also dismiss complaints 

alleging discrimination on bases other 

than those identified in the complaint 

form or letter. 

Within 30 days after a complainant 

receives our decision, he or she may 

request reconsideration of our decision 

on or dismissal of his or her civil rights 

complaint, and we should issue a 

reconsideration decision within 60 days 

of receiving a request for 

reconsideration. 

Effective Date: This SSR is effective 

on February 28, 2013. 

[FR Doc. 2013–01833 Filed 1–28–13; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4191–02–P 

DEPARTMENT OF STATE 

[Public Notice 8167] 

30-Day Notice of Proposed Information 

Collection: INTERNational 

Connections 

ACTION: Notice of request for public 

comment and submission to OMB of 

proposed collection of information. 

SUMMARY: The Department of State has 

submitted the information collection 

described below to the Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB) for 

approval. In accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 we 

are requesting comments on this 

collection from all interested 

individuals and organizations. The 

purpose of this Notice is to allow 30 

days for public comment. 

DATES: Submit comments directly to the 

Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB) up to February 28, 2013. 

ADDRESSES: Direct comments to the 

Department of State Desk Officer in the 

Office of Information and Regulatory 


srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with 
6172 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 19 / Tuesday, January 29, 2013 / Notices 

Affairs at the Office of Management and 

Budget (OMB). You may submit 

comments by the following methods: 

• Email: 

oira_submission@omb.eop.gov. You 

must include the DS form number, 

information collection title, and the 

OMB control number in the subject line 

of your message. 

• Fax: 202–395–5806. Attention: Desk 

Officer for Department of State. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Direct requests for additional 

information regarding the collection 

listed in this notice, including requests 

for copies of the proposed collection 

instrument and supporting documents, 

to Rachel C. Friedland, 2401 E Street 

NW., Washington, DC 20520, who may 

be reached on 202–261–8055 or at 

Friedlandrc@state.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

• Title of Information Collection: 

INTERNational Connections. 

• OMB Control Number: 1405–0190. 

• Type of Request: Revision of a 

Currently Approved Collection. 

• Originating Office: Bureau of 

Human Resources, Office of 

Recruitment, Examination and 

Employment (HR/REE). 

• Form Number: DS–5103. 

• Respondents: Alumni of the U.S. 

Department of State’s Student Programs, 

including internships, Pickerings, 

Rangels, Pathways, etc. 

• Estimated Number of Respondents: 

1,000. 

• Estimated Number of Responses: 

1,000. 

• Average Time per Response: 30 

minutes. 

• Total Estimated Burden Time: 500 

hours. 

• Frequency: On Occasion. 

• Obligation to Respond: Voluntary. 

We are soliciting public comments to 

permit the Department to: 

• Evaluate whether the proposed 

information collection is necessary for 

the proper functions of the Department. 

• Evaluate the accuracy of our 

estimate of the time and cost burden for 

this proposed collection, including the 

validity of the methodology and 

assumptions used. 

• Enhance the quality, utility, and 

clarity of the information to be 

collected. 

• Minimize the reporting burden on 

those who are to respond, including the 

use of automated collection techniques 

or other forms of information 

technology. 

Please note that comments submitted 

in response to this Notice are public 

record. Before including any detailed 

personal information, you should be 

aware that your comments as submitted, 

including your personal information, 

will be available for public review. 

Abstract of proposed collection: The 

Department’s student internship 

programs provide a key source of 

potential candidates who have an 

interest in, and are qualified, to become 

future Department employees. 

Naturally, HR/REE wants to strengthen 

and maintain its connections to this 

group, fostering and mentoring a pool of 

candidates from which to obtain 

successful recruits. 

In June 2008, HR/REE surveyed over 

3,500 former interns who served from 

2005 through spring 2008. The intern 

alumni were queried as to their 

motivation in seeking an internship, 

whether or not they had pursued a 

career with either the Foreign Service or 

Civil Service, and what their 

recommendations would be for the best 

ways for the Department to maintain 

contact after the conclusion of their 

internships. Intern alumni endorse 

continued contact with Department 

representatives mainly through 

electronic means and Web site 

reminders of career opportunities. 

In an effort to address these findings 

and provide viable solutions to 

improving student engagement prior to, 

during and following an internship, the 

Department developed an intern 

engagement strategy that will ultimately 

result in a measurable conversion of 

interns into Department hires for the 

Foreign or Civil Service. The foundation 

of this strategy is INTERNational 

Connections, a web-based career 

networking site for current, former and 

future interns that collects pertinent 

information about them, their 

experiences and their career goals. 

Methodology: Currently, the 

Department of State internship program 

employs over 1,000 participants in the 

summer, in addition to fall and spring 

internships. Unfortunately, a tracking 

system does not exist which would 

enable the Department to capture the 

intern-to-hire ratio or conversion rate, or 

track this statistic over a period of time. 

This project would provide that missing 

link. 

Users will register online at 

careers.state.gov/internconnect and 

create a profile that includes the 

aforementioned information. 

Dated: January 23, 2013. 

William Schaal, Jr., 

Executive Director, Bureau of Human 

Resources, U.S. Department of State. 

[FR Doc. 2013–01883 Filed 1–28–13; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4710–15–P 

DEPARTMENT OF STATE 

[Public Notice 8168] 

In the Matter of the Designation of 

Ahmed Abdullah Saleh al-Khazmari alZahrani Also Known as Abu Maryam 

al-Saudi Also Known as Ahmed 

Abdullah S al-Zahrani Also Known as 

Ahmad Abdullah Salih Al-Zahrani Also 

Known as Abu Maryam al-Azadi Also 

Known as Ahmed bin Abdullah Saleh 

bin al-Zahrani Also Known as Ahmed 

Abdullah Saleh al-Zahrani Al-Khozmri 

as a Specially Designated Global 

Terrorist Pursuant to Section 1(b) of 

Executive Order 13224, as Amended 

Acting under the authority of and in 

accordance with section 1(b) of 

Executive Order 13224 of September 23, 

2001, as amended by Executive Order 

13268 of July 2, 2002, and Executive 

Order 13284 of January 23, 2003, I 

hereby determine that the individual 

known as Ahmed Abdullah Saleh alKhazmari, also known as Abu Maryam 

al-Saudi; also known as Ahmed 

Abdullah S al-Zahrani, also known as 

Ahmad Abdullah Salih Al-Zahrani, also 

known as Abu Maryam al-Azadi, also 

known as Ahmed bin Abdullah Saleh 

bin al-Zahrani, also known as Ahmed 

Abdullah Saleh al-Zahrani Al-Khozmri, 

committed, or poses a significant risk of 

committing, acts of terrorism that 

threaten the security of U.S. nationals or 

the national security, foreign policy, or 

economy of the United States. 

Consistent with the determination in 

Section 10 of Executive Order 13224 

that ‘‘prior notice to persons determined 

to be subject to the Order who might 

have a constitutional presence in the 

United States would render ineffectual 

the blocking and other measures 

authorized in the Order because of the 

ability to transfer funds 

instantaneously,’’ I determine that no 

prior notice needs to be provided to any 

person subject to this determination 

who might have a constitutional 

presence in the United States, because 

to do so would render ineffectual the 

measures authorized in the Order. 

This notice shall be published in the 

Federal Register. 

Dated: December 21, 2012. 

William J. Burns, 

Deputy Secretary of State. 

[FR Doc. 2013–01882 Filed 1–28–13; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4710–10–P 


srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with