[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 89 (Tuesday, May 7, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20542-20543]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-11345]



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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 Program (RQC); Notice

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. 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 8, 1996.
    Written comments should:

--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;
--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;
--Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be 
collected; and
--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: Eve MacDonald, Unemployment Insurance Service, Employment 
and Training Administration, Department of Labor, Room C 4514, 200 
Constitution Ave, N.W., Washington, D.C., 20210; 202 219-5309 (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 Quality Control program to assess their Unemployment 
Insurance tax and benefit programs. Revenue Quality Control (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 three 
methodologies: (1) Computed Measures are indicators of timeliness and 
completeness based on data automatically generated via the existing ET 
581 automated report. (2) Program Reviews assess accuracy through a 
two-fold examination: (a) ``Systems Reviews'' examine tax systems for 
the existence of internal controls; (b) small ``Acceptance Samples'' of 
those systems' transactions are then examined to verify the 
effectiveness of those controls. (3) Through the use of non-evaluative 
surveys, RQC documents the methods and procedures the SESA uses to 
manage its tax operation. Best practices are identified and this 
information is shared with other SESAs.
    The last tax function to be covered by RQC, Cashiering, has 
recently been developed and transmitted to all States. As with the 
other sections of RQC, the Cashiering section will include a Systems 
Review. Since the quality of payment applications will be evident 
through the Acceptance Samples of other sections of RQC, there will be 
no Acceptance Sample specific to Cashiering. Instead, a measure is in 
place to identify timeliness of deposit of employer payments into the 
clearing account. Deposit activities dictate that the measurement be 
conducted manually; therefore, an Estimation Sample (ES) review, 
similar in form to

[[Page 20543]]

the Quality Appraisal review for deposit promptness, has been 
developed.

II. Current Actions

    This is a request for OMB approval under the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (44 USC 3506 (c)(2)(A)) of an extension to an existing 
collection of information previously approved and assigned OMB control 
No. 1205-0332. A revision is also proposed to substitute the RQC design 
for measuring cashiering timeliness for the Quality Appraisal design. 
The proposed revision should have little or no impact on total burden 
hours because it replaces the sample used in the Quality Appraisal 
cashiering review and no longer includes an additional Acceptance 
Sample of 60 to test for accuracy in posting.
    The overall approach used in RQC sampling is similar in function to 
the QA sampling approach for Cashiering. There are, however, some 
differences in estimation sampling that enhance the RQC review 
approach:
    <bullet> Deposit timeliness will be measured during the second 
quarter report period instead of the third quarter report period 
measured by QA. More payments are typically received for the second 
quarter, providing a more accurate reading of the SESAs' effectiveness;
    <bullet> States have the flexibility to choose the period during 
which the ES will be selected (the QA time period was the same for all 
States). This should allow States to draw the sample from the most 
representative flow of remittances;
    <bullet> A standard sample size has been established, to give all 
States' estimates similar precision;
    <bullet> A less cumbersome, more direct method of calculating 
timeliness has been developed for the ES than the one used in the QA;
    <bullet> The ES includes a review of the Cashiering activities 
performed by agents of the SESAs previously excluded from QA; and
    <bullet> The new timeliness measure now reflects timeliness of 
electronically transferred payments.

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 Responses: Fifty two.
    Average Time Per Response: 1750 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 information collection request; they will also become a 
matter of public record.

    Dated: May 1, 1996.
Mary Ann Wyrsch,
Director, Unemployment Insurance Service.
[FR Doc. 96-11345 Filed 5-6-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-30-P