Proposed Collection; Comment Request

ACTION:

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 Standards Administration is soliciting comments concerning the proposed collection: Pre-Hearing Statement (LS-18). A copy of the proposed information collection request can be obtained by contacting the office listed below in the addresses section of this notice.

DATES:

Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the addresses section below on or before January 18, 2005.

ADDRESSES:

Ms. Hazel M. Bell, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Ave., NW., Room S-3201, Washington, DC 20210, telephone (202) 693-0418, fax (202) 693-1451, e-mail bell.hazel@dol.gov. Please use only one method of transmission for comments (mail, fax, or e-mail).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

I. Background

The Office of Workers' Compensation Programs administers the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act. The Act provides benefits to workers injured in maritime employment on the navigable waters of the United States or in an adjoining area customarily used by an employer in loading, unloading, repairing, or building a vessel. Title 20, CFR 702.317 provides for the referral of claims under the Longshore Act for formal hearings. This section provides that, before a case is transferred to the Office of Administrative Law Judges, the district director shall furnish each of the parties or their representatives with a copy of a pre-hearing statement form. Each party shall, within 21 days after receipt of each form, complete it and return it to the district director. Upon receipt of the forms, the district director, after checking them for completeness and after any further conferences that, in his/her opinion, are warranted, shall transmit the forms to the Office of the Chief Administrative Law Judge. The LS-18 is used to refer cases to the Office of the Administrative Law Judges for formal hearings under the Act. This information collection is currently approved for use through May 31, 2005.

II. Review Focus

The Department of Labor is particularly interested in comments which:

• 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 through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submissions of responses.

III. Current Actions

The Department of Labor seeks the approval of the extension of this information collection in order to carry out its responsibility to prepare cases for formal hearings under the Act.

Type of Review: Revision.

Agency: Employment Standards Administration.

Title: Pre-Hearing Statement.

OMB Number: 1215-0085.

Agency Number: LS-18.

Affected Public: Individuals or households; business or other for-profit.

Total Respondents: 5,400.

Total Annual Responses: 5,400.

Estimated Total Burden Hours: 864.

Time Per Response: 10 minutes.

Frequency: On occasion.

Total Burden Cost (Capital/Startup): $0.

Total Burden Cost (Operating/Maintenance): $2,220.75.

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.