The Department
has revised its burden estimates to accurately capture burden
associated with distributing reports electronically.
Inventory as of this Action
Requested
Previously Approved
12/31/2015
36 Months From Approved
12/31/2012
169,000,000
0
156,047,000
2,300,000
0
2,142,100
58,300,000
0
46,551,000
Employee Retirement Income Security
Act of 1974 section 104(b)(3) and regulations codified at 29 CFR
2520.104b-10 require employee benefit plans to furnish a summary of
the plan's annual report to participants and specified
beneficiaries for purposes of disclosure of basic financial
information.
US Code:
29 USC 1024(b)(3) Name of Law: Employee Retirement Income
Security Act of 1974
The Department has revised some
of the assumptions used to estimate burden hours and costs for this
ICR, which results in revised estimates as compared with the 2009
submission. The primary cost increase results from an increase in
the number of plans, participants, and policy-holders relative to
the 2009 submission. Additionally, the Department reverted back to
its previous methodology for calculating postage costs.
Historically, the Department has assumed that all plans pay the
standard postage rate. For the 2009 submission, the Department
attempted a more sophisticated measure, which included a factor for
plans that pay the bulk postage rate; however, this approach is
inconsistent with most of the Department's estimates, and there is
minimal evidence that the approach resulted in a more accurate
measure of the actual costs. Data on plans using the bulk rate is
difficult to obtain, so the 2009 methodology really resulted in a
shift from a certain minor overstatement of postage costs to a
measure with more uncertainty that may have understated costs.
Therefore, the Department reverted back to its previous methodology
for this submission.
$0
No
No
No
No
No
Uncollected
Chris Cosby 202
693-8540
No
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:
(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;
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.