FR 2025-05159

The document in question is a notice from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), inviting public comments on the reinstatement of an expired information collection request. This request, titled “Evidence to Prove Dependency of a Child, RI 25-37,” aims to collect data to determine whether the child of a deceased federal employee or annuitant is eligible to receive benefits. Comments on the process are requested by May 27, 2025, focusing on the necessity, accuracy, quality, and burden of this information collection process.

General Summary

The purpose of the document is to solicit feedback from the public and federal agencies on the reinstatement of a form used by OPM Retirement Services. This form is crucial for establishing whether certain children qualify for benefits after a federal worker's death. The document provides specifics about how people can submit their comments, the estimated burden of completing this form, and contact information for those seeking more details.

Significant Issues and Concerns

1. Eligibility Criteria: The notice does not specify the criteria used to determine a child's eligibility for receiving benefits. This omission could lead to confusion or uncertainty for those asked to provide this information. Understanding eligibility is critical for respondents to feel better prepared and confident in their submissions.

2. Burden Hours: The document claims an estimated time burden of one hour per respondent but fails to explain how this estimate was developed. Without this information, stakeholders may question the validity and appropriateness of these estimates.

3. Public Outreach: The document does not detail specific outreach efforts to ensure affected individuals or households are informed about how to submit comments. Clarity in this area is vital to ensure that responses accurately reflect the needs and capabilities of the affected public.

4. Privacy Concerns: The notice neglects to address how the OPM will safeguard personal information collected through this process, which is an important consideration for public trust and participation.

5. Utility Clarification: There is a lack of examples or elaboration on what constitutes "practical utility" in this context. Understanding what is needed can help respondents assess whether their information is indeed useful to OPM's processes.

Impact on the Public

The general public, particularly those directly affected by retirement services of federal employees, could face confusion and uncertainty due to the lack of clarity noted in the document. If the concerns about privacy and the burden of information collection are not adequately addressed, there may be hesitancy to participate, which could skew the feedback.

Impact on Specific Stakeholders

For federal employees, annuitants, and their families, the process outlined in this document can have significant implications. Ensuring that the feedback collection process is efficient and transparent will directly impact the perceived fairness and effectiveness of the benefit determination process. Enhancements or lack thereof in the data collection strategy, privacy measures, and clarity of information could substantively affect these stakeholders' trust and willingness to engage with OPM's processes.

Overall, while the OPM's intention of gathering public feedback is commendable, addressing these issues would enhance the effectiveness and credibility of the information collection request and its outcomes.