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OMB Control No: 0960-0834	ICR Reference No: 202404-0960-003
Status: Active	Previous ICR Reference No: 202309-0960-005
Agency/Subagency: SSA	Agency Tracking No:
Title: Changes to the Information Collection Tools Associated with the Final Rule, Intermediate Improvement to the Disability Adjudication Process, Including How We Consider Past Work (RIN 0960-AI83)
Type of Information Collection: New collection (Request for a new OMB Control Number)	Common Form ICR: No
Type of Review Request: Regular
OIRA Conclusion Action: Approved without change	Conclusion Date: 05/28/2024
	Date Received in OIRA: 04/18/2024
Terms of Clearance: Following conclusion of this ICR, the agency will continue to engage with OMB regarding the burden calculations associated with this information collection, potential revisions to the IC, as well as de minimis revisions to the supporting documentation. Following agreement between SSA and OMB, the agency may conduct a non-substantive change to reflect any further changes made.

	Inventory as of this Action	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	05/31/2027	36 Months From Approved
Responses	4,040,459	0	0
Time Burden (Hours)	6,040,198	0	0
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0

Abstract: The Social Security Act (Act), sections 42 U.S.C. 423(d)(1)(A) and 1382c(a)(3)(A)-(B), define disability as the inability to engage in any substantial gainful activity (SGA) by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death, or which has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months. The Act in section 42 U.S.C. 1382c(a)(3)(C), also states that, for adults, an individual shall be determined to have a disability only if their physical or mental impairment(s) are of such severity that they are not only unable to do their previous work but cannot, considering their age, education, and work experience, engage in any other kind of substantial gainful work which exists in the national economy, regardless of whether such work exists in the immediate area in which they live, or whether a specific job vacancy exists for them, or whether they will be hired if they apply for work. SSA uses a five-step sequential evaluation process to determine whether an individual is disabled, as explained under sections 20 CFR 404.1520 and 416.920 of the Code of Federal Regulations (Code). We evaluate at each step in the process to determine if the individual is disabled, and then go to the next step of the sequential evaluation process and continue in this way until we either find the individual disabled or find they do not meet our disability requirements. Under our final rule, Changes to the Intermediate Improvement to the Disability Adjudication Process, Including How We Consider Past Work, we are revising sections 20 CFR 404.1560 and 416.960 of the Code to reduce the relevant work period from the current 15 years to 5 years. In many cases, this revision will reduce the number of jobs in an individual’s work history that we will consider at step four of the sequential evaluation process when we determine whether an individual can perform their PRW. We expect that this change will more accurately reflect how an individual’s acquired skills and knowledge may become less relevant over time after they have stopped performing previous work. In addition, as we largely rely on individuals’ self-reporting for information about past work, and we find that self-reported information is often less accurate and complete with the passage of time. In addition, this change will reduce the information collection burden on individuals by reducing, on average, the number of jobs about which they must provide us with information. We anticipate that requesting work history ending at the 5-year mark will be significantly less burdensome than the current longer work history. We use different forms to collect the work history information necessary for the type and level of adjudication of a claim. Therefore, we anticipate a burden reduction for each of these forms when using a 5-year relevant work period. Under the Final Rule for the Intermediate Improvement to the Disability Adjudication Process, Including How we Consider Past Work, we anticipate reducing the amount of PRW needed for the following information collections: 0960-0300, HA-4633, Claimant's Work Background; 0960-0578, SSA-3369, Work History Report; and 0960-0579, SSA-3368, Disability Report – Adult. We anticipate this will result in a reduction in the overall burden for these information collections. Respondents are applicants for, or recipients of, Social Security disability benefits (SSDI); SSI payments; or their representatives.

Authorizing Statute(s): US Code: 42 USC 423(d)(1)(A) Name of Law: Social Security Act
US Code: 42 USC 1382c(a)(3)(A)-(C) Name of Law: Social Security Act

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
0960-AI83	Final or interim final rulemaking	89 FR 27653	04/18/2024

Federal Register Notices & Comments
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? No

ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Approved	Change Due to Agency Discretion
Annual Number of Responses	4,040,459	4,040,459
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	6,040,198	6,040,198
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: Yes

Burden Increase Due to: Changing Regulations

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: The final rule decreases the overall public reporting burden for these information collections. See question #12 for updated burden figures. As noted in questions #1 and #12 above, upon OMB approval of the final rule, we will update the burden figures in the associated information collections under 0960-0300, 0960-0578, and 0960-0579 to reflect these revised burdens. * Note: The total burden reflected in ROCIS is 6,040,198, while the burden cited in #12 of the Supporting Statement is 4,135,980. This discrepancy is because the ROCIS burden reflects the field office and telephone waiting time, as well as the travel time. In contrast, the chart in #12 of the Supporting Statement reflects actual burden.

Annual Cost to Federal Government: $0

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? No

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination. No

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination. No

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? No

Agency Contact: Faye Lipsky 410 965-8783 faye.lipsky@ssa.gov

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