[Federal Register: September 4, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 171)]
[Notices]
[Page 52616-52617]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr04se03-71]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Office of Disability Employment Policy
Proposed Collection; Comment Request
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to
reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a pre-clearance
consultation program to provide the general public
[[Page 52617]]
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 Office of Disability Employment Policy is soliciting
comments concerning the proposed collection of needs assessment data
through the National Survey of Sub-minimum Wage (14 c) Certificate
Recipients. A copy of the proposed information collection request (ICR)
can be obtained by contacting the office listed below in the addressee
section of this notice.
DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the
ADDRESSES section below on or before November 3, 2003.
ADDRESSES: Faith S. Kirk, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of
Disability Employment Policy, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Suite S-
1303, Washington, DC 20210.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
This project is a research activity of the Training and Technical
Assistance for Providers (T-TAP) project. Funded by the Office of
Disability and Employment Policy (ODEP) at the U.S. Department of
Labor, T-TAP is a joint project of the Institute for Community
Inclusion at the University of Massachusetts at Boston and Virginia
Commonwealth University. The project provides a program of technical
assistance and training that will be delivered and disseminated
nationally to community-based providers including community
rehabilitation providers and other public agencies who use the Fair
Labor Standards Act (FLSA) section 14 (c) special minimum wage
certificates. The overall goal of the T-TAP project is to assist
community providers to increase access to regular wage employment in
the competitive labor market. Collection of needs assessment data is
necessary to identify barriers for organizations serving individuals
with disabilities in finding integrated employment at a competitive
rate.
The Cooperative Agreement's data collection component is authorized
pursuant to Public Law 106-554, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of
2001, which established ODEP within the Department of Labor to bring a
heightened and permanent focus for increasing the employment of persons
with disabilities and to develop initiatives to ``further the objective
of eliminating employment barriers to the training and employment of
people with disabilities.'' The Consolidated Appropriations Act of
2002, pursuant to Public Law 107-116, has reauthorized this authority.
The data collected from this survey will provide descriptive
information on the current use of 14 (c) Special Wage Certificates by
Community Rehabilitation Programs in the United States. Specifically,
the survey will look at perceived organizational barriers to achieving
competitive employment outcomes for individuals with significant
disabilities. This will include organizations' perceived training and
resource needs related to moving their programs from 14 (c) to
integrated employment outcomes. The information generated by the survey
will be used by ODEP for policy analysis and subsequent policy
development and recommendations. In addition, T-TAP [VCU and ICI] will
use the information to design and disseminate resources and training
materials as well as provide technical assistance to Community
Rehabilitation Programs (CRP). Part of disseminating this information
will include writing journal articles, fact sheets, online seminars and
web postings, conference presentations, or other literature that can be
used by ODEP, T-TAP, CRPs, organizations, and others interested in
facilitating competitive employment for individuals with disabilities.
II. Review Focus
The Department of Labor is particularly interested in comments
that:
[sbull] Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is
necessary for the execution of the project's mission, including whether
the information will have practical utility;
[sbull] 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;
[sbull] Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and
[sbull] 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
submissions of responses to the extent reasonable.
III. Current Actions
This is a notice to seek OMB approval of new survey instrument for
the Office of Disability Employment Policy, U.S. Department of Labor.
Type of Review: New.
Agency: Office of Disability Employment Policy.
Title: National Survey of Sub-minimum Wage (14 c) Certificate
Recipients.
OMB Number: 1230-NEW.
Affected Public: Non-Profit Institutions.
Purpose of Information Collection: Research and Program Planning.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 341.
Total Annual Responses: 341.
Percentages of electronic collection: 25%.
Total Annual Hours Requested: 170.5.
Costs: [in thousands of dollars].
Total Annualized Capital/Start-up $: $0.
Total Annual Costs (O&M): $0.
Frequency of Reporting: One Time.
Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0.
Total Burden Cost (operating/maintaining): $0.
Comments submitted in response to this comment request will be
summarized and/or included in the request for Office of Management and
Budget approval of the information collection request; comments will
also become a matter of public record.
Dated: August 28, 2003.
John R. Davey,
Director, Office of Operations, Office of Disability Employment Policy.
[FR Doc. 03-22502 Filed 9-3-03; 8:45 am]