[Federal Register: January 30, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 20)]
[Notices]
[Page 4797-4798]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr30ja03-82]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment Standards Administration
Proposed Collection; Comment Request
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor (the Department), 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 (PRA) [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 Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs'
(OFCCP) proposed information collection entitled Equal Opportunity
Survey (EO Survey). 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 March 31, 2003.
[[Page 4798]]
ADDRESSES: Ms. Hazel Bell, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution
Ave., NW., Room S-3201, Washington, DC 20210, telephone (202) 693-0418
(voice) or (202) 693-1308 (TTY), fax (202) 693-1451, E-mail
hbell@fenix2.dol-esa.gov. Please use only one method of transmission
for comments (mail, fax, or E-mail).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
I. Background
OFCCP's regulations at 41 CFR 60-2.18 authorize OFCCP to collect
data through use of the EO Survey. The EO Survey requests data that can
be derived from employment and other related records that contractors
are required to collect and retain under OFCCP's regulations at 41 CFR
60-1.12. With these data, the EO Survey is intended to improve the
selection of contractors for compliance evaluations, which the
Department uses to determine compliance with non-discrimination and
equal employment opportunity (EEO) regulations. OFCCP seeks to develop
a selection tool that is able to identify those contractors that are
more likely to be engaging in discriminatory employment practices. This
revised selection tool would enable OFCCP to efficiently allocate its
resources and avoid initiating evaluation of those employers who are in
general compliance with EEO guidelines, thereby reducing the burden on
them, and efficiently spending tax-payer dollars. Time constraints and
a number of data problems affected an earlier pilot study of the EO
Survey data in such a way so as not to be able to assess the Survey's
predictive power. To perform a study that is not limited by these
obstacles, OFCCP has engaged an outside contractor to study the Survey
data. The contractor will assess data from the EO Survey submissions as
part of its study. It is anticipated that the study will not be
completed until 2004.
The current PRA authorization for the EO Survey is scheduled to
expire on March 31, 2003. Accordingly, OFCCP requests a two-year
extension of PRA authorization for the EO Survey, involving 10,000 EO
Surveys per year. The two-year extension will permit OFCCP to complete
the ongoing study of the EO Survey. Ten-thousand Surveys is the number
the outside contractor needs to assess the Survey's reliability for
finding employers that discriminate against their employees.
II. Review Focus
The Department of Labor is particularly interested in comments
which:
[sbull] 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;
[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 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 seeks the extension of approval to collect this
information to complete a study of the EO Survey as a tool to identify
those contractors that are more likely to be engaging in discriminatory
employment practices. The Survey could enable OFCCP to efficiently
allocate its resources to avoid initiating evaluation of those
employers who are in general compliance with EEO guidelines, thereby
reducing the burden on them and efficiently spending tax-payer dollars.
The OFCCP seeks a two-year extension to the approval of the Equal
Opportunity Survey. There is no change in the substance or method of
collection since the last OMB approval.
Type of Review: Extension.
Agency: Employment Standards Administration.
Title: Equal Opportunity Survey.
OMB Number: 1215-0196.
Affected Public: Business or other for-profit; Not-for-profit
institutions.
Total Respondents/Responses: 10,000.
Frequency: Annually.
Average Burden per Response: 21 hours.
Estimated Total Burden Hours: 210,000.
Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0.
Total Burden Cost (operating/maintenance): $30,000.
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; comments will also
become a matter of public record.
Dated: January 28, 2003.
Bruce Bohanon,
Chief, Branch of Management Review and Internal Control, Division of
Financial Management, Office of Management, Administration and
Planning, Employment Standards Administration.
[FR Doc. 03-2283 Filed 1-29-03; 8:45 am]