[Federal Register: July 13, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 133)]
[Notices]
[Page 40400-40402]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr13jy05-129]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training Administration
Proposed Information Collection Request Submitted for Public
Comment and Recommendations; Data Collection and Reporting for Wagner-
Peyser Act Funded Public Labor Exchange and Veterans' Employment and
Training Service Funded Labor Exchange
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 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. The
Employment and Training Administration (ETA) and the Veterans'
Employment and Training Service (VETS) are soliciting comments on
revised reporting requirements for the Labor Exchange Reporting System
(LERS). These changes are necessary to reflect program and service
changes implemented under the Jobs for Veterans Act and include data
elements necessary for assessing state progress against a set of common
performance measures beginning July 1, 2005.
DATES: Submit comments on or before September 12, 2005.
ADDRESSES: Send comments to: Dr. Esther R. Johnson, Administrator,
Performance and Technology Office, Employment and Training
Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue NW.,
Room S-5206, Washington, DC 20210; telephone: (202) 693-3420 (this is
not a toll-free number); fax: (202) 693-3490; e-mail:
ETAperforms@dol.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Karen A. Staha, Performance and
Technology Office, Employment and Training Administration, U.S.
Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Room S-5206,
Washington, DC 20210; telephone: (202) 693-3420 (this is not a toll-
free number); fax: (202) 693-3490; e-mail: ETAperforms@dol.gov.
Copies of the Paperwork Reduction Act Submission Package may be
obtained directly at the Web site: http://www.doleta.gov/performance/guidance/ombcontrolnumber.cfm
.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
States submit quarterly performance data for the Wagner-Peyser-
funded public labor exchange services through ETA 9002 reports and for
Veterans' Employment and Training Services (VETS)-funded labor exchange
services through VETS 200 reports. The Employment and Training (ET)
Handbook No. 406 contains the report forms and provides instructions
for completing these reports. The ET Handbook No. 406 contains a total
of eight reports (ETA 9002 A, B, C, D, E; VETS 200 A, B, C). The ETA
9002 and VETS 200 reports collect data on individuals who receive core
employment and workforce information services through the public labor
exchange and VETS-funded labor exchange of the states' One-Stop
delivery systems.
In 2001, under the President's Management Agenda, the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) and other Federal agencies developed a set
of common performance measures to be applied to certain Federally-
funded employment and training programs with similar strategic goals.
As part of this initiative, ETA initially issued Training and
Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) 15-03 and has more recently issued
TEGL 28-04, Common Measures Policy, which rescinded TEGL 15-03 and
reflected updates to the policy. The value of implementing common
measures is the ability to describe in a similar manner the core
purposes of the workforce system--how many people found jobs; whether
they kept their jobs; and what their earnings were. Multiple sets of
performance measures have burdened states and grantees, as they are
required to report performance outcomes based on varying definitions
and methodologies. By minimizing the different reporting and
performance requirements, implementing a set of common performance
measures can facilitate the integration of service delivery, reduce
barriers to cooperation among programs, and enhance the ability to
assess the effectiveness and impact of the workforce investment system,
including the performance of the system in serving individuals facing
significant barriers to employment.
The common measures are an integral part of ETA's performance
accountability system, and ETA will continue to collect from grantees
the
[[Page 40401]]
data on program activities, participants, and outcomes that are
necessary for program management and to convey full and accurate
information on the performance of workforce programs to policymakers
and stakeholders.
This revision to the LERS identifies a minimum level of information
collection that is necessary to comply with Equal Opportunity
requirements, holds states appropriately accountable for the Federal
funds they receive, assesses progress against the common performance
measures, and allows the Department to fulfill its oversight and
management responsibilities.
The Employment and Training Administration is proposing similar
changes to the reporting requirements for the Workforce Investment Act
(WIA) title 1B and Trade Adjustment Assistance programs. Please note
that ETA will seek comments regarding changes to information collection
for these programs in separate Federal Register notices.
The following three adult common performance measures apply to the
Wagner-Peyser Act and VETS-funded public labor exchange programs:
Entered Employment
Retention
Six Months Earnings Increase
Implementation of common measures will involve the following
modifications to the LERS:
Registration year will be eliminated. States will track
participant outcomes following the quarter in which the participant
exited the program.
States will track individuals as ``participants'' and
``exiters.''
The measurement period for entry into employment will
change to the first quarter following the quarter of exit.
The measurement period for employment retention will
change to both the second and third quarters following the quarter of
exit.
States will be required to calculate and report on six-
month pre- to post-program earnings, a new measure for the Wagner-
Peyser Act and VETS-funded public labor exchange programs.
To integrate its employment and workforce information
services, ETA and VETS will collect data on the provision of workforce
information services to job seekers.
``Transitioning Service Member'' will be introduced as a
covered category in accordance with the Jobs for Veterans Act, Public
Law 107-288. States will be required to submit data regarding services
to and outcomes for Transitioning Service Members.
The following modifications affect only the Wagner-Peyser Act
funded program:
States will be required to sub-aggregate outcome data for
job seekers who receive workforce information services.
States will no longer be required to collect and report on
employer and job seeker customer satisfaction for Wagner-Peyser Act
funded programs.
The following modifications affect only the VETS-funded programs:
States will be required to report aggregate counts of
participants who receive a Transitional Assistance Program (TAP)
Workshop.
``Homeless Veteran'' will be introduced as a covered
category in accordance with the Homeless Veterans' Comprehensive
Assistance Act of 2001 (Pub. L. 107-95).
States will be required to submit data on services and
outcomes to homeless veteran job seekers only on the VETS 200 C report.
The ET Handbook No. 406, which contains the report forms and
provides instructions for completing the ETA 9002 and the VETS 200
reports, has been modified to reflect these changes.
States will continue to submit performance information through the
existing rolling-four quarters methodology. The first revised quarterly
report, which includes common performance measures, will be due
November 15, 2005. ETA and the states will negotiate expected levels of
performance for the Wagner-Peyser-Act funded program beginning in
Program Year 2006 (July 1, 2006), using information and outcomes from
Program Year 2005 as a baseline.
II. Desired Focus of Comments
Currently, the Department is soliciting comments concerning the
proposed revised collection of data for the Wagner-Peyser Act-funded
public labor exchange and VETS-funded labor exchange in order to:
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;
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;
Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and
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.
A copy of the proposed ICR can be obtained by contacting the office
listed above in the addressee section of this notice.
III. Current Actions
Type of Review: Revision.
Agency: Department of Labor, Employment and Training
Administration.
Title: Labor Exchange Reporting System (LERS).
OMB Number: 1205-0240.
Affected Public: State, local, or tribal Governments.
Cite/Reference/Form/etc: Wagner-Peyser Act (29 U.S.C. 49) and Jobs
for Veterans Act (Pub. L. 107-288).
Total Respondents: 54 states and territories.
Frequency: Quarterly.
Total Responses: 1,728 submissions annually--each state submits
reports each quarter.
Estimated Total Burden Hours:
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Total Total Average time Total annual
Form/activity respondents Frequency responses per response burden hours
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ETA 9002 A.................... 54 Quarterly....... 216 346 74,641
ETA 9002 B.................... 54 Quarterly....... 216 346 74,641
ETA 9002 C.................... 54 Quarterly....... 216 346 74,641
ETA 9002 D.................... 54 Quarterly....... 216 346 74,641
ETA 9002 E.................... 54 Quarterly....... 216 21 4,536
VETS 200 A.................... 54 Quarterly....... 216 346 74,641
VETS 200 B.................... 54 Quarterly....... 216 346 74,641
VETS 200 C.................... 54 Quarterly....... 216 346 74,641
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[[Page 40402]]
Totals.................... 54 ................ 1,728 .............. 527,020
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Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $1,825,200.
Total Burden Cost (operating/maintaining): $17,128,164.
Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of the information
collection request; they will also become a matter of public record.
Signed in Washington, DC, on June 7, 2005.
Emily Stover DeRocco,
Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training.
[FR Doc. 05-13711 Filed 7-12-05; 8:45 am]
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