[Federal Register: August 24, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 163)]
[Notices]
[Page 49681-49683]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr24au05-98]
[[Page 49681]]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training Administration
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 preclearance
consultation program to provide the general public and other Federal
agencies 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 Employment and Training Administration (ETA) is
soliciting comments concerning the proposed collection of information
on the Reemployment and Eligibility Assessment (REA) program. ETA is
seeking Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval under the PRA95
to establish a system to collect data at the state level on REA
workload counts and outcomes.
DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the
addresses section below on or before October 24, 2005.
ADDRESSES: Diane Wood, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and
Training Administration, Room S4231, 200 Constitution Avenue NW.,
Washington, DC 20210, Fax (202) 693-3975; e-mail: wood.diane@dol.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Diane Wood, telephone: (202) 693-3212
(this is not a toll-free number); Fax (202) 693-3975, e-mail:
wood.diane@dol.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
Funds were awarded to 21 states in FY 2005 to implement REA
initiatives. The REA guidelines require that these funds be used to
conduct in-person assessments in the One-Stop Career Centers. The REA
must include a UI continued eligibility review, the provision of labor
market information, development of a work-search plan and referral to
reemployment services and/or training, as appropriate. The guidelines
require that participation exclude those claimants who have a specific
return-to-work date or who secure employment solely through a union
hiring hall.
II. Review Focus
The Department of Labor is particularly interested in comments
which:
Assess whether the proposed collection of information is
necessary for evaluation of the REA program, including whether the
information will have practical utility;
Evaluate the accuracy of ETA'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.
III. Current Actions
ETA proposes to require state workforce agencies (SWAs) that
implement REA initiatives to report quarterly data for REA grants
beginning in FY 2006. This will provide the only continuous source of
information about the effectiveness of REAs and is necessary to monitor
the program. SWAs submitting proposals for FY 2006 funding will be
advised of the reporting requirements and report formats prior to the
development of their proposal.
The Department proposes collecting the following data elements for
Reemployment and Eligibility Assessments (REAs). The quarterly activity
report will be due at the end of each quarter and will reflect the REAs
scheduled during the report quarter.
The ETA 9060--Reemployment and Eligibility Assessments Workloads
report includes the following 23 elements.
1. Number of claimants scheduled for their first REA--The sum of
all claimants who were scheduled for their first REA of their current
benefit year during the report quarter.
2. Number of REAs scheduled--This includes all REAs for which an
official notice was sent to the claimant instructing them to report to
the One-Stop Career Center. It includes both those scheduled REAs for
which the claimant reported as directed and those scheduled REAs for
which the claimant failed to report. It does not include those REAs
which the claimant cancelled in advance and which were rescheduled with
no disqualification.
3. Number of REAs completed--This number includes all completed
REAs to which the claimant reported as directed. It includes REAs that
were conducted for claimants who were rescheduled for an REA after
missing an appointment.
4. Number of claimants reporting to reemployment services or
training. For each REA, claimants should be reported in only one
service category in items number 5, 6, and 7 below, based on the
highest level of services received with core services as the lowest
level and training as the highest. Core services, intensive services
and training are defined in accordance with state definitions
consistent with the Wagner-Peyser Act, the Workforce Investment Act or
other applicable legislation.
5. Number of claimants reporting to core reemployment services as a
result of an REA.
6. Number of claimants reporting to intensive reemployment services
as a result of an REA.
7. Number of claimants reporting to training as a result of an REA.
8. Number of completed REAs resulting in a disualification or
established overpayments. This number includes all claimants for whom a
nonmonetary determination has been issued holding them ineligible under
any provision of state law. Claimants may be reported in more than one
of the following categories:
9. Number of completed REAs resulting in a disqualification for a
separation issue.
10. Number of completed REAs resulting in a disqualification for an
able and available issue.
11. Number of completed REAs resulting in a disqualification for a
disqualifying or deductible issue.
12. Number of completed REAs resulting in a disqualification for a
refusal of suitable work issue.
13. Number of completed REAs resulting in a disqualification for an
issue not covered in categories 9-12.
14. Number of completed REAs resulting in a establishment of an
overpayment.
15. Dollar amount of overpayments established in item 14.
16. Number of REAs for which the claimant failed to report.
This number includes those claimants who were sent an official
notice to report for an REA, and who did not report as directed. It
includes claimants who failed to report and who were subsequently
rescheduled for an REA at a different time. It does not include
[[Page 49682]]
REAs that were cancelled in advance by the claimant and for which no
disqualification was issued.
17. Number of REAs for which the claimant failed to report
(reported in 16) and which were rescheduled without
disqualification.
18. Number of REAs for which the claimant failed to report
(reported in 16) which resulted in the claimant being
disqualified for failure to meet a reporting requirement.
19. Number of REAs for which the claimant failed to report
(reported in 16) which resulted in the claimant being
disqualified for an issue other than failure to meet a reporting
requirement.
20. Number of overpayments established as a result of failure to
report (reported in 16).
21. Dollar amount of overpayments established as a result of
failure to report (reported in 20).
22. Number of REAs for which the claimant failed to report
(reported in 16) which did not result in either a rescheduling
or a disqualification because the claimant stopped claiming UI.
23. Number of claimants reported in 22 who were identified
as having returned to work (if available).
The ETA 9061--Reemployment and Eligibility Assessments Outcomes
report includes the following 16 elements. It will be submitted for the
following two groups of claimants who filed a claim and established a
UI benefit year in the report quarter. The outcome report would be due
in the fifth quarter following the report quarter, after the benefit
year has ended. As part of a state's submission for an REA grant, a
description of how the state will select a comparison group, group 1
below, will be required and scored.
1. Claimants in a state-defined comparison group. This group should
consist of the universe of claimants who were in the target group from
which REA participants could have been selected for an REA but were not
selected. The claimants in this group should have characteristics as
similar as possible to the selected REA participant group. The
following data elements will be collected:
a. Number of claimants who filed a claim and established a UI
benefit year in the report quarter.
b. Total weeks compensated. This number is the total weeks of
benefits paid for those claimants reports in item a. above during their
respective benefit years. This number includes weeks of partial
payments.
c. Total benefits paid. This number is the total dollar amount of
benefits paid to those claimants reported in item a. above during their
respective benefit years. This number includes weeks of partial
payments.
d. Number of disqualifications for claimants in the group. This may
include multiple disqualifications for individuals.
e. The number of claimants exhausting benefits.
f. Number of claimants reemployed within the benefit year, based of
the National or State Directories of New Hires.
g. For those reemployed, average time from date of initial claim to
date of reemployment.
h. The amount of overpayments established.
2. Claimants who were scheduled for at least one REA during the
benefit year.
a. Number of claimants who filed a claim and established a UI
benefit year in the report quarter.
b. Total weeks compensated. This number is the total weeks of
benefits paid for those claimants reported in item a. above during
their respective benefit years. This number includes weeks of partial
payments.
c. Total benefits paid. This number is the total dollar amount of
benefits paid to those claimants reported in item a. above during their
respective benefit years. This number includes weeks of partial
payments.
d. Number of disqualifications for claimants in the group. This may
include multiple disqualifications for individuals.
e. The number of claimants exhausting benefits.
f. Number of claimants reemployed within the benefit year, based on
the National or State Directories of New Hires.
g. For those reemployed, average time from date of initial claim to
date of reemployment.
h. The amount of overpayments established.
Due Dates for REA Reports
Reporting of the ETA 9060 will begin one year prior to the ETA
9061. States will electronically transmit the reports to ETA according
to the following schedule. All workload counts are due on the 20th day
of the second month following the end of the calendar quarter to
coincide with other ETA reporting requirements. Outcomes reports are
due on the same calendar quarter schedule in the following year.
ETA 9060--Reemployment and Eligibility Assessment Workload
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Quarter in which the REA is scheduled Report due to ETA by
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1st quarter (January to March)............ May 20.
2nd quarter (April to June)............... August 20.
3rd quarter (July to September)........... November 20.
4th quarter (October to December)......... February 20.
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ETA 9061--Reemployment and Eligibility Assessment Outcomes
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Quarter in which the benefit years begin Report due to ETA by
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1st quarter (January to March)............ May 20.
2nd quarter (April to June)............... August 20.
3rd quarter (July to September)........... November 20.
4th quarter (October to December)......... February 20.
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ETA will provide resources to the states for startup and
operational costs for the first year of data collection as described in
the burden cost sections below.
Type of Review: New.
Agency: Employment and Training Administration.
Title: Reemployment and Eligibility Assessments.
Agency Number: ETA 9060--Reemployment and Eligibility Assessments
Workload and ETA 9061--Reemployment and Eligibility Assessments
outcomes.
Record Keeping: States are required to follow their state laws
regarding public records retention for this proposed data collection
system.
Affected Public: State Workforce Agencies (SWAs).
Total Respondents: 53 state agencies.
Frequency: Quarterly.
Total Responses: 424.
Average Time per Responses: SWA staff .5 hours.
Estimated Total Burden Hours: 2,120 hours.
Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $371,000 53 SWAs at $7,000
each.
Total Burden Cost (operating/maintaining): $79,000 (annual) 53 SWAs
at $1,500 per SWA.
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; they will also
become a matter of public record.
[[Page 49683]]
Dated: August 17, 2005.
Emily Stover DeRocco,
Assistant Secretary, Employment and Training Administration.
[FR Doc. 05-16906 Filed 8-23-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-30-M