[Federal Register: February 22, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 34)]
[Notices]               
[Page 8571-8572]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr22fe05-48]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary

 
Proposed Collection: Comment Request

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve 
Affairs, DoD.

ACTION: Notice.

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    In Compliance with Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, The Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Reserve 
Affairs)(OASD/RA)), announces the following request of a public 
information collection and seeks public comment on the provisions 
thereof. Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection 
of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions 
of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of burden of the 
proposed information collection; (c) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways 
to minimize the burden of the information collection on respondents, 
including through the use of automated collection techniques or other 
forms of information technology. The Information Collection Request 
(ICR), which is abstracted below, describes the nature of the 
information collection and its estimated burden.

DATES: Comments regarding this information collection are best assured 
of having their full effect if received by April 25, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations on the proposed 
information collection should be sent to The Office of the Assistant 
Secretary of Defense (Reserve Affairs)(OASD/RA), attention: COL James 
L.Scott, II, Director, Individual and Family Support Policy OASD/
RA(M&P) at 1500 Defense Pentagon, Room 2E185, Washington, DC 20301-
1500, by electronic mail to James. Scott@osd.mil, or by fax to (703) 
695-3659. Please bear in mind that mail delivered to the Pentagon by 
the United States Postal Service (USPS) can take up to two weeks to 
pass through security. Therefore, if you prefer to send you comments 
via mail, we encourage using Express mail, e.g., FedEx, UPS or USPS, at 
the following address: 1500 Defense Pentagon, Room 2D201, Washington, 
DC 20301-1500.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request more information on this 
proposed information collection, or to obtain copies of the proposed 
collection plans, data collection instruments, and specific details on 
the estimated burden, please write to the above address, or call COL 
Scott directly at (703) 693-7487. Comments submitted in response to 
this notice will be summarized and included in the request for OMB 
approval of the proposed information collection. All comments will 
become a matter of public record.
    Title and OMB Control Number: Survey to Determine Economic Costs 
and Impact to Employers of Mobilized Reserve Component Members; OMB 
Number 0704-TBD.
    Needs and Uses: The information collection requirement is necessary 
to obtain information from employers about the impact on their 
organizations when Guard or Reserve members are absent more than 30 
days to serve in the military. Understanding the economic impact to 
employers when Guard or Reserve employees are absent from work to serve 
in the military is critical to gaining and maintaining employer 
support. The information collection process will be accomplished using 
a self-administered survey so that employers can accurately provide 
cost data, some of which may require consultation with record. The 
primary objectives of collection of information are: (a) To determine 
the economic impact on employers when Guard or Reserve members are 
absent from work to serve in the military; (b) to assess the impact on 
operations; and (c) to identify ways Department of Defense may be able 
to better support employers. The findings may provide valuable 
information concerning: (1) The economic impact when Guard or Reserve 
employees are absent for more than 30 days to serve in the military; 
(2) the operational impact and actual employer cost to operations when 
Guard or Reserve employees are absent to serve in the military; (3) the 
amount of notice received prior to employees leaving; and (4) employer 
adjustments made to sustain operations when Guard or Reserve members 
are absent from work to serve in the military.

[[Page 8572]]

    Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profit; Not-for-profit 
institutions; State, local, or tribal governments.
    Annual Burden Hours: 759 hours.
    Number of Respondents: 1938.
    Responses Per Respondent: 1.
    Average Burden Per Response: 23 minutes.
    Frequency: One time.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Summary of Information Collection

    The national survey of employers with Guard or Reserve members who 
are absent from work for more than 30 days to serve in the military 
will use a self-administered survey instrument delivered by mail. The 
survey will focus on the varying economic costs and impacts to 
employers' operations when Guard or Reserve members are absent to serve 
in the military. Survey questions are organized into two sections: 
Operations and Human Resources. Section One will collect information on 
the impact on operations and Section Two on the economic impact on 
human resources. Eligible employers will have employed Guard or Reserve 
members who were absent form work for more than 30 days to serve in the 
military at any time since 2002. Respondents will be the most 
knowledgeable person(s) about operations and human resources at each 
sampled employer. Therefore, it is anticipated that employers with 
greater than 30 employees may require two people from different 
departments, while smaller employers may require only one person to 
accurately respond to both sections.

    Dated: February 10, 2005.
Patricia L. Toppings,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 05-3230 Filed 2-18-05; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 5001-06-M