[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 65 (Tuesday, April 5, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 18798]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-7972]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training Administration
Comment Request for Information Collection for The National
Agricultural Workers Survey: Revision to an Approved Collection (OMB
1205-0453)
AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration, Labor.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor (DOL), 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 (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 is soliciting
comments concerning the addition of seven new questions to the National
Agricultural Workers Survey (NAWS) regarding: (1) The amount of time
per day farm workers are engaged working in specific crops and tasks,
and (2) farm workers' clothes laundering and hygiene practices. The
information obtained from these questions will improve the
Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Pesticide Programs' (EPA/
OPP) ability to assess farm workers' risk to pesticide exposure. There
are no known national-level studies that assess the length of the work
day for specific crop-task combinations. The Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) authorization for the current NAWS questionnaire will
expire on October 31, 2013.
A copy of the proposed information collection request 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 June 6, 2011.
ADDRESSES: Submit written comments to Mr. Daniel Carroll, Division of
Research and Evaluations, Office of Policy Development and Research,
U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Room N-5641,
Washington, DC 20210. Telephone number: 202-693-2795 (this is not a
toll-free number). Fax: 202-693-2766. E-mail: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
The NAWS is an employment-based, annual survey of the demographic,
employment, and health characteristics of hired crop farm workers,
including workers brought to farms by labor intermediaries. Each year,
approximately 1,500 workers are randomly chosen for an interview.
Interviews are conducted three times per year to account for the
seasonality of agricultural production and employment. Several Federal
agencies utilize the NAWS to collect information on the population of
hired crop farm workers. EPA, which has responsibility for assessing
exposure to pesticides, is one such agency. These added questions will
provide information that will improve EPA's ability to assess farm
workers' risk of pesticide exposure.
The questions would be piloted in one interview cycle in Fiscal
Year 2011 and, depending on the quality of information obtained, would
be administered in all three interview cycles of Fiscal Years 2012 and
2013. The questions would be administered to each farm worker who is
randomly selected for an interview.
II. Review Focus
DOL is particularly interested in comments which:
* 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 appropriated automated,
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic
submissions of responses.
III. Current Actions
Type of Review: Revision to an Approved Collection.
Agency: Employment and Training Administration.
Title: National Agricultural Workers Survey.
OMB Number: 1205-0453.
Affected Public: Individuals, Farms.
Form(s): Primary Questionnaire.
Total Annual Respondents: 2,064.
Frequency: annual.
Total Annual Responses: 2,064.
Average Time per Response: 49.2 minutes.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,693.
Total Burden Cost (operating/maintaining): $0.
Comments submitted in response to this comment request 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.
Dated: March 29, 2011.
Jane Oates,
Assistant Secretary, Employment and Training Administration.
[FR Doc. 2011-7972 Filed 4-4-11; 8:45 am]
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