Notice2022-03299
OSC ADR Surveys
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
February 17, 2022
Issuing agencies
Special Counsel Office
Abstract
The U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC), seeks approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for use of two surveys used by OSC's Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) program to assess its efficacy and seek ways to improve the process: An initial survey sent to all mediation participants, and a follow-up survey sent to a subset of mediation participants who opt into receiving the second survey.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 33 (Thursday, February 17, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 33 (Thursday, February 17, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Page 9091]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-03299]
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OFFICE OF SPECIAL COUNSEL
OSC ADR Surveys
AGENCY: U.S. Office of Special Counsel.
ACTION: Notice of information collection.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC), seeks approval from
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for use of two surveys used
by OSC's Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) program to assess its
efficacy and seek ways to improve the process: An initial survey sent
to all mediation participants, and a follow-up survey sent to a subset
of mediation participants who opt into receiving the second survey.
DATES: Written comments should be received on or before March 21, 2022.
ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by mail to: Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget,
Attention: Desk Officer for OSC, New Executive Office Building, Room
10235, Washington, DC 20503; or by email via:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#e6898f9487b99593848b8f95958f8988a6898b84c8838996c8818990"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="1d72746f7c426e687f70746e6e7472735d72707f3378726d337a726b">[email protected]</span></a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amy Beckett, Senior Litigation
Counsel, by telephone at (202) 804-7000, or by email at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#bcdaced0d5ddd5cfd3d2fcd3cfdf92dbd3ca"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="5a3c2836333b332935341a352939743d352c">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The initial ADR survey consists of a
questionnaire containing thirty-four (34) questions about the
respondent's experience in mediation at OSC, including whether they
understood how the process would work, their confidentiality
obligations, the neutrality of the mediator, whether they felt the
process was adequately resourced, and other matters. The follow-up
survey is sent approximately six (6) months later to participants who
opt in, consisting of a new questionnaire containing a maximum of six
(6) questions or a maximum of four (4), the number of questions
depending on the outcome of the earlier, concluded mediation.
OSC invites comments on: (a) The accuracy of OSC's estimate of the
burden of the proposed collections of information; (b) ways to enhance
the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected;
and (c) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on
respondents.
OSC is a permanent independent federal investigative and
prosecutorial agency. OSC's basic authorities come from four federal
statutes: The Civil Service Reform Act, the Whistleblower Protection
Act, the Hatch Act, and the Uniformed Services Employment &
Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA). OSC's primary mission is to safeguard
the merit system by protecting federal employees and applicants from
prohibited personnel practices, especially reprisal for whistleblowing,
and to serve as a safe channel for allegations of wrongdoing. The ADR
Unit offers mediation and conciliation to complainants and agencies in
selected cases as an alternative process for resolving their dispute.
Mediation is a facilitated negotiation between parties to the dispute.
Conciliation is similar to ``shuttle diplomacy'' by telephone. In
either case, the ADR process is voluntary, confidential, and allows the
parties to retain control of the outcome of the dispute. Parties who
participate in mediation and conciliation are able to find and agree to
solutions that can be crafted in a way that meets their high priority
needs. The ADR process can also foster better communication skills and
improve working relationships between parties.
OSC conducts the two surveys of ADR participants to assess the
quality of OSC's mediation process.
OSC will use the questionnaires to survey all persons who use ADR
services at OSC and a subset of those persons who agree to participate
in a follow-up survey. The survey questionnaires are available for
review online at <a href="https://osc.gov/Resources/Pages/Reports.aspx#tabGroup07">https://osc.gov/Resources/Pages/Reports.aspx#tabGroup07</a>.
Type of Information Collection Request: Opinion of mediation
participants about the effectiveness and quality of their OSC mediation
experience.
Affected Public: OSC mediation participants, including OSC
complainants and their attorneys; Federal Agency attorneys; Federal
Agency settlement officials; and other representatives or support
persons.
Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
Estimated Annual Number of Survey Form Respondents: 100 per year
for the initial survey and 75 for the follow-up survey. Number may rise
if case intake rises.
Frequency of Survey Form Use: After each mediation is concluded.
Estimated Average Amount of Time for a Person to Respond to Survey:
Eight minutes for the initial survey and two minutes for the follow-up
survey.
Estimated Annual Survey Burden: 15.8 hours.
Date: February 10, 2022.
Travis Millsaps,
Deputy Special Counsel for Public Policy.
[FR Doc. 2022-03299 Filed 2-16-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7405-01-P
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