Notice2024-10071
Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; Characteristics of the Insured Unemployed
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
May 9, 2024
Issuing agencies
Labor DepartmentEmployment and Training Administration
Abstract
The Department of Labor's (DOL) Employment and Training Administration (ETA) is soliciting comments concerning a proposed extension for the authority to conduct the information collection request (ICR) titled, "Characteristics of the Insured Unemployed." This comment request is part of continuing Departmental efforts to reduce paperwork and respondent burden in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA).
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 91 (Thursday, May 9, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 91 (Thursday, May 9, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39649-39650]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-10071]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training Administration
Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request;
Characteristics of the Insured Unemployed
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor's (DOL) Employment and Training
Administration (ETA) is soliciting comments concerning a proposed
extension for the authority to conduct the information collection
request (ICR) titled, ``Characteristics of the Insured Unemployed.''
This comment request is part of continuing Departmental efforts to
reduce paperwork and respondent burden in accordance with the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA).
DATES: Consideration will be given to all written comments received by
July 8, 2024.
ADDRESSES: A copy of this ICR with applicable supporting documentation,
including a description of the likely respondents, proposed frequency
of response, and estimated total burden, may be obtained free by
contacting Rachel Beistel by telephone at 202-693-2736 (this is not a
toll-free number) or by email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#89ebece0fafdece5a7fbe8eae1ece5c9ede6e5a7eee6ff"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="6705020e1413020b491506040f020b2703080b49000811">[email protected]</span></a>. For persons
with a hearing or speech disability who need assistance to use the
telephone system, please dial 711 to access telecommunications relay
services.
Submit written comments about, or requests for a copy of, this ICR
by mail or courier to the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and
Training Administration, Office of Unemployment Insurance Room S-4519,
200 Constitution Ave NW, Washington, DC 20210; by email:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d3b1b6baa0a7b6bffda1b2b0bbb6bf93b7bcbffdb4bca5"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a6c4c3cfd5d2c3ca88d4c7c5cec3cae6c2c9ca88c1c9d0">[email protected]</span></a>; or by fax 202-693-3975.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rachel Beistel by telephone at 202-
693-2736 (this is not a toll-free number) or by email at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#4d2f28243e392821633f2c2e2528210d292221632a223b"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="016364687275646d2f73606269646d41656e6d2f666e77">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: DOL, as part of continuing efforts to reduce
paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a pre-clearance consultation
program to provide the general public and Federal agencies an
opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing collections of
information before submitting them to the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) for final approval. This program helps to ensure 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 can be properly
assessed.
Section 303(a)(6) of the Social Security Act specifies that for
State UI programs to be certified to receive administrative funding
from the Federal government, the State's law must include provisions
for ``making of such reports . . . as the Secretary of Labor may from
time to time require, and compliance with such provisions as the
Secretary may from time to time find necessary to assure the
correctness and verification of such reports.'' DOL considers the
proposed changes and updates to the ETA 203 report to be one of those
``provisions . . . necessary to assure the correctness and
verification'' of the reports submitted by states. ETA is proposing
changes to the ETA 203 to update and expand terms and definitions in
the race and ethnicity categories to adhere to updated guidance/changes
set out in the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) Revisions to its
Statistical Policy Directive No. 15: Standards for Maintaining,
Collecting, and Presenting Federal Data on Race and
Ethnicity,[hairsp]\1\ which became effective on March 29, 2024. Also,
adding ``Another Gender Identity/Non-binary/X'' as a response option
will make the data collection consistent with the U.S. State
Department's passport guidelines. These changes will capture
characteristics that better reflect society and the UI population
across demographic groups. For example, race and ethnicity will be
combined into one question and reporting category to decrease confusion
by respondents; a separate race and/or ethnicity category will be added
(``Middle Eastern or North African''); and ``other'' will be removed
from ``Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander.'' In addition to collecting
age, industry, and occupation information, the revised ETA 203 report
would also collect information on a claimant's primary language, self-
identified disability status, level of educational attainment, and base
period wages. ETA proposes adding these categories to increase
understanding of interactions between socio-economic characteristics
and unemployment insurance receipt, and to inform state UI programs
managers about possible needs in areas such as translation services.
These categories and the specific terms proposed were identified after
examining data studied, collected, or used by the U.S. Department of
State, the U.S. Census Bureau, and Bureau of Labor Statistics. An
individual's refusal to disclose claimant demographic information will
not impact eligibility determinations. Also, any responses collected
and information provided will be treated as confidential. This data
will not be shared beyond aggregate reporting to ETA and any
demographic information associated with a specific claimant or employer
will be masked or hidden from state agency staff. Furthermore,
disclosure of demographic information is voluntary and a non-response
to questions will continue to be reported as ``Information Not
Available'' or INA.
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\1\ <a href="https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2024-03-29/pdf/2024-06469.pdf">https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2024-03-29/pdf/2024-06469.pdf</a>.
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The Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA) requires
Federal agencies to develop annual and strategic performance plans that
establish performance goals, have concrete indicators of the extent
that goals are achieved, and set performance targets. Each year, the
agency is to issue a report that ``evaluate[s] the performance plan for
the current fiscal year relative to the performance achieved toward the
performance goals in the fiscal year covered by the report.'' DOL
emphasizes the importance of complete and accurate information for
program monitoring and improving program performance `` . . . as a
framework for agencies to communicate progress in achieving their
missions.'' (OMB Circular A-11, Section 15.5). The Social Security Act,
Section 303(a)(6), authorizes this information collection.
This information collection is subject to the PRA. A Federal agency
generally cannot conduct or sponsor a collection of information, and
the public is generally not required to respond to an information
collection, unless it is approved by OMB under the PRA and displays a
currently valid OMB Control Number. In addition, notwithstanding any
other provisions of law, no person shall generally be subject to
penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information that
does not display a valid Control Number. See 5 CFR 1320.5(a) and
1320.6.
Interested parties are encouraged to provide comments to the
contact shown in the ADDRESSES section. Comments must be written to
receive consideration, and they will be summarized and included in the
request for OMB approval of the final ICR. In
[[Page 39650]]
order to help ensure appropriate consideration, comments should mention
OMB control number 1205-0009.
Submitted comments will also be a matter of public record for this
ICR and posted on the internet, without redaction. DOL encourages
commenters not to include personally identifiable information,
confidential business data, or other sensitive statements/information
in any comments.
DOL is particularly interested in comments that:
<bullet> 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;
<bullet> 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;
<bullet> 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 submission of responses).
Agency: DOL-ETA.
Type of Review: Revision.
Title of Collection: Characteristics of the Insured Unemployed.
Form: ETA 203.
OMB Control Number: 1205-0009.
Affected Public: State Workforce Agencies.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 53.
Frequency: Monthly.
Total Estimated Annual Responses: 636.
Estimated Average Time per Response: 40 minutes.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 424 hours.
Total Estimated Annual Other Cost Burden: $0.
Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A).
Jos[eacute] Javier Rodr[iacute]guez,
Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training, Labor.
[FR Doc. 2024-10071 Filed 5-8-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-FW-P
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