[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 140 (Friday, July 19, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37769-37770]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-18381]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Notice

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 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 Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is soliciting comments 
concerning the proposed new collection of the ``Movers Survey'' as a 
supplement to the Current Population Survey (CPS).
    A copy of the proposed information collection request (ICR) can be 
obtained by contacting the individual listed below in the addressee 
section of this notice.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
addressee section below on or before September 17, 1996.

    The Bureau of Labor Statistics 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 appropriate 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting 
electronic submissions of responses.

ADDRESS: Send comments to Karin G. Kurz, BLS Clearance Officer, 
Division of Management Systems, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Room 3255, 
2 Massachusetts Avenue N.E., Washington D.C. 20212. Ms. Kurz can be 
reached on 202--606-7628 (this is not a toll free number).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The National Commission on Employment and Unemployment Statistics, 
better known as the Levitan Commission, recommended a variety of 
changes to the Current Population Survey (CPS) in its 1979 report. For 
the most part, these recommendations have been incorporated into the 
CPS, most notably in the complete revision to the survey implemented in 
January 1994.
    In one area, a recommendation of the Levitan Commission has not 
been implemented. ``Gross flows'' data show the number of people making 
transitions from one labor force state (employed, unemployed, not in 
the labor force) to another from month to month. The Commission 
recommended that improvements be made to increase the usefulness of the 
CPS as a longitudinal data set, including improvements to the gross 
flows data so they can be published on a monthly basis. Because only a 
subset of CPS data was matchable from month to month, the month-to-
month changes in the stocks of people in each labor force state did not 
match the sum of the flows into and out of each state. While the new 
survey's improved ability to match respondents between months reduced 
problems in the gross flows data, there are still problems which 
prevent monthly publication. In particular, respondents who move out of 
CPS housing units are not followed in CPS at present and are excluded 
from the gross flows estimates.

[[Page 37770]]

    Because moving is often associated with a change in labor force 
status, movers may be an important source of discrepancies between the 
stock and the flows data. The proposed movers survey will improve the 
ability of BLS to understand and use CPS flows data.

II. Current Actions

    The CPS has been the principal source of the official Government 
statistics on employment and unemployment for over 50 years. The labor 
force information gathered through the survey is of paramount 
importance in keeping track of the economic health of the Nation. The 
CPS data are used monthly, in conjunction with data from other sources, 
to analyze the extent to which the various components of the United 
States population are participating in the economic life of the Nation 
and with what success. At present, CPS gross flows data are not 
included in these uses. Data from the movers survey will be tabulated 
to examine the labor force characteristics of movers and their impact 
on gross flows estimates. Results will be used to develop adjustment 
factors for the flows data. They also will improve understanding of 
seasonal variations in the gross flows data.
    Type of Review: New collection.
    Agency: Bureau of Labor Statistics.
    Title: CPS Movers Survey.
    OMB Number: None.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households.
    Total Respondents: 800.
    Frequency: Monthly.
    Total Responses: 9600.
    Average Time Per Response: 3.75 Minutes.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 600 Hours.
    Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0.
    Total Burden Cost (operating/maintenance): $0.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for Office of Management and Budget 
approval of the information collection request; they also will become a 
matter of public record.

    Signed at Washington, DC, this 15th day of July, 1995.
Peter T. Spolarich,
Chief, Division of Management Systems, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
[FR Doc. 96-18381 Filed 7-18-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-24-M