[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 126 (Tuesday, July 1, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35529-35530]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-17189]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Office of the Secretary


Submission for OMB Emergency Review; Comment Request

June 20, 1997.
    The Department of Labor has submitted the following information 
collection request (ICR), utilizing emergency review procedures, to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance in 
accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (P.L. 104-13, 44 
U.S.C. Chapter 35). OMB approval has been requested by July 8, 1997. A 
copy of the ICR, with applicable supporting documentation, may be 
obtained by calling the Department of Labor Departmental Clearance 
Officer, Theresa M. O'Malley ((202) 219-5096, extension 143).
    Comments and questions about the ICR listed below should be 
forwarded to the Office of the Information and Regulatory Affairs, 
Attention: OMB Desk Officer for the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Office 
of Management and Budget, Room 1035, Washington, D.C. 20503 ((202) 395-
7316).
    The Office of Management and Budget 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.
    Agency: Bureau of Labor Statistics.
    Title: Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) Forms.
    OMB Number: 1220-0032 (revision).

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                                         Total                                      Total                                                               
         Agency form number           respondents            Frequency            responses     Average time per response      Estimated total burden   
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BLS 3023-VS.........................    5,984,250  Every 3 Yrs.................    1,994,750  .083 Hour...................  165,564 Hurs.               
BLS 3023-VM.........................      114,590  Every 3 Yrs.................       38,197  .75 Hour....................  28,647 Hours.               
BLS 3023-CA.........................       53,000  Annually....................       53,000  .167 Hour...................  8,851 Hours.                
BLS 3023-P..........................               Every 5 Yrs.................                 ..........................                              
    Totals..........................                 ..........................    2,085,947    ..........................  203,062 Hours.              
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Total Burden Coast (capital/startup): $0.
    Total Burden Cost (operating/maintaining): $0.
    Description: The ES-202 Report, produced for each calendar quarter, 
is a summary of employment, wage, and contribution data submitted to 
State Employment Security Agencies (SESAs) by employers subject to 
State Unemployment Insurance (UI) laws.
    Also included in each State report are similar data for Federal 
Government employees covered by the Unemployment Compensation for 
Federal Employees Program. These data are submitted by all 50 States, 
the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands and then 
summarized for the nation by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
    The ES-202 program is a comprehensive and accurate source of 
monthly employment and quarterly wage data, by industry, at the 
National, State, and county levels. It provides a virtual census on 
nonagricultural employees and their wages. In addition, about 47 
percent of the workers in agriculture are covered. As the most complete 
universe of monthly employment and quarterly wage information by 
industry, county, and State, the ES-202 series has broad economic 
significance in evaluating labor trends and major industry 
developments, in time series analysis and industry comparisons, and in 
special studies such as analysis of wages by size of firm.
    The program provides data necessary to both the Employment and 
Training Administration (ETA) and the SESAs in administering the 
employment security program. These data accurately reflect the extent 
of coverage of the State Unemployment Insurance laws and are used to 
measure UI revenues and disbursements; National, State, and local area 
employment; and total and taxable wage trends. Further, the information 
is used in actuarial studies; it is used in determination of experience 
ratings, maximum benefit levels, and areas needing Federal assistance; 
and it helps ensure the solvency of Unemployment Insurance funds.
    The ES-202 data also are used by a variety of BLS programs. They 
serve, for example, as the basic source of benchmark information for 
employment by industry and by size of unit in the Current Employment 
Statistics (BLS-790) Program and the Occupational Employment Statistics 
(OES) Survey Program. They are used as the basic source of place-of-
work employment data for non-metropolitan areas in the Local Area 
Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) Program. The Quarterly Unemployment 
Insurance Name and Address File, developed in conjunction with the ES-
202 Report, serves as a national sampling frame for many BLS 
establishment surveys. The Bureau of Economic Analysis of the 
Department of Commerce uses ES-202 wage data as a base for estimating a 
large portion of the wage and salary component of national personal 
income and gross national product. These estimates are

[[Page 35530]]

instrumental in determining Federal allocation of revenue-sharing funds 
to State and local governments. Finally, the ES-202 is one of the best 
sources of detailed employment and wage statistics used by business and 
public and private research organizations. To assure the continued 
accuracy of these published economic statistics in terms of industrial 
classification, the information supplied by the employers must be 
periodically reviewed and updated during the Annual Refiling Survey 
(ARS). For this purpose, the Industry Verification Statement (both 
Single and Multiple Worksite) forms, and the Industry Classification 
Statement (both All Industry and Public Administration) forms are used 
in conjunction with the Unemployment Insurance tax reporting system in 
each State. The information collected on these forms is used to review 
the current Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code assigned to 
each establishment. The SIC codes for establishments whose business 
activity has changed since the last review are updated to reflect the 
change. As a result of these updates, the industry detail data that BLS 
and State agencies publish reflect changes that occur in the industrial 
composition of the economy.
    If the industrial coding review process were not performed, the 
reliability of estimates for industrial and occupational employment, 
hours and earnings, producer prices, productivity, and industry wage 
data would be considerably reduced. All of these programs and their 
uses (as well as others) are dependent on accurate industrial coding in 
the design and maintenance of their samples. Inaccurate industrial 
coding also can adversely affect payments that businesses and/or 
employees received from contracts that use industrial earnings data for 
estimating escalating labor costs.
    In addition to obtaining industry data from employers, the Industry 
Verification Statement forms and the Industry Classification Statement 
forms are designed to obtain information on the type of ownership 
(private industry or Federal, State, or local government) and 
geographic location. The ownership data are of greater importance since 
current coding procedures classify establishments engaged in similar 
activities into the same industry code regardless of ownership. The 
geographic information is used to assign or verify the location of the 
establishment. Both ownership and geographic data must be reviewed 
periodically, and updated if necessary, to provide a complete and 
current industry/area database by ownership. We plan to continue the 
review of employers' SIC, ownership and geographic codes on a three-
year cycle for the entire Unemployment Insurance (UI) universe of 
accounts, presently numbering approximately 7.2 million units. Each 
year approximately on-third of these reporting units, and every five 
years all accounts classified in public administration, will be 
reviewed. Data for the ES-202 Program and Unemployment Insurance Name 
and Address Files are classified according to industry categories 
listed in the SIC Manual (SICM).
Theresa M. O'Malley,
Departmental Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 97-17189 Filed 6-30-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-24-M