[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 132 (Friday, July 10, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37317-37318]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-18335]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of the Census


Annual Survey of Government Employment

ACTION: Proposed collection; comment request.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort 
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public 
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on

[[Page 37318]]

proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 
3506(c)(2)(A)).

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before September 8, 
1998.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Linda Engelmeier, 
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 
5327, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument(s) and instructions 
should be directed to Alan Stevens, U.S. Bureau of the Census, 
Governments Division, Washington, DC 20233-6800, (301) 457-1550.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The Annual Survey of Government Employment collects data on the 
employment, payrolls, and hours worked by part-time employees of state 
and local governments for one pay period in March. Data are collected 
from all agencies, departments, and institutions of the fifty state 
governments and from a sample of all local governments (counties, 
cities, townships, school districts, and special districts).
    This is a mail canvass survey with an initial mailing and one 
follow-up mailing. Telephone follow-up is used to contact non-
respondents and, as necessary, to correct apparent errors and 
incomplete responses. These forms and procedures are similar to those 
used in the previous annual survey conducted in March 1998.
    Results from this survey are used directly in a variety of Federal 
programs: By the Bureau of Economic Analysis to develop the public 
sector components of the National Income and Product Accounts and to 
develop personal income statistics; by the Department of Housing and 
Urban Development for the allocation of operating subsidies to local 
housing authorities; and by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to bench 
mark the government component in their monthly employment and earnings 
statistics program. Other users include state and local government 
executives and legislators, policy makers, economists, researchers, and 
the general public.

II. Method of Collection

    Data collection is primarily accomplished through the use of mail 
canvass questionnaires that are tailored to the type of government, 
agency or institution being surveyed. Mail canvass replies are screened 
for completeness, electronically recorded for processing, and 
electronically edited. Special data reporting arrangements exist with 
many state governments and some local governments to facilitate data 
reporting in ways that help minimize reporting burden (e.g. central 
reporting of data for all agencies and institutions of individual state 
governments, electronic reporting of data by some state and local 
governments, central reporting of school systems data by a number of 
state education agencies, etc.).

III. Data

    OMB Number: 0607-0452.
    Form Number: E-1, E-2, E-3, E-4, E-6, E-7, E-9.
    Type of Review: Regular.
    Affected Public: State, local or tribal government.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 20,244.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 1.06.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 21,437.
    Estimated Total Cost: The estimated cost to respondents for the 
employment survey is $326,277. The budgeted cost to the Federal 
government for all phases of this survey is $1.1 million.
    Legal Authority: This survey is authorized by Title 13, United 
States Code, Section 161.
    Respondents' Obligation: This is a voluntary survey.

IV. Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden 
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; 
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on respondents, including the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: July 6, 1998.
Linda Engelmeier,
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Office of Management and 
Organization.
[FR Doc. 98-18335 Filed 7-9-98; 8:45 a.m.]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P