[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 231 (Wednesday, December 2, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66583-66584]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-32075]


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

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Applicant Background Questionnaire

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and 
Management (OASAM), Department of Labor.

ACTION: 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 Department of Labor is soliciting comments concerning 
the proposed revision of the ``Applicant Background Questionnaire''.
    A copy of the proposed information collection request (ICR) can be 
obtained by contacting the office listed below in the addressee section 
of this notice.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
addresses section below on or before February 1, 1999.
    The Department of Labor 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

[[Page 66584]]

technological collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology, e.g., permitting electronic submissions of responses.

ADDRESSES: Anderson Glasgow, U.S. Department of Labor, Human Resource 
Services Center, 200 Constitution Ave. N.W. Room C-5516, Washington, 
D.C. 20210; Phone: (202) 219-6555 ext. 115; Written comments limited to 
10 pages or fewer may also be transmitted by facsimile to: (202) 219-
5820; Internet: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The Department of Labor, as part of its obligation to provide equal 
employment opportunities, is charged with ensuring that qualified 
individuals in groups that are underrepresented in various occupations, 
are included in applicant pools for the Department's positions. See 5 
U.S.C. 7201(c); 29 U.S.c. 791; 29 U.S.C. 2000e-16; 5 C.F.R. 720.204; 29 
C.F.R. 1614.101(a). to achieve this goal, DOL employment offices have 
conducted targeted outreach to a variety of sources, including 
educational institutions, professional organizations, newspapers and 
magazines. DOL has also participated in career fairs and conferences 
that reach high concentrations of Hispanics, African Americans, Native 
Americans, Asians, and persons with disabilities.
    Without the data provided by this collection, DOL does not have the 
ability to evaluate the effectiveness of any of these targeted 
recruiting strategies because collection of racial and national origin 
information only occurs at the point of hiring. DOL needs to collect 
data on the pools of applicants which result from the various targeted 
recruitment strategies listed above. After the certification and 
selection process has been completed, it is necessary to cross-
reference the data collected with the outcome of the qualifications 
review in order to evaluate the quality of applicants from various 
recruitment sources. With the information from this collection, DOL can 
adjust and redirect its targeted recruitment to achieve the best 
result. DOL will also be able to respond to requests for information 
received from the Office of Personnel management (OPM) in the course of 
OPM's evaluation and oversight activities.

II. Current Actions

    This notice requests an extension of the current Office of 
Management and Budget approval of the Applicant Background 
Questionnaire and revision of the Questionnaire form. Extension is 
necessary to coninue to evaluate the effectiveness of agency 
recruitment programs in attracting applicants from underrepresented 
sectors of the population. The revision consists of adding a question 
concerning whether the respondent has a targeted disabilities, and 
deleting the request for the respondent to provide his or her Social 
Security Number.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Agency: U.S. Department of Labor.
    Title: Applicant Background Questionnaire.
    OMB Number: 1225-0072.
    Affected Public: Applicants for positions recruited in the 
Department of Labor.
    Total Respondents: 3000 per year (estimate).
    Frequency: one time per respondent.
    Total Responses: 3000 per year (estimate).
    Average Time per Response: 5 minutes.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 250 hours.
    Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0.
    Total Burden Cost (operating/maintaining): $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 will also become a 
matter of public record.

    Date: November 25, 1998.
Tali R. Stepp,
Director of Human Resources.
[FR Doc. 98-32075 Filed 12-1-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6510-23-M