[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 34 (Monday, February 22, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8630-8631]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-4244]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR


Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy; Agency Information 
Collection Activities: Proposed Collection, Comment Request; the 
National Agricultural Workers Survey Questionnaire Form

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy (OASP), Department 
of Labor.

ACTION: Notice.

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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 Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy is 
soliciting comments concerning two supplements to be used by the 
National Agricultural Workers Survey (NAWS). This survey has been 
conducted under the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) clearance 
since October, 1988. It is at this time conducting approximately 4,500 
interviews per year. The focus has been on demographic, employment and 
health data. The NAWS information collection request will consist of 
two supplements. The first supplement will be administered to children 
farmworkers less than 19 years of age. The second and complementary 
supplement will be administered to farmworkers who are parents of U.S. 
based children. The purpose of these supplements is to gather in depth 
data on the educational barriers and labor market conditions faced by 
children farmworkers. This data collection was mandated by Congress.
    The sampling frame and estimation procedures will not be altered by 
the supplements. However, adaptations may need to be made to enhance 
estimations of children farmworkers.
    The Department of Labor is particularly interested in comments 
which:
     Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper functioning of government agencies charged 
with protecting the well being of the farmworker population, 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.

DATES: Written comment must be submitted by April 23, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Comments are to be submitted to the U.S. Department of 
Labor, Room S-2312, (200 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. 20210, 
telephone (202) 219-6197. Written comments limited to 10 pages or fewer 
may also be transmitted by facsimile to (202) 219-9216.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard Mines, Economist and Program 
Officer for the National Agricultural Workers Survey, Office of the 
Assistant Secretary of Labor, U.S. Department of Labor, Room S-2312, 
200 Constitution Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 20210. Telephone: (202) 
219-6197. Copies of the referenced information collection request are 
available for inspection and copying and will be mailed to persons who 
request copies by telephoning Richard Mines at (202) 219-6197. For more 
information about the NAWS, consult the NAWS home page at: http://
www.dol.gov/dol/asp/public/programs/agworker/naws.htm.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The NAWS began surveying farm workers in 1988, it has collected 
information from over 22,000 workers. The survey samples all crop farm 
workers in three cycles each year in order to capture the seasonality 
of the work. The NAWS locates and samples workers at their work sites, 
avoiding the well-publicized undercount of this difficult-to-find 
population. During the initial contact, arrangements are made to 
interview the respondent at home or at another convenient location.

[[Page 8631]]

What Information Does the NAWS Collect

     Household and family composition. The NAWS interview 
contains a family grid that asks basic demographic information for all 
household members, and records information about each person's 
education level and migration patterns.
     Additional Demographics. The NAWS collects a more 
comprehensive demographic profile of the farm worker himself including 
language ability, contacts in non-agricultural jobs, and parental 
involvement in agriculture.
     Employment History. The NAWS compiles a full year of 
information on the employment and geographic movement of the farm 
worker. This history covers the occupation, including task and crop if 
employed in agriculture, type of non-agricultural work if employed off 
the farm, periods of unemployment and periods abroad, and the worker's 
location for every week of the year preceding the interview.
     Wages, Benefits and Working Conditions. The NAWS collects 
information on payment method (piece or hourly) and wages, on health 
insurance, on workers compensation and unemployment insurance, and on 
other benefits and working conditions.
     Health, Safety and Housing. The NAWS gathers information 
on medical history, use of medical services, participation in pesticide 
training, and on the worker's housing arrangements.
     Income and Assets, Social Services and Legal Status. The 
NAWS questionnaire has a series of questions on personal and family 
income, assets held in the United States and abroad, use of social 
services, and legal or immigration status.

II. Current Actions

    This action requests OMB approval of the paperwork requirements for 
adding two supplements to the NAWS survey operation.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Agency: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy.
    Title: Child Labor Supplements to the National Agricultural Workers 
Survey.
    OMB Number: 1225-0044.
    Affected Public: Farmworkers and farm employers.
    Total Respondents: 6000 respondents (4,500 farmworkers receiving a 
full interview and 1,500 employers who will be briefly interviewed to 
ascertain the location of the potential worker respondents).
    Frequency: Annually (The survey is administered in three 10-12 week 
cycles each year, beginning in October, February and May.
    Total Responses: In addition to the original 4,500 responses, a 
supplement will be administered to approximately 1,500 parents and 
another supplement will be implemented with approximately 350 children. 
These respondents will be receiving the supplement in addition to the 
original survey. The supplement will be given to approximately 1,850 
people.
    Average Time per Response: The supplements will each take 
approximately 30 minutes.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: The added burden time due to the 
supplements will be approximately 925 hours including both the children 
and parents. This will be in addition to the pre-existing burden of 
6,000 hours per year.
    Total Annualized capital/startup costs: 0.
    Total initial annual costs: (operating/maintaining systems or 
purchasing services): 0.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and included in the request for Office of Management and Budget 
approval of the information collection request. The comments will 
become a matter of public record.

    Dated: February 16, 1999.

    Authorized Official in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for 
Policy.
Richard Mines,
Economist.
[FR Doc. 99-4244 Filed 2-19-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-23-M