[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 104 (Tuesday, June 1, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29361-29363]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-13816]


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

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration


Proposed Collection; Comment Request

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 employment and Training Administration is soliciting 
comments concerning the proposed extension collection of the data 
contained on the Welfare to Work Formula (ETA 9068) and Competitive 
(ETA 9068-1) Cumulative Quarterly Status Reports.
    A copy of the proposed information collection request (ICR) can be 
obtained by contacting the office listed below in the addressees 
section of this notice.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the

[[Page 29362]]

addressees section below on or before August 2, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Edward Donahue, Acting Chief, Division of Financial Grants 
Management Policy and Review, Office of Grants and Contract Management, 
Unietd States Department of Labor, Employment and Training 
Administration, 200 Constitution Ave. NW, Rm. N-4720, Washington, D.C. 
20210, (202-219-5731 x126--not a toll free number) and, Internet 
address: [email protected] and/or FAX: (202-501-4811).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The Welfare to Work program is a new program designed to assist 
States in providing transitional employment assistance to move hard-to-
employ recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, with 
significant job placement and job retention barriers, into unsubsidized 
jobs. The quarterly financial status reports are due to the Employment 
and Training Administration in order to evaluate the program, for 
program planning and management, to measure regulatory compliance, and 
for audit purposes. The required data will be transmitted from the 
grantees to ETA via the Internet, quarterly throughout the life of the 
grant. The data will be cumulative from the inception of the grant and 
a separate format will be required for each fiscal year of funds 
received by the grantee. Passwords and Personal Identification Numbers 
have been assigned to all grantees to enable access to the reporting 
formats and provide a mechanism for data certification.

II. Review Focus

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

III. Current Actions

    The existing collection of information must be continued so that 
DOL can effectively manage and evaluate the WtW program. It is also 
essential that DOL has available the required data to measure program 
performance against the OMB approved performance bonus criteria. The 
Balanced Budget Act of 1997 stipulates that bonuses are to be awarded 
in FY 2000 based on the performance of each State that is a WtW State 
in 1998 and 1999.
    Type of Review: Extension.
    Agency: Employment and Training Administration.
    Title: Welfare to Work Formula (ETA 9068) and Competitive (ETA 
9068-1) Cumulative Quarterly Status Reports.
    OMB Number: 1205-0385.
    Agency Numbers: ETA 9068 and ETA 9068-1.
    Frequency: Quarterly.
    Affected Public: (1) WtW Formula Grants: States, local governments, 
and Private Industry Councils; and (2) WtW Competitive Grants: Eligible 
applicants from business and/or other for profit and non-profit 
institutions.
    Reporting Burden: See the following Reporting Burden Tables for WtW 
Formula and Bonus Grants (ETA 9068) and WtW Comptetitive Grants (ETA 
9068-1).

    DOL-ETA Reporting Burden for WtW Formula and Tribal Grants (Including Bonus) Participant Data Collection
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                      FY 2000
                  Requirements                        FY 1998         FY 1999         (bonus)         FY 2001
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of Reports Per Entity Per Quarter........               1               1               1               1
Total Number of Reports Per Entity Per Year.....               2               4               4               4
Number of Hours Required for Reporting Hours Per               1               1               1               1
 Quarter Per Report.............................
Total Number of Hours Required for Reporting                   2               4               4               4
 Hours Per Entity Per Year......................
Number of Entities Reporting....................              55              55              55              55
Total Number of Hours Required for Reporting                 110             220             220             220
 Burden Per Year................................
Total Burden Cost @ $23.45 per hour.............          $2,580          $5,159          $5,159          $5,159
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Note: This reporting Burden Estimate is exclusive of the 
Reporting Burden estimate contained in 45 CFR Part 276. This 
Reporting Burden includes estimated time and dollars to report 
eligibility, targeting, and follow-up disaggregate participant data.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          Requirements                                FY 1998         FY 1999         FY 2000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of Reports Per Entity Per Quarter........................               1               1               1
Total Number of Reports Per Entity Per Year.....................               2               4               4
Number of Hours Required for Reporting Per Quarter Per Report...             1.5             1.5             1.5
Total Number of Hours Required for Reporting Hours Per Entity                  3               6               6
 Per Year.......................................................
Estimated Number of Entities Reporting..........................              76              76              50
Total Number of Hours Required for Reporting Burden Per Year....             228             456             300
Total Burden Cost @ $23.45 per hour.............................          $5,347         $10,693          $7,035
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 29363]]

    Comments submitted in response to this comment request 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.

    Dated: May 25, 1999.
Dennis Lieberman,
Director, Office of Welfare to Work.
[FR Doc. 99-13816 Filed 5-28-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-30-M