[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 220 (Tuesday, November 16, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62221-62222]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-29847]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment Standards 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 Standards Administration is soliciting
comments concerning the proposed extension collections of: (1) Notice
of Final Payment or Suspension of Compensation Benefits (Longshore and
Harbor Workers' Compensation Act); and (2) Work Experience and Career
Exploration Programs, Regulations 29 CFR Part 570.35a (Fair Labor
Standards Act). A copy of the proposed information collection requests
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
addressee section below on or before January 18, 2000.
ADDRESSEE: Ms. Patricia A. Forkel, U. S. Department of Labor, 200
Constitution Ave., N.W., Room S-3201, Washington, D.C. 20210, telephone
(202) 693-0339 (this is not a toll-free number), fax (202) 693-1451.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Notice of Final Payment or Suspension of Compensation Benefits
I. Background
The Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP) administers the
Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act. The Act provides
benefits to workers injured in maritime employment on the navigable
waters of the United States or in an adjoining area customarily used by
an employee in loading, unloading, repairing, or building a vessel.
Under Section 14(g) of the Act, the employer or its insurance carrier
must file a report of the compensation paid to a claimant at the time
final payment is made. Filing of the report is mandatory and failure to
do so is subject to a civil penalty. This form is used to notify OWCP
that payment of compensation benefits has been stopped or suspended in
a case.
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 Department of Labor seeks the extension
of approval to collect this information in order to carry out its
responsibility to manage the case file and verify that the injured
worker has received all benefits that he/she is entitled to receive
under the Act.
Type of Review: Extension.
[[Page 62222]]
Agency: Employment Standards Administration.
Title: Notice of Final Payment or Suspension of Compensation
Benefits.
OMB Number: 1215-0024.
Agency Number: LS-208.
Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profit.
Total Respondents: 500.
Frequency: On occasion.
Total Responses: 19,350.
Average Time per Response: 15 minutes.
Estimated Total Burden Hours: 4,838.
Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0.
Total Burden Cost (operating/maintenance): $10,070.
Work Experience and Career Exploration Program (WECEP)
I. Background
Section (3)(1) of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) establishes a
minimum age of 16 for most nonagricultural employment, but allows the
employment of 14 and 15 year olds in occupations other than
manufacturing and mining if the Secretary of Labor determines such
employment is confined to periods which will not interfere with their
schooling and to conditions which will not interfere with their health
and well-being. Subpart C of Regulations, 29 CFR Part 570, Child Labor
Regulations, Orders and Statements of Interpretation, sets forth the
employment standards for 14 and 15 year olds (Child Labor Reg. 3).
Section 570.35a of these regulations permits employment of 14 and 15
year olds under conditions otherwise prohibited by child Labor Reg. 3
pursuant to a school-supervised and school-administered Work Experience
and Career Exploration Program (WECEP) which meets the stated
requirements. In order to utilize the WECEP provisions of Child Labor
Reg. 3, section 570.35 of the regulations require a State Educational
Agency to file an application for approval of a State WECEP program as
one not interfering with schooling or with the health and well-being of
the minors involved and therefore not constituting oppressive child
labor. Section 570.35a(b)(3)(vi) of the regulations requires each
student participating in a WECEP to execute a written training
agreement signed by the teacher-coordinator, the employer and the
student and signed or otherwise consented to by the student's parent or
guardian.
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
State educational agencies are required to file applications for
approval of WECEP which provide exceptions to the child labor
regulations issued under the Fair Labor Standards Act. State
educational agencies are also required to maintain certain records with
respect to approved WECEP programs. The Department of Labor seeks the
extension of the collection of information in order to carry out its
responsibility to determine that regulatory tests for approval of the
program have been met, and to document the validity of the WECEP
program as one which is structured to provide training for the student.
Type of Review: Extension.
Agency: Employment Standards Administration.
Title: Work Experience and Career Exploration Programs (WECEP), 29
CFR Part 570.35A.
OMB Number: 1215-0121.
Affected Public: State, Local or Tribal Government, Individuals or
households.
Total Respondents: 14,014.
Frequency: Recordkeeping; Biennial Reporting.
Total Responses: 14,0140.
Average Time per Response
Reporting, WECEP Application--2 hours.
Reporting, Written Training Agreement--1 hour.
Recordkeeping, WECEP Program Information,--1 hour.
Recordkeeping, Filing of WECEP Record and Training Agreement--\1/2\
minute.
Estimated Total Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping Burden: 7,145
hours.
Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0.
Total Burden Cost (operating/maintenance): $2.52.
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.
Dated: November 9, 1999.
Margaret J. Sherrill
Chief, Branch of Management Review and Internal Control, Division of
Financial Management, Office of Management, Administration and Planning
Employment Standards Administration.
[FR Doc. 99-29847 Filed 11-15-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-27-P