[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 73 (Friday, April 14, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20203-20204]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-9339]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment Standards Administration


Proposed Collection; Comment Request

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 Employment Standards Administration is soliciting 
comments concerning the proposed extension collection of the following: 
(1) Notice of Termination, Suspension, Reduction or Increase in Payment 
Benefits (CM-908); and (2) Economic Survey Schedule (WH-1). Copies 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 
ADDRESSES section below on or before June 13, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Ms. Patricia A. Forkel, U. S. Department of Labor, 200 
Constitution Ave., NW., Room S-3201, Washington, DC 20210, telephone 
(202) 693-0339 (this is not a toll-free number), fax (202) 693-1451.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Notice of Termination, Suspension, Reduction, or Increase in 
Benefit Payments

I. Background

    The Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP) administers the 
Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977. Under the Act, responsible 
coal mine operators or their representatives must provide benefit 
payments to eligible coal miners and dependents of coal miners who have 
contracted pneumoconiosis. Responsible operators who pay benefits are 
required to report any changes in the benefit amount, and the reasons 
for the change, to the Department of Labor.

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 ensure 
that Division of Coal Mine Workers' Compensation regulations are 
followed and that the new benefit amount is accurate and timely.
    Type of Review: Extension.
    Agency: Employment Standards Administration.
    Title: Notice of Termination, Suspension, Reduction or Increase in 
Benefit Payments.
    OMB Number: 1215-0064.
    Agency Number: CM-908.
    Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profit.
    Total Respondents: 325.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Total Responses: 9,000.
    Average Time per Response: 12 minutes.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 1,800.
    Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0.
    Total Burden Cost (operating/maintenance): $3.

Economic Survey Schedule

I. Background

    Sections 5, 6(a)(3) and 8 of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), 
administered by the Wage and Hour Division, provide that covered, 
nonexempt employees in American Samoa may be paid a minimum wage rate 
established by a special industry committee. The committee is to 
recommend to the Secretary of Labor the highest minimum wage rate (not 
to exceed the rate required under section 6(a)(1) of the FLSA) that it 
determines, having due regard to economic and competitive conditions, 
will not substantially curtail employment in the industry and will not 
give any industry in American Samoa a competitive advantage over any 
other industry in the United States outside of American Samoa. The 
Secretary of Labor must submit to the industry committee economic data 
to enable the committee to recommend the industry wage rates. The 
Economic Survey Schedule (WH-1) is a voluntary use form completed by 
employers in American Samoa to disclose certain economic data 
concerning their establishment.

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;

[[Page 20204]]

     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 gather information necessary to prepare 
the required economic report to be used by the committee to set 
industry wage rates in American Samoa.
    Type of Review: Extension.
    Agency: Employment Standards Administration.
    Title: Economic Survey Schedule.
    OMB Number: 1215-0028.
    Agency Number: WH-1.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit; State, Local or 
Tribal Government.
    Total Respondents: 50.
    Frequency: Biennially.
    Total Responses: 50.
    Average Time per Response: 45 minutes.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 38.
    Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0.
    Total Burden Cost (operating/maintenance): $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.

    Dated: April 7, 2000.
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. 00-9339 Filed 4-13-00; 8:45 am]
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