[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 241 (Friday, December 14, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64857-64858]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-30854]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR


Office of Disability Employment Policy; Agency Information 
Collection Activities; Proposed collection; Comment request; Employer 
Assistance Referral Network (EARN)

AGENCY: Office of Disability Employment Policy, Department of Labor.

ACTION: Notice of proposed collection.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to 
reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a preclearence 
consultation process 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 process helps ensure 
that requested data can be provided in the desired format, reporting 
burdens are minimized, collection instruments are clearly understood, 
and the impact of collection requirements on respondents can be 
properly assessed. Currently the Office of Disability Employment Policy 
(ODEP) is soliciting comments concerning the proposed data collection 
for the following Employer Assistance Referral Network (EARN) forms: 
EARN Provider Enrollment Form; EARN Employer Enrollment Form; EARN 
Employer and Provider Surveys. A copy of the proposed information 
collection request (ICR) can be obtained by contacting the office 
listed below in the address section of this notice.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office shown in the 
address section below on or before February 12, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Catherine Breitenbach, U.s. Department of Labor, Office of 
Disability Employment Policy, 1331 F Street, NW, Third Floor, 
Washington, DC 20004. Telephone: (202) 376-6200. This is not a toll-
free number.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Catherine Breitenbach, telephone: 
(202) 376-6200, e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The Employer Assistance Referral Network (EARN) is a new nationwide 
service designed to provide employers with a technical, educational, 
and informational resource to simplify and encourage the hiring of 
qualified workers. Historically, disability programs required employers 
to do much of the work in the finding and hiring of people with 
disabilities. The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) of the 
Department of Labor has designed EARN to alleviate these barriers and 
do much of the work for the employer.
    EARN is a new service from the Office of Disability Employment 
Policy (ODEP) of the Department of Labor. This referral service links 
employers with providers who refer appropriate candidates with 
disabilities. The service is provided by means of a nationwide toll-
free Call Center.
    EARN is a service of the Office of Disability Employment Policy 
which was established pursuant to section 1(a) (1) of the Consolidated 
Appropriations Act, 2001 (Pub. L. 106-554) (enacting

[[Page 64858]]

H.R. 5656, see Title I, ``Departmental Management'') 29 U.S.C. 551 et 
seq.; 5 U.S.C. 301; and Executive Order 13187, ``The President's 
Disability Employment Partnership Board (PDEPB) (January 10, 2001).
    This service, and the data collection component is authorized 
pursuant to Pub. L. 106-554 which direct the Office of Disability 
Policy to provides initiatives such as EARN to ``further the objective 
of eliminating employment barriers to the training and employment of 
people with disabilities''.

II. Desired Focus of Comments

    The Department 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 Action

    This proposed ICR covers four forms: EARN Provider Enrollment Form, 
EARN Employer Enrollment Form, EARN Employer Survey and EARN Provider 
Survey. The enrollment forms (Employer Enrollment and Provider 
Enrollment) will be used to enroll provider and employers who wish to 
participate and use this service. The surveys (Employer Survey and 
Provider Survey) will collect quantitative data on participants' levels 
of satisfaction with individual service elements and their satisfaction 
with the service as a whole. The surveys will also solicit free-text 
comments from participants regarding the service.
    Agency: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment 
Policy.
    Titles: EARN Provider Enrollment Form, EARN Employer Enrollment 
Form, EARN Employer Survey, EARN Provider Survey.
    OMB Number: 
    Frequency: Once.
    Affected Public: Participating Employer and Service Providers.
    Number of Respondents: EARN Provider Enrollment Form--6,000, EARN 
Employer Enrollment Form--7,500, EARN Employer Survey--300, EARN 
Provider Survey--300.
    Estimated Time Per Respondent: EARN Provider Enrollment Form--20 
minutes, EARN Employer Enrollment Form--20 minutes, EARN Employer 
Survey--20 minutes, EARN Provider Survey--20 minutes.
    Total Burden Hours:
    EARN Provider Enrollment Form--1,980 hours, EARN Employer 
Enrollment Form--2,475 hours, EARN Employer Survey--100 hours, EARN 
Provider Survey--100 hours.
    Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): 0 for all.
    Total Burden Cost (operating/maintaining): 0 for all.
    Description: These surveys are designed to collect data from 
service providers and employers. For each provider, we will collect 
Point of Contact (POC) information and information about the types of 
clients the provider serves. We also request information about the size 
of the provider organization, whether a fee is charged for placement 
services, and employer references. For each employer, we will collect 
information about the number of employees, geographic location, 
industry, specific jobs offered, and Point of Contact (POC) 
information. The Employer Survey and Provider Survey will collect 
quantitative data on participants' levels of satisfaction with 
individual service elements and their satisfaction with the service as 
a whole. The surveys will also solicit free-text comments from 
participants regarding the service. We will present survey data in the 
aggregate for all Employers and Providers. We will combine survey data 
with system-generated data reports containing demographic data for the 
sample groups as well as performance data for the Call Center.

    Signed at Washington, DC this 9th day of November, 2001.
William J. Mea,
Deputy Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 01-30854 Filed 12-13-01; 8:45 am]
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