[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 248 (Thursday, December 27, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66941-66943]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-31777]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR


Employment and Training Administration Apprenticeship Training, 
Employer and Labor Services; Proposed Collection; Labor Standards for 
the Registration of Apprenticeship Programs; 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

[[Page 66942]]

Employment and Training Administration is soliciting comments 
concerning the proposed revision of the collection of the registered 
apprenticeship program under Title 29 CFR part 29 (Labor Standards for 
the Registration of Apprenticeship Programs).
    A copy of the proposed information collection request (ICR) 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's section below on or before February 25, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Anthony Swoope, Administrator, Office of Apprenticeship 
Training, Employer and Labor Services, 200 Constitution Ave., NW., Room 
N-4671, Washington, DC 20210; Telephone number: (202) 693-2796 (this is 
not a toll-free number); E-mail Internet address: [email protected]; 
and Fax number (202) 693-2761.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The National Apprenticeship Act of 1937 authorizes and directs the 
Secretary of Labor ``to formulate and promote the furtherance of labor 
standards necessary to safeguard the welfare of apprentices, to extend 
the application of such standards by encouraging the inclusion thereof 
in contracts of apprenticeship, to bring together employers and labor 
for the formulation of programs of apprenticeship, to cooperate with 
State agencies engaged in the formulation and promotion of standards of 
apprenticeship, and to cooperate with the Secretary of Education ***'' 
(29 U.S.C. 50). Section 50a of the Act authorizes the Secretary of 
Labor to ``publish information relating to existing and proposed labor 
standards of apprenticeship,'' and to ``appoint national advisory 
committees * * *'' (29 U.S.C. 50a).
    Title 29 CFR part 29 sets forth labor standards to safeguard the 
welfare of apprentices, and to extend the application of such standards 
by prescribing policies and procedures concerning registration, for 
certain Federal purposes, of acceptable apprenticeship programs with 
the U.S. Department of labor, Employment and Training Administration, 
Office of Apprenticeship Training, Employer and Labor Services 
(formerly known as the Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training). These 
labor standards, policies and procedures cover registration, 
cancellation, and deregistration of apprenticeship programs and the 
apprenticeship agreements; the recognition of a State agency as the 
appropriate agency for registering local apprenticeship programs for 
certain Federal purposes; and matters relating thereto.

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 clarify 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

    Recordkeeping and data collection activities regarding registered 
apprenticeship are by-products of the registration system. 
Organizations which apply for apprenticeship sponsorship enter into an 
agreement with the Federal Government or cognizant State government to 
operate their proposed programs consistent with 29 CFR part 29. 
Apprenticeship sponsors are not required to file reports regarding 
their apprentices other than individual registration and update 
information as an apprentice moves through their program. This revision 
request includes revisions to the Apprenticeship Agreement Form (ETA 
671) as follows:
    1. Current format (Apprenticeship Agreement ETA Form 671) Revised 
February 2000) of sponsor and apprentice inverted. To facilitate and 
increase efficiency when the apprentice registers and to align the form 
with current processes and procedures in our program.
    2. Revisions on race and ethnicity. To provide uniformity and 
comparability in collecting this data as mandated by the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) Notice, Standards for the Classification of 
Federal Data on Race and Ethnicity, in the Federal Register (October 
30, 1997).
    3. Career linkage or Direct Entry. To comply with the U.S. 
Department of Labor/Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA) 
and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The current Item 16., 
Apprenticeship School Linkage, has been enhanced to facilitate the 
tracking of participants from additional USDOL/ETA programs who 
continue with higher-skills occupational training or direct entry 
participants from technical training programs that have been reviewed 
and approved by the sponsor.
    4. Apprentice entry hourly wage. To track wage progression more 
accurately and for Government Performance Results Act (GPRA) purposes.
    5. Additional instructions on reverse side of form. To provide 
instructions on those data elements that are not self-explanatory as 
requested previously by OMB.
    These proposed changes will pose minimal burden on the respondents. 
The change in burden is due to an increase in the number of apprentice 
actions from that of the previous PRA submission.
    Type of Review: Revision.
    Agency: Employment and Training Administration.
    Title: Title 29 CFR part 29, Labor Standards for the Registration 
of Apprenticeship Programs.
    OMB Number: 1205-0223 for 29 CFR part 29.
    Agency Number: ETA Form 671.
    Recordkeeping: Apprenticeship sponsors are required to keep 
accurate records on recruitment, selection of the applicant and/or 
apprentice and the employment and training activities related to the 
apprentice and the qualifications of each applicant/ apprentice 
pertaining to determination of compliance with the regulation. Records 
must be retained, where appropriate, regarding affirmative action plans 
and evidence that qualification standards have been validated. State 
Apprenticeship Councils are also obligated to keep adequate records 
pertaining to determination of compliance with these regulations. All 
of the above records are required to be maintained for five years. If 
this information was not required, there would be no documentation that 
the apprenticeship programs were being operated in a nondiscriminatory 
manner. Many apprenticeship programs are 4 years or more in duration; 
therefore, it is important to maintain the records for at least 5 
years.
    Affected Public: Apprentices, Sponsors, State Apprenticeship

[[Page 66943]]

Councils or Agencies, Tribal Government.
ETA Form 671
    Total Respondents: 238,929.
    Frequency: 1-time basis.
    Total Responses: 238,929.
    Average Time per Response: See Chart.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 47,556.

                                      Summary of Burden for 29 CFR Part 29
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                       Total                                   Total         Average time per
      Sec.          respondents          Frequency           responses           responses         Burden hours
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29.3............         127,421  1-time basis..........         127,421  \1/4\ hr./app.........          31,855
29.6............         108,124  1-time basis..........         108,124  \1/12\ hr./app........           9,010
29.5............           1,674  1-time basis..........           1,674  2 hrs./spon...........           3,348
                           1,640  1-time basis..........           1,640  2 hrs./SAC............           3,280
29.7............              40  1-time basis..........              40  \1/12\ hr./spon.......               3
29.12...........            (30)  1-time basis..........            (30)  0.....................               0
29.12                               (accomplished in 1977; no new state agency expected in 2002)
29.12...........              30  1-time basis..........              30  2 hrs. SAC............              60
29.13...........               0  0.....................               0  0.....................               0
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      Totals....         238,929  ......................         238,929  ......................          47,556
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Totals Burden Cost (capital/startup): 0.
    Total Burden Cost (operating/maintaining): 0.
    Comments submitted in response to this comment request will be 
summarized and/or included in the request for office of Management and 
Budge approval of the information collection request; they will also 
become a matter of public record.

    Dated: December 20, 2001.
Anthony Swoope,
Administrator, Office of Apprenticeship Training, Employer and Labor 
Services.
[FR Doc. 01-31777 Filed 12-26-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-30-P