[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 143 (Thursday, July 25, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48672-48673]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-18876]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration (ETA), Department of 
Labor.

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

[[Page 48673]]

understood, and the impact of collection requirements on respondents 
can be properly assessed. Currently, the Employment and Training 
Administration is soliciting comments about the proposed new collection 
of information as part of the Evaluation of Labor Exchange Services in 
a One-Stop Environment. The evaluation is partially composed of three 
surveys: an employer survey, an in-office job seeker survey, and an in-
office survey of workshop participants.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
addresses's section below on or before September 23, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Richard Muller, Office of Policy and Research, ETA, N-5637, 
US Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Ave., NW. Washington, DC 
20210, (202) 693-3680 (this is not a toll-free number), e-mail: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    Public labor exchanges (PLEX) were last evaluated by ETA in 1983. 
At that time, obtaining basic information about job-seekers' and 
employers' use of state labor exchanges was relatively easy, given that 
nearly all job seekers filled out registration forms and could only get 
a referral after being screened by staff at local offices. Similarly, 
employers had to describe job openings and key characteristics to staff 
to obtain referrals. Moreover, cost information was available because 
Wagner-Peyser Act funds were allocated to each state based on a type of 
performance-based budgeting, called the balanced placement formula, 
designed to stimulate improvements in placement services by allocating 
grants to state agencies on the basis of their actual performance.
    While special purpose block grants simplified distribution of 
Wagner-Peyser Act funds, the removal of the balanced formula eliminated 
the need to determine how costly it is for staff to perform various 
services, and also reduced incentives to carefully track delivery of 
individual services. Job seekers can now utilize large public 
databases, such as America's Job Bank (AJB), and every state labor 
exchange, by using PC modems at home, in libraries and a variety of 
other sites. The block grants and the easy access to electronic job 
information has greatly limited the amount of quantifiable data 
available to perform a comprehensive evaluation. In order to accurately 
measure the costs and benefits of PLEXs today, surveys of job seekers 
and employers are required to assess the quantity and quality of 
services provided.

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

    This study will examine the efficacy of labor exchange services in 
6 States operating within selected State One-Stop delivery systems. The 
findings from the employer survey and in-office surveys will describe 
the results of mail surveys and follow-up telephone interviews with 
diverse employers, and will describe the experiences of job seekers. 
The study will provide, among other things, in-depth information on:
     The amount of hiring done at each establishment in a year;
     The methods used to obtain applicants for high and low 
paying jobs;
     Satisfaction with methods used to obtain applicants;
     The costs associated with hiring and recruitment efforts;
     The costs to the establishment for not filling various 
types of jobs; and
     How placements made from public labor exchanges affect 
recruiting and production costs.
    Type of Review: New.
    Agency: Employment and Training Administration.
    Title: Evaluation of Labor Exchange Services in a One Stop 
Environment.
    OMB Number: 1205-0NEW.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households/Business or other for 
profit/Not for profit institutions/Farms/Federal Government/State, 
Local or Tribal Government.

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                                     Total                             Total       Average time
        Cite/reference            respondents       Frequency      responses per   per response    Burden hours
                                   per state                           state         per hour        per state
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Employer survey & reminders...              60  Once + reminder               60              .5              30
                                                 cards for
                                                 nonrespondents.
Telephone interview...........             240  Once............             240             .75             180
In-office survey..............            1200  Once............            1200             .25             300
Workshop survey...............            1200  Once............            1200             .25             300
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    Totals....................  ..............  ................  ..............  ..............             810
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    Total Burden Cost: The total estimated cost of the study is 
$160,200 over a 36-month contract period, with a one-year option. Of 
the total costs, approximately 11 percent is allocated for surveys. The 
annualized cost of the surveys, over the 36 month period is 
approximately $53,400. The total burden in terms of time is 810 hours 
per State times 6 States, or 4860 hours.
    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: July 18, 2002.
Gerard F. Fiala,
Administrator, Office of Policy and Research.
[FR Doc. 02-18876 Filed 7-24-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-30-P