[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 20 (Thursday, January 30, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4797-4798]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-2283]


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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 (the Department), 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 (PRA) [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 Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs' 
(OFCCP) proposed information collection entitled Equal Opportunity 
Survey (EO Survey). A copy of the proposed information collection 
request can be obtained by contacting the office listed below in the 
addresses section of this Notice.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
addresses section below on or before March 31, 2003.

[[Page 4798]]


ADDRESSES: Ms. Hazel Bell, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution 
Ave., NW., Room S-3201, Washington, DC 20210, telephone (202) 693-0418 
(voice) or (202) 693-1308 (TTY), fax (202) 693-1451, E-mail 
esa.gov">[email protected]esa.gov. Please use only one method of transmission 
for comments (mail, fax, or E-mail).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

I. Background

    OFCCP's regulations at 41 CFR 60-2.18 authorize OFCCP to collect 
data through use of the EO Survey. The EO Survey requests data that can 
be derived from employment and other related records that contractors 
are required to collect and retain under OFCCP's regulations at 41 CFR 
60-1.12. With these data, the EO Survey is intended to improve the 
selection of contractors for compliance evaluations, which the 
Department uses to determine compliance with non-discrimination and 
equal employment opportunity (EEO) regulations. OFCCP seeks to develop 
a selection tool that is able to identify those contractors that are 
more likely to be engaging in discriminatory employment practices. This 
revised selection tool would enable OFCCP to efficiently allocate its 
resources and avoid initiating evaluation of those employers who are in 
general compliance with EEO guidelines, thereby reducing the burden on 
them, and efficiently spending tax-payer dollars. Time constraints and 
a number of data problems affected an earlier pilot study of the EO 
Survey data in such a way so as not to be able to assess the Survey's 
predictive power. To perform a study that is not limited by these 
obstacles, OFCCP has engaged an outside contractor to study the Survey 
data. The contractor will assess data from the EO Survey submissions as 
part of its study. It is anticipated that the study will not be 
completed until 2004.
    The current PRA authorization for the EO Survey is scheduled to 
expire on March 31, 2003. Accordingly, OFCCP requests a two-year 
extension of PRA authorization for the EO Survey, involving 10,000 EO 
Surveys per year. The two-year extension will permit OFCCP to complete 
the ongoing study of the EO Survey. Ten-thousand Surveys is the number 
the outside contractor needs to assess the Survey's reliability for 
finding employers that discriminate against their employees.

II. Review Focus

    The Department of Labor is particularly interested in comments 
which:
    [sbull] 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;
    [sbull] 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;
    [sbull] Enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information 
to be collected; and
    [sbull] 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 seeks the extension of approval to collect this 
information to complete a study of the EO Survey as a tool to identify 
those contractors that are more likely to be engaging in discriminatory 
employment practices. The Survey could enable OFCCP to efficiently 
allocate its resources to avoid initiating evaluation of those 
employers who are in general compliance with EEO guidelines, thereby 
reducing the burden on them and efficiently spending tax-payer dollars. 
The OFCCP seeks a two-year extension to the approval of the Equal 
Opportunity Survey. There is no change in the substance or method of 
collection since the last OMB approval.
    Type of Review: Extension.
    Agency: Employment Standards Administration.
    Title: Equal Opportunity Survey.
    OMB Number: 1215-0196.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit; Not-for-profit 
institutions.
    Total Respondents/Responses: 10,000.
    Frequency: Annually.
    Average Burden per Response: 21 hours.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 210,000.
    Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0.
    Total Burden Cost (operating/maintenance): $30,000.
    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; comments will also 
become a matter of public record.

    Dated: January 28, 2003.
Bruce Bohanon,
Chief, Branch of Management Review and Internal Control, Division of 
Financial Management, Office of Management, Administration and 
Planning, Employment Standards Administration.
[FR Doc. 03-2283 Filed 1-29-03; 8:45 am]
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