[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 145 (Tuesday, July 29, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44547-44548]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-19218]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment Training 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 and Training Administration (ETA) is 
soliciting comments concerning the proposed revision of the collection 
of the Occupational Code Request (OCR) that is being renamed 
Occupational Code Assignment (OCA) information. 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 
addresses section below on or before 60 days after date of publication 
in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: Pam Frugoli, Office of Policy Development, Evaluation and 
Research, Employment Training Administration, Room N-5637, 200 
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210, 202/693-3643 (This is 
not a toll-free number), Fax 202/693-2766, and e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    The Occupational Analysis program developed the Occupational Code 
Request (OCR) form as a public service to the users of the revised 
Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT) in an effort to help them in 
obtaining occupational codes and titles for jobs that they were unable 
to locate in the DOT. With the development and release of the 
Occupational Information Network (O*NET) system, some modifications 
were needed to make the OCR form correlate more closely to the 
information in the O*NET system. The OCR form, with these 
modifications, has been renamed the Occupational Code Assignment (OCA) 
form.
    The O*NET system classifies nearly all jobs in the United States 
economy. However, new specialties are constantly evolving and emerging. 
The use of OCA is voluntary and is provided (1) as a uniform format to 
the public and private sector to submit information in order to receive 
an occupational code, (2) to provide input to a database of alternate 
(lay) titles to facilitate searches for occupational information in 
O*NET OnLine. (http://online.onetcenter.org), O*NET Code Connector 
(http://www.onetcodeconnector.org) as well as America's Career InfoNet 
(http://www.acinet.org), and (3) to assist the O*NET system in 
identifying potential occupations that may need to be included in 
future O*NET data collection efforts.
    The OCA process is designed to help the occupational information 
user relate an occupational speciality or a job title to an 
occupational code and title within the framework of the Standard 
Occupational Classification (SOC) based O*NET system. The O*NET-SOC 
system consists of a database that organizes the work done by 
individuals into approximately 1,000 occupational categories. In 
addition, O*NET occupations have associated data on the importance and 
level of a range of occupational characteristics and requirements, 
including Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Tasks, and Work Activities. 
Since the O*NET-SOC code and title also facilitates linkage to 
national, state, and local occupational employment and wage estimates.

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

[[Page 44548]]

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

    ETA seeks to provide both the public and private sectors with the 
capability to make occupational coding inquiries. Members of the public 
sometimes need to know where their own occupational speciality or job 
title fits within the O*NET-SOC system. Therefore, a continuing need 
exists for this service.
    The occupational analyst uses the information collection in form 
ETA 741--Occupational Code Assignment--Part A and Occupational Code 
Assignment--Request for Additional Information to aid them in assigning 
the most appropriate occupational code and title to the job or 
specialty described in the information submitted.
    The form was changed in order to correlate more closely with the 
information in the O*NET system. For example, the OCA form requests new 
information items including skills, physical activities, knowledge 
areas, interactions, education, and training and experience.
    Type of Review: Revision.
    Agency: Employment and Training Administration.
    Title: Occupational Code Assignment.
    OMB Number: 1205-0137.
    Affected Public: Federal government, State and local government, 
business or other for-profit/not-for profit institutions, and 
individuals.
    Cite/Reference/Form/etc.: Occupational Code Request form was form 
ETA 741. The ``Occupational Code Assignment--Part A'' is the name of 
the newly revised form. The ``Occupational Code Assignment--Request for 
Additional Information'' is a newly added form. It will be used only in 
situations where more detailed information is needed to make an 
occupation code assignment. See chart below.
    Total Respondents: 177.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Total Responses: 177.
    Average Time per Response: 30 minutes for the OCA--Part A; and 40 
minutes for OCA--Part A and the OCA--Request for Additional Information 
combined.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 92.

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                                     Total                             Total      Average time per      Burden
         Cite/reference           respondents       Frequency        responses    response (hours)     (hours)
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OCA--Part A.....................          159  On occasion........          159  .5................         79.5
OCA--Part A and OCA--Request for           18  On occasion........           18  .67...............           12
 additional information.
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    Totals......................  ...........  ...................          177  ..................         91.5
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    Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0.
    Total Burden Cost (operating/maintaining): $95.06.
    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 22, 2003.
Maria K. Fynn,
Acting Administrator, Office of Policy Development, Evaluation and 
Research Employment and Training Administration.
[FR Doc. 03-19218 Filed 7-28-03; 8:45 am]
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