[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 171 (Thursday, September 4, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52616-52617]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-22502]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Office of Disability Employment Policy


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 pre-clearance 
consultation program to provide the general public

[[Page 52617]]

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 Office of Disability Employment Policy is soliciting 
comments concerning the proposed collection of needs assessment data 
through the National Survey of Sub-minimum Wage (14 c) Certificate 
Recipients. 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 November 3, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Faith S. Kirk, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of 
Disability Employment Policy, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Suite S-
1303, Washington, DC 20210.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    This project is a research activity of the Training and Technical 
Assistance for Providers (T-TAP) project. Funded by the Office of 
Disability and Employment Policy (ODEP) at the U.S. Department of 
Labor, T-TAP is a joint project of the Institute for Community 
Inclusion at the University of Massachusetts at Boston and Virginia 
Commonwealth University. The project provides a program of technical 
assistance and training that will be delivered and disseminated 
nationally to community-based providers including community 
rehabilitation providers and other public agencies who use the Fair 
Labor Standards Act (FLSA) section 14 (c) special minimum wage 
certificates. The overall goal of the T-TAP project is to assist 
community providers to increase access to regular wage employment in 
the competitive labor market. Collection of needs assessment data is 
necessary to identify barriers for organizations serving individuals 
with disabilities in finding integrated employment at a competitive 
rate.
    The Cooperative Agreement's data collection component is authorized 
pursuant to Public Law 106-554, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 
2001, which established ODEP within the Department of Labor to bring a 
heightened and permanent focus for increasing the employment of persons 
with disabilities and to develop initiatives to ``further the objective 
of eliminating employment barriers to the training and employment of 
people with disabilities.'' The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 
2002, pursuant to Public Law 107-116, has reauthorized this authority.
    The data collected from this survey will provide descriptive 
information on the current use of 14 (c) Special Wage Certificates by 
Community Rehabilitation Programs in the United States. Specifically, 
the survey will look at perceived organizational barriers to achieving 
competitive employment outcomes for individuals with significant 
disabilities. This will include organizations' perceived training and 
resource needs related to moving their programs from 14 (c) to 
integrated employment outcomes. The information generated by the survey 
will be used by ODEP for policy analysis and subsequent policy 
development and recommendations. In addition, T-TAP [VCU and ICI] will 
use the information to design and disseminate resources and training 
materials as well as provide technical assistance to Community 
Rehabilitation Programs (CRP). Part of disseminating this information 
will include writing journal articles, fact sheets, online seminars and 
web postings, conference presentations, or other literature that can be 
used by ODEP, T-TAP, CRPs, organizations, and others interested in 
facilitating competitive employment for individuals with disabilities.

II. Review Focus

    The Department of Labor is particularly interested in comments 
that:
    [sbull] Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the execution of the project's mission, 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 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 to the extent reasonable.

III. Current Actions

    This is a notice to seek OMB approval of new survey instrument for 
the Office of Disability Employment Policy, U.S. Department of Labor.
    Type of Review: New.
    Agency: Office of Disability Employment Policy.
    Title: National Survey of Sub-minimum Wage (14 c) Certificate 
Recipients.
    OMB Number: 1230-NEW.
    Affected Public: Non-Profit Institutions.
    Purpose of Information Collection: Research and Program Planning.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 341.
    Total Annual Responses: 341.
    Percentages of electronic collection: 25%.
    Total Annual Hours Requested: 170.5.
    Costs: [in thousands of dollars].
    Total Annualized Capital/Start-up $: $0.
    Total Annual Costs (O&M): $0.
    Frequency of Reporting: One Time.
    Total 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 
Budget approval of the information collection request; comments will 
also become a matter of public record.

    Dated: August 28, 2003.
John R. Davey,
Director, Office of Operations, Office of Disability Employment Policy.
[FR Doc. 03-22502 Filed 9-3-03; 8:45 am]
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