[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 199 (Friday, October 15, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61250-61252]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-23132]


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FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collections; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
SUMMARY: Background
    On June 15, 1984, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
delegated to the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System 
(Board) its approval authority under the Paperwork Reduction Act, as 
per 5 CFR 1320.16, to approve of and assign OMB control numbers to 
collection of information requests and requirements conducted or 
sponsored by the Board under conditions set forth in 5 CFR 1320 
Appendix A.1. Board-approved collections of information are 
incorporated into the official OMB inventory of currently approved 
collections of information. Copies of the OMB 83-Is and supporting 
statements and approved collection of information instruments are 
placed into OMB's public docket files. The Federal Reserve may not 
conduct or sponsor, and the respondent is not required to respond to, 
an information collection that has been extended, revised, or 
implemented on or after October 1, 1995, unless it displays a currently 
valid OMB control number.

Request for comment on information collection proposals

    The following information collections, which are being handled 
under this delegated authority, have

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received initial Board approval and are hereby published for comment. 
At the end of the comment period, the proposed information collections, 
along with an analysis of comments and recommendations received, will 
be submitted to the Board for final approval under OMB delegated 
authority. Comments are invited on the following:
    a. whether the proposed collections of information are necessary 
for the proper performance of the Federal Reserve's functions; 
including whether the information has practical utility;
    b. the accuracy of the Federal Reserve's estimate of the burden of 
the proposed information collections, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;
    c. ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
    d. ways to minimize the burden of information collections on 
respondents, including through the use of automated collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before December 14, 2004.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by FR 28, FR 29a, b or 
FR 1373a,b by any of the following methods:
     Agency Web Site: http://www.federalreserve.gov. Follow the 
instructions for submitting comments at http://www.federalreserve.gov/generalinfo/foia/ProposedRegs.cfm.
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     E-mail: [email protected]. Include docket 
number in the subject line of the message.
     FAX: 202/452-3819 or 202/452-3102.
     Mail: Jennifer J. Johnson, Secretary, Board of Governors 
of the Federal Reserve System, 20th Street and Constitution Avenue, 
N.W., Washington, DC 20551.
    All public comments are available from the Board's web site 
atwww.federalreserve.gov/generalinfo/foia/ProposedRegs.cfm as 
submitted, except as necessary for technical reasons. Accordingly, your 
comments will not be edited to remove any identifying or contact 
information. Public comments may also be viewed electronically or in 
paper in Room MP-500 of the Board's Martin Building (20th and C 
Streets, N.W.) between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on weekdays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: A copy of the proposed forms and 
instructions, the Paperwork Reduction Act Submission (OMB 83-I), 
supporting statements, and other documents that will be placed into 
OMB's public docket files once approved may be requested from the 
agency clearance officer, whose name appears below.
    Cynthia Ayouch, Federal Reserve Board Clearance Officer (202-452-
3829), Division of Research and Statistics, Board of Governors of the 
Federal Reserve System, Washington, DC 20551. Telecommunications Device 
for the Deaf (TDD) users may contact (202-263-4869), Board of Governors 
of the Federal Reserve System, Washington, DC 20551.

Proposal to approve under OMB delegated authority the extension for 
three years, with revision, of the following reports:

    1. Report title: Application for Employment with the Board of 
Governors of the Federal Reserve System
    Agency form number: FR 28
    OMB control number: 7100-0181
    Frequency: On occasion
    Reporters: Employment applicants
    Annual reporting hours: 2,500 hours
    Estimated average hours per response: 1 hour
    Number of respondents: 2,500
    General description of report: This information collection is 
required to obtain a benefit (sections 10(4) and 11(1) of the Federal 
Reserve Act (12 U.S.C. Sec. 244 and 248(1)). The Board is required to 
treat the information collected on the Application as confidential 
pursuant to the requirements of the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. Sec. 552a). 
Individual respondent data are regarded as confidential under the 
Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. Sections. 552(b)(2) and (b)(6)).
    Abstract: The Application collects information to determine the 
qualifications, suitability, and availability of applicants for 
employment with the Board. The Application asks about education, 
training, employment, and other information covering the period since 
the applicant left high school.
    Current Actions: The Federal Reserve proposes to revise the 
Application for Employment with the Board of Governors of the Federal 
Reserve System (FR 28) to include the applicant's email address and 
cell phone number. In addition, the FR 28 would be modified to inform 
applicants that educational claims must be from an accredited school. 
The Federal Reserve proposes to modify the Applicant's Voluntary Self-
Identification Form (FR 28s) to be consistent with the Office of 
Management and Budget's (OMBs) Statistical Policy Directive No. 15, 
(Race and Ethnic Standards for Federal Statistics and Administrative 
Reporting). The Federal Reserve Board also proposes to revise the 
Research Assistant Candidate Survey of Interests (FR 28i), by modifying 
the areas of interest, changing the rating scale format, adding a 
section on software packages used by the candidate, and adding a line 
for the candidate's name.

    2. Report title: Compensation and Salary Surveys
    Agency form number: FR 29a, b, c
    OMB control number: 7100-0290
    Frequency: FR 29a, annually; FR 29b, on occasion; FR 29c, annually
    Reporters: Employers considered competitors for Federal Reserve 
employees
    Annual reporting hours: FR 29a, 150 hours; FR 29b, 50 hours
    Estimated average hours per response: FR 29a, 6 hours; FR 29b, 
1hour
    Number of respondents: 35
    General description of report: This information collection is 
voluntary (sections 10(4) and 11(1) of the Federal Reserve Act (12 
U.S.C. 244 and 248(1)) and is given confidential treatment (5 U.S.C 552 
(b)(4) and (b)(6)).
    Abstract: The surveys collect information on salaries, employee 
compensation policies, and other employee programs from employers that 
are considered competitors for Federal Reserve employees. The data from 
the surveys primarily are used to determine the appropriate salary 
structure and salary adjustments for Federal Reserve employees.
    Current Actions: The Federal Reserve proposes to discontinue the 
annual Compensation Trend Survey (FR 29c). The international consulting 
firm of Hay Management Consultants has conducted this survey, on behalf 
of the Federal Reserve, since 1991. However, since 2001, the Federal 
Reserve has relied on data published in other national compensation 
surveys. The Annual Salary Survey (FR 29a) and the ad hoc surveys 
related to salary and other employment issues (FR 29b), would not be 
revised.

    3. Report title: Studies of Board Publications
    Agency form number: FR 1373a,b
    OMB control number: 7100-0301
    Frequency: FR 1373a, two times per year; FR 1373b, eight times per 
year
    Reporters: FR 1373a, community-based educators, key stakeholders, 
and other educators who have previously requested consumer education 
materials from the Federal Reserve; FR 1373b, current subscribers of 
the publications being surveyed.

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    Annual reporting hours: FR 1373a, 300 hours; FR 1373b, 746 hours.
    Estimated average hours per response: FR 1373a, 30 minutes; FR 
1373b, 15 minutes.
    Number of respondents: FR 1373a, 400; FR 1373b, 517.
    General description of report: This information collection is 
voluntary. The FR 1373a study is authorized pursuant to the Federal 
Trade Commission Improvement Act (15 U.S.C. Sec.  57(a)); the FR 1373 b 
study is authorized pursuant to 12 U.S.C. Sec.  248(i). The specific 
information collected is not considered confidential.
    Abstract: The FR 1373a study allows the Federal Reserve to: 1) 
conduct periodic reviews and evaluations of the consumer education 
materials, and 2) develop and evaluate consumer education materials 
under consideration for distribution. The FR 1373b study helps Federal 
Reserve evaluate other Board publications. In addition, the Federal 
Reserve uses the FR 1373b data to help determine if it should continue 
to issue certain publications and, if so, whether the public would like 
to see changes in the method of information delivery, frequency, 
content, format, or appearance.
    Current Actions: The Federal Reserve proposes to revise the FR 
1373a by adding focus group or guided discussions once a year with 
three groups of fifteen respondents. Each discussion would take an 
estimated ninety minutes. The goal for such focused discussions would 
be to identify what issues consumers want addressed and how they would 
like to receive this information. The Federal Reserve would work with 
community groups or other appropriate stakeholders to recruit small 
groups of consumers to serve as voluntary respondents.

    Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, October 8, 
2004.
Jennifer J. Johnson,
Secretary of the Board.
[FR Doc. 04-23132 Filed 10-14-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6210-01-S