[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 102 (Friday, May 27, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30815-30816]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-2692]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration


Proposed Collection; Comment Request

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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 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 is soliciting 
comments concerning the proposed new collection of data concerning the 
operation and accuracy of state worker profiling models. A copy of the 
proposed information collection request (ICR) can be obtained at no 
charge 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 
addressee section below on or before July 26, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Scott Gibbons, Office of Workforce Security, U.S. Department 
of Labor, Room S-4231, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 
20210. e-mail: [email protected]; phone: 202-693-3008; fax: 202-
693-2874.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Scott Gibbons, e-mail: 
[email protected]; phone: 202-693-3008; fax: 202-693-2874.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    Worker Profiling and Reemployment Services (WPRS), as specified in 
Pub. L. 103-152, is a system that attempts to identify UI claimants 
with a high potential for exhausting their regular benefit entitlement 
and directs them to re-employment services to hasten their return to 
work. Under this program, the worker profiling model is responsible for 
discriminating between those claimants who are likely to exhaust their 
UI benefits and those who are not.
    In spite of the importance the model plays in this process, limited 
research has been done to determine how effective states are at 
targeting those most likely to exhaust their benefits. There are 
barriers to performing clear research on this topic. The purpose of 
this study is to improve state worker profiling models by: (1) 
Establishing an approach for evaluating the accuracy of worker 
profiling models, (2) applying this approach to current state models to 
determine how effective they are at predicting Unemployment Insurance 
(UI) benefit exhaustion, and (3) based on the results, developing 
guidance on best practices in operating and maintaining worker 
profiling models. Ideally, we would like to evaluate every state's 
profiling model. In order to accomplish this goal, the proposed data 
collection will be mandatory.

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 clarity 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 project has two primary objectives. The first objective is to 
collect information concerning the characteristics of worker profiling 
models that states currently use. To accomplish this, a survey on the 
operational and structural aspects of the worker profiling models will 
be sent to states. The second objective is to evaluate the accuracy of 
predictions from worker profiling models. To accomplish this, a 
methodology to evaluate model performance has been developed. Data 
provided by states will be used to measure and analyze the accuracy of 
state worker profiling models, and to identify, to the greatest extent 
possible given the available data and analysis results, factors 
correlated with good or poor model performance. A report detailing the 
results of the analysis and the collected survey information will be 
produced. This report will summarize the analysis into conclusions and/
or suggestions (i.e., best practices) for how states can improve 
systems that are under-performing.
    Type of Review: New.
    Agency: U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training 
Administration.
    Title: Evaluation of State Worker Profiling Models.
    Affected Public: State Government Workforce Agencies.
    Cite/Reference/Form/etc.: See chart below.
    Total Respondents: 53.

[[Page 30816]]

    Frequency: One-time survey and data collection.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                                           Average time
                Cite/reference                       Total                      Frequency                      Total       per response       Burden
                                                  respondents                                                responses        (hours)         (hours)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Survey........................................              53  One-time request........................              53               2             106
Data request..................................              53  One-time request........................              53              30            1590
                                               -----------------
    Totals....................................  ..............  ........................................             106  ..............            1696
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): Based on an hourly rate of 
$31.38 for fiscal year 2005, estimated cost burden is $53,220.48.
    Total Burden Cost (operating/maintaining): There are no ongoing 
costs for this project.
    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: May 23, 2005.
Emily Stover DeRocco,
Assistant Secretary, Employment and Training Administration.
[FR Doc. E5-2692 Filed 5-26-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-30-P