[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 163 (Wednesday, August 24, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49681-49683]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-16906]



[[Page 49681]]

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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and 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 other Federal 
agencies 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 collection of information 
on the Reemployment and Eligibility Assessment (REA) program. ETA is 
seeking Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval under the PRA95 
to establish a system to collect data at the state level on REA 
workload counts and outcomes.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
addresses section below on or before October 24, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Diane Wood, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and 
Training Administration, Room S4231, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., 
Washington, DC 20210, Fax (202) 693-3975; e-mail: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Diane Wood, telephone: (202) 693-3212 
(this is not a toll-free number); Fax (202) 693-3975, e-mail: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    Funds were awarded to 21 states in FY 2005 to implement REA 
initiatives. The REA guidelines require that these funds be used to 
conduct in-person assessments in the One-Stop Career Centers. The REA 
must include a UI continued eligibility review, the provision of labor 
market information, development of a work-search plan and referral to 
reemployment services and/or training, as appropriate. The guidelines 
require that participation exclude those claimants who have a specific 
return-to-work date or who secure employment solely through a union 
hiring hall.

II. Review Focus

    The Department of Labor is particularly interested in comments 
which:
     Assess whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for evaluation of the REA program, including whether the 
information will have practical utility;
     Evaluate the accuracy of ETA'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

    ETA proposes to require state workforce agencies (SWAs) that 
implement REA initiatives to report quarterly data for REA grants 
beginning in FY 2006. This will provide the only continuous source of 
information about the effectiveness of REAs and is necessary to monitor 
the program. SWAs submitting proposals for FY 2006 funding will be 
advised of the reporting requirements and report formats prior to the 
development of their proposal.
    The Department proposes collecting the following data elements for 
Reemployment and Eligibility Assessments (REAs). The quarterly activity 
report will be due at the end of each quarter and will reflect the REAs 
scheduled during the report quarter.
    The ETA 9060--Reemployment and Eligibility Assessments Workloads 
report includes the following 23 elements.
    1. Number of claimants scheduled for their first REA--The sum of 
all claimants who were scheduled for their first REA of their current 
benefit year during the report quarter.
    2. Number of REAs scheduled--This includes all REAs for which an 
official notice was sent to the claimant instructing them to report to 
the One-Stop Career Center. It includes both those scheduled REAs for 
which the claimant reported as directed and those scheduled REAs for 
which the claimant failed to report. It does not include those REAs 
which the claimant cancelled in advance and which were rescheduled with 
no disqualification.
    3. Number of REAs completed--This number includes all completed 
REAs to which the claimant reported as directed. It includes REAs that 
were conducted for claimants who were rescheduled for an REA after 
missing an appointment.
    4. Number of claimants reporting to reemployment services or 
training. For each REA, claimants should be reported in only one 
service category in items number 5, 6, and 7 below, based on the 
highest level of services received with core services as the lowest 
level and training as the highest. Core services, intensive services 
and training are defined in accordance with state definitions 
consistent with the Wagner-Peyser Act, the Workforce Investment Act or 
other applicable legislation.
    5. Number of claimants reporting to core reemployment services as a 
result of an REA.
    6. Number of claimants reporting to intensive reemployment services 
as a result of an REA.
    7. Number of claimants reporting to training as a result of an REA.
    8. Number of completed REAs resulting in a disualification or 
established overpayments. This number includes all claimants for whom a 
nonmonetary determination has been issued holding them ineligible under 
any provision of state law. Claimants may be reported in more than one 
of the following categories:
    9. Number of completed REAs resulting in a disqualification for a 
separation issue.
    10. Number of completed REAs resulting in a disqualification for an 
able and available issue.
    11. Number of completed REAs resulting in a disqualification for a 
disqualifying or deductible issue.
    12. Number of completed REAs resulting in a disqualification for a 
refusal of suitable work issue.
    13. Number of completed REAs resulting in a disqualification for an 
issue not covered in categories 9-12.
    14. Number of completed REAs resulting in a establishment of an 
overpayment.
    15. Dollar amount of overpayments established in item 14.
    16. Number of REAs for which the claimant failed to report.
    This number includes those claimants who were sent an official 
notice to report for an REA, and who did not report as directed. It 
includes claimants who failed to report and who were subsequently 
rescheduled for an REA at a different time. It does not include

[[Page 49682]]

REAs that were cancelled in advance by the claimant and for which no 
disqualification was issued.
    17. Number of REAs for which the claimant failed to report 
(reported in 16) and which were rescheduled without 
disqualification.
    18. Number of REAs for which the claimant failed to report 
(reported in 16) which resulted in the claimant being 
disqualified for failure to meet a reporting requirement.
    19. Number of REAs for which the claimant failed to report 
(reported in 16) which resulted in the claimant being 
disqualified for an issue other than failure to meet a reporting 
requirement.
    20. Number of overpayments established as a result of failure to 
report (reported in 16).
    21. Dollar amount of overpayments established as a result of 
failure to report (reported in 20).
    22. Number of REAs for which the claimant failed to report 
(reported in 16) which did not result in either a rescheduling 
or a disqualification because the claimant stopped claiming UI.
    23. Number of claimants reported in 22 who were identified 
as having returned to work (if available).
    The ETA 9061--Reemployment and Eligibility Assessments Outcomes 
report includes the following 16 elements. It will be submitted for the 
following two groups of claimants who filed a claim and established a 
UI benefit year in the report quarter. The outcome report would be due 
in the fifth quarter following the report quarter, after the benefit 
year has ended. As part of a state's submission for an REA grant, a 
description of how the state will select a comparison group, group 1 
below, will be required and scored.
    1. Claimants in a state-defined comparison group. This group should 
consist of the universe of claimants who were in the target group from 
which REA participants could have been selected for an REA but were not 
selected. The claimants in this group should have characteristics as 
similar as possible to the selected REA participant group. The 
following data elements will be collected:
    a. Number of claimants who filed a claim and established a UI 
benefit year in the report quarter.
    b. Total weeks compensated. This number is the total weeks of 
benefits paid for those claimants reports in item a. above during their 
respective benefit years. This number includes weeks of partial 
payments.
    c. Total benefits paid. This number is the total dollar amount of 
benefits paid to those claimants reported in item a. above during their 
respective benefit years. This number includes weeks of partial 
payments.
    d. Number of disqualifications for claimants in the group. This may 
include multiple disqualifications for individuals.
    e. The number of claimants exhausting benefits.
    f. Number of claimants reemployed within the benefit year, based of 
the National or State Directories of New Hires.
    g. For those reemployed, average time from date of initial claim to 
date of reemployment.
    h. The amount of overpayments established.
    2. Claimants who were scheduled for at least one REA during the 
benefit year.
    a. Number of claimants who filed a claim and established a UI 
benefit year in the report quarter.
    b. Total weeks compensated. This number is the total weeks of 
benefits paid for those claimants reported in item a. above during 
their respective benefit years. This number includes weeks of partial 
payments.
    c. Total benefits paid. This number is the total dollar amount of 
benefits paid to those claimants reported in item a. above during their 
respective benefit years. This number includes weeks of partial 
payments.
    d. Number of disqualifications for claimants in the group. This may 
include multiple disqualifications for individuals.
    e. The number of claimants exhausting benefits.
    f. Number of claimants reemployed within the benefit year, based on 
the National or State Directories of New Hires.
    g. For those reemployed, average time from date of initial claim to 
date of reemployment.
    h. The amount of overpayments established.

Due Dates for REA Reports

    Reporting of the ETA 9060 will begin one year prior to the ETA 
9061. States will electronically transmit the reports to ETA according 
to the following schedule. All workload counts are due on the 20th day 
of the second month following the end of the calendar quarter to 
coincide with other ETA reporting requirements. Outcomes reports are 
due on the same calendar quarter schedule in the following year.

       ETA 9060--Reemployment and Eligibility Assessment Workload
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   Quarter in which the REA is scheduled        Report due to ETA by
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1st quarter (January to March)............  May 20.
2nd quarter (April to June)...............  August 20.
3rd quarter (July to September)...........  November 20.
4th quarter (October to December).........  February 20.
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       ETA 9061--Reemployment and Eligibility Assessment Outcomes
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 Quarter in which the benefit years begin       Report due to ETA by
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1st quarter (January to March)............  May 20.
2nd quarter (April to June)...............  August 20.
3rd quarter (July to September)...........  November 20.
4th quarter (October to December).........  February 20.
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    ETA will provide resources to the states for startup and 
operational costs for the first year of data collection as described in 
the burden cost sections below.
    Type of Review: New.
    Agency: Employment and Training Administration.
    Title: Reemployment and Eligibility Assessments.
    Agency Number: ETA 9060--Reemployment and Eligibility Assessments 
Workload and ETA 9061--Reemployment and Eligibility Assessments 
outcomes.
    Record Keeping: States are required to follow their state laws 
regarding public records retention for this proposed data collection 
system.
    Affected Public: State Workforce Agencies (SWAs).
    Total Respondents: 53 state agencies.
    Frequency: Quarterly.
    Total Responses: 424.
    Average Time per Responses: SWA staff .5 hours.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 2,120 hours.
    Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $371,000 53 SWAs at $7,000 
each.
    Total Burden Cost (operating/maintaining): $79,000 (annual) 53 SWAs 
at $1,500 per SWA.
    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.


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    Dated: August 17, 2005.
Emily Stover DeRocco,
Assistant Secretary, Employment and Training Administration.
[FR Doc. 05-16906 Filed 8-23-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-30-M