[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 144 (Friday, July 25, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43476-43477]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-17078]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR


Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and 
Management; Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed 
Collection; Comment Request; Applicant Background Questionnaire

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and 
Management (OASAM), Department of Labor.

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 Department of Labor is soliciting comments concerning 
the proposed extension of the Applicant Background Questionnaire.
    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 
addressee section below on or before September 23, 2008.

ADDRESSEE: William Glasgow, U.S. Department of Labor, Human Resources 
Center, 200 Constitution Ave. NW., Room N-5464, Washington, DC 20210; 
Phone: (202)693-7738; Written comments limited to 10 pages or fewer may 
also be transmitted by facsimile to: (202)693-7814; Internet: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    I. Background: The Department of Labor, as part of its obligation 
to provide equal employment opportunities, is charged with ensuring 
that qualified individuals in groups that are under-represented in 
various occupations are included in applicant pools for the 
Department's positions. See 5 U.S.C. 7201(c); 29 U.S.C. 791; 29 U.S.C. 
2000e-16; 5 CFR 720.204; 29 CFR 1614.101(a). To achieve this goal, DOL 
employment offices have conducted targeted outreach to a variety of 
sources, including educational institutions, professional 
organizations, newspapers, and magazines. DOL has also participated in 
career fairs and conferences that reach high concentrations of 
Hispanics, African Americans, Native Americans, Asians, and persons 
with disabilities.
    Without the data provided by this collection, DOL does not have the 
ability to evaluate the effectiveness of any of these targeted 
recruiting strategies because collection of racial and national origin 
information only occurs at the point of hiring. DOL needs to collect 
data on the pools of applicants which result from the various targeted 
recruitment strategies listed above. After the certification and 
selection process has been completed, it is necessary to cross-
reference the data collected with the outcome of the qualifications 
review in order to evaluate the quality of applicants from various 
recruitment sources. With the information from this collection, DOL can 
adjust and redirect its targeted recruitment to achieve the best 
result. DOL will also be able to respond to requests for information 
received from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) in the course of 
OPM evaluation and oversight activities.
    II. Desired Focus of Comments: 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, for example, 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 notice requests an extension of the 
current Office of Management and Budget approval of the Applicant 
Background Questionnaire. Extension is necessary to continue to 
evaluate the effectiveness of agency recruitment programs in attracting 
applicants from under-represented sectors of the population.

[[Page 43477]]

    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Agency: U.S. Department of Labor.
    Title: Applicant Background Questionnaire.
    OMB Number: 1225-0072.
    Affected Public: Applicants for positions recruited in the 
Department of Labor. Other Federal agencies have requested to use the 
DOL form. We are including the Department of Agriculture, ARS as an 
agency that wishes to use the form for their recruitment program. Their 
burden numbers are also included below.
    Total Respondents:
     Department of Labor--3,000
     USDA, ARS--17,800
     Total--20,800
    Frequency: One time per respondent.
    Total Responses: 20,800.
    Average Time per Response: 3 minutes for on-line applicants (DOL). 
5 minutes for paper applications (USDA).
    Estimated Total Burden Hours:
     DOL--150 hours
     USDA--1,458 hours, 20 min
     Total--1,608 hours, 20 min
    Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0
    Total Burden Cost (operating/maintaining):
     DOL--$87.46
     USDA--$1,049.52
     Total--$1,136.98
    Comments submitted in response to this notice 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 18, 2008.
Suzy Barker,
Director of Human Resources.
[FR Doc. E8-17078 Filed 7-24-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-23-P