[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 203 (Monday, October 20, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62325-62326]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-24730]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Bureau of Labor Statistics


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 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. The 
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is soliciting comments concerning the 
proposed extension of the ``Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey.'' A 
copy of the proposed information collection request (ICR) can be 
obtained by contacting the individual listed below in the ADDRESSES 
section of this notice.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
Addresses section below on or before December 19, 2008.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Carol Rowan, BLS Clearance Officer, 
Division of Management Systems, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Room 4080, 
2 Massachusetts Avenue, NE., Washington, DC 20212, telephone number 
202-691-7628. (This is not a toll free number.)

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carol Rowan, BLS Clearance Officer, 
telephone number 202-691-7628. (See ADDRESSES section.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

[[Page 62326]]

I. Background

    The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) collects data on 
job vacancies, labor hires, and labor separations. As the monthly JOLTS 
time series grow longer, their value in assessing the business cycle, 
the difficulty that employers have in hiring workers, and the extent of 
the mismatch between the unused supply of available workers and the 
unmet demand for labor by employers will increase. The study of the 
complex relationship between job openings and unemployment is of 
particular interest to researchers. While these two measures are 
expected to move in opposite directions over the course of the business 
cycle, their relative levels and movements depend on the efficiency of 
the labor market in matching workers and jobs.
    Along with the job openings rate, trends in hires and separations 
may broadly identify which aggregate industries face the tightest labor 
markets. Quits rates, the number of persons who quit during an entire 
month as a percentage of total employment, may provide clues about 
workers' views of the labor market or their success in finding better 
jobs. In addition, businesses will be able to compare their own 
turnover rates to the national, regional, and major industry division 
rates.
    The BLS uses the JOLTS form to gather employment, job openings, 
hires, and total separations from business establishments. The 
information is collected once a month at the BLS Data Collection Center 
(DCC) in Atlanta, Georgia. The information is collected using Computer 
Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI), Touch-tone Data Entry (TDE), 
FAX, and e-mail. An establishment is in the sample for 24 consecutive 
months.

II. Current Action

    Office of Management and Budget clearance is being sought for the 
JOLTS. The BLS is requesting an extension to the existing clearance for 
the JOLTS. There are no major changes being made to the forms, 
procedures, data collection methodology, or other aspects of the 
survey.

III. Desired Focus of Comments

    The Bureau of Labor Statistics is particularly interested in 
comments that:
     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.
     Minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, 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.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Agency: Bureau of Labor Statistics.
    Title: Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey.
    OMB Number: 1220-0170.
    Affected Public: Federal Government; State, Local, or Tribal 
governments; Businesses or other for-profit; Not-for-profit 
institutions; Small businesses and organizations.

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                                    Total                             Total        Average time      Estimated
       Affected public           respondents       Frequency        responses      per response    total burden
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Private......................           9,265  Monthly.........         111,180  10 min.........          18,530
State, Local, & Tribal Gov't.           1,422  Monthly.........          17,064  10 min.........           2,844
Federal Gov't................             401  Monthly.........           4,812  10 min.........             802
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    Totals...................          11,088  Monthly.........         133,056  10 min.........          22,176
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    Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0.
    Total Burden Cost (operating/maintenance): $0.
    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 also will become a 
matter of public record.

    Signed at Washington, DC, this 10th day of October 2008.
Cathy Kazanowski,
Chief, Division of Management Systems, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
 [FR Doc. E8-24730 Filed 10-17-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-24-P