[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 114 (Tuesday, June 16, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28553-28554]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-14082]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration


Comment Request for Information Collection for ``Collecting 
Aggregate Participant Counts for Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Title 
IB, Wagner-Peyser Act, National Emergency Grants, and Reemployment 
Services Grants,'' OMB Control No. 1205-0474, Extension Without Change

AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration.

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. In 
response to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), the 
Employment and Training Administration is soliciting comments 
concerning States' submission of monthly supplemental reports that are 
based on program participant data that States already collect. This 
notice utilizes standard clearance procedures in accordance with the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and 5 CFR 1320.12. This information 
collection follows an emergency review that was conducted in accordance 
with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and 5 CFR 1320.13. The 
submission for OMB emergency review was published in the Federal 
Register on April 30, 2009, see 74 FR 19985. OMB approved the emergency 
clearance under OMB control number 1205-0474 on May 20, 2009. A copy of 
this ICR can be obtained from the RegInfo.gov Web site at http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain.
     For WIA Adult, aggregate counts of all participants, 
including those whose services are funded with regular WIA Adult 
formula funds and/or Recovery Act funds, including low-income

[[Page 28554]]

participants, those are also receiving Temporary Assistance to Needy 
Families and/or other public assistance, as well as the number of UI 
claimants, Veterans, and individuals with disabilities, numbers in 
training and type of training, and numbers receiving supportive 
services.
     For WIA Dislocated Workers, aggregate counts of all 
participants, including those whose services are funded with regular 
WIA Dislocated Worker formula funds and/or Recovery Act funds. States 
will report the number of WIA Dislocated Workers who are UI claimants, 
Veterans, and individuals with disabilities, numbers in training and 
type of training, and numbers receiving supportive services.
     For National Emergency Grants, financed with Recovery Act 
funds only, aggregate counts of participants, including the number of 
UI claimants, Veterans, and individuals with disabilities, numbers in 
training and type of training, and numbers receiving supportive 
services are to be reported.
     For WIA Youth, served with Recovery Act funds only, 
aggregate counts of all Recovery Act youth participants, including the 
characteristics of participants, the numbers of participants in summer 
employment, services received, attainment of a work readiness skill, 
and completion of summer youth employment are to be reported. 
Submission of the regular WIA quarterly and annual reports, including 
any youth who continue services under the WIA year-round youth program, 
continues.
     For the Wagner-Peyser Act Employment Service, the number 
of participants served and the type of services received, as well as 
supplemental reports of aggregate counts of all participants whose 
services are financed with regular Wagner-Peyser Act formula funds and/
or Recovery Act funds (i.e., Employment Service and Reemployment 
Services) are to be reported.
     For the Wagner-Peyser Reemployment Services Grants, in 
addition to those data elements already collected for the Wagner-Peyser 
Act Employment Service report, one additional data element should be 
reported: Referral to training, including WIA-funded training.
    In addition to these aggregate monthly reports, States are 
requested to submit the individual WIA standardized record data 
(WIASRD) on all participants and exiters in the WIA title 1B programs, 
and in National Emergency Grants, on a quarterly basis, beginning with 
the 3rd quarter of Program Year 2009, which ends on March 31, 2010. The 
first deadline for the required quarterly submission will be May 15, 
2010. This start date gives States sufficient time to adjust their 
management information systems. The emergency clearance expires 
November 30, 2009.
    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 or by accessing: http://www.doleta.gov/OMBCN/OMBControlNumber.cfm

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
addressee's section below on or before August 17, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments to Karen Staha, U.S. Department of 
Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Office of Performance 
and Technology, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Room S-5206, Washington, 
DC 20210. Telephone number: 202-693-2917 (this is not a toll-free 
number). Fax: 202-693-3490. E-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    I. Background: The supplemental reports and quarterly collection of 
WIA individual records replaced the limitations imposed by prior 
outcome-based performance reporting requirements. This collection 
comprises a participant and performance reporting strategy that 
provides a more robust, ``real time'' view of the impact of the 
Recovery Act funds, providing greater information on levels of program 
participation as well as about the characteristics of the participants 
served and the types of services provided. Furthermore, this 
information collection allows ETA to report performance accountability 
information immediately on the effective use of Recovery Act funds 
already received by State workforce agencies. With these monthly 
reports, information on individuals will be available while they are 
participating in the programs. Finally, significant value accrues from 
quarterly individual records from State workforce agencies. They 
provide more timely information to respond to the oversight needs of 
Governors, Congress and other Federal/State stakeholders and the 
general public; ETA benefits from more timely analysis; and States have 
access to more regular updates on nationwide participation information 
and employment and training trends.
    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:
    Type of Review: Extension without changes.
    Title: ``Collecting Aggregate Participant Counts for Workforce 
Investment Act (WIA) Title IB, Wagner-Peyser Act, National Emergency 
Grants, and Reemployment Services Grants.''
    OMB Number: 1205-0474.
    Affected Public: State Workforce Agencies.
    Total Respondents: 54.
    Frequency of Collection: Monthly.
    Total Responses: 864.
    Average Time per Respondent: 64 hours for monthly reports and 2,653 
hours for quarterly WIASRD report.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 614,632.
    Total Annual Costs Burden: $0.
    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: June 9, 2009.
John R. Beverly III,
Administrator, Office of Performance and Technology, Employment and 
Training Administration.
[FR Doc. E9-14082 Filed 6-15-09; 8:45 am]
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