[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 210 (Monday, November 1, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67145-67146]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-27544]


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OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT


Submission for Review: Expiring Information Collection 3206-0182, 
Declaration for Federal Employment, Optional Form (OF) 306

AGENCY: U.S. Office of Personnel Management.

ACTION: 30-Day Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: Federal Investigative Services (FIS), U.S. Office of Personnel 
Management (OPM) offers the general public and other Federal agencies 
the opportunity to comment on an information collection request (ICR), 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Control No. 3206-0182, for the

[[Page 67146]]

Declaration for Federal Employment, Optional Form (OF) 306. As required 
by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. 
chapter 35) as amended by the Clinger-Cohen Act (Pub. L. 104-106), OPM 
is soliciting comments for this collection. The Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) is particularly interested in comments that:
    1. 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;
    2. 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;
    3. Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected; and
    4. 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.

DATES: Comments are encouraged and will be accepted until December 1, 
2010. This process is conducted in accordance with 5 CFR 1320.1.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments on 
the proposed information collection to the Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 725 17th Street, 
NW., Washington, DC 20503, Attention: Desk Officer for the Office of 
Personnel Management or sent via electronic mail to [email protected] or faxed to (202) 395-6974; and FIS, OPM, 1900 E 
Street, NW., Washington, DC 20415, Attention: Lisa Loss or sent via 
electronic mail to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: A copy of this ICR, with applicable 
supporting documentation, may be obtained by contacting FIS, OPM, 1900 
E Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503, Attention: Lisa Loss or sent via 
electronic mail to [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice announces that OPM submitted OMB 
a request for review and clearance of the revised collection of 
information, Declaration for Federal Employment Optional Form (OF) 306 
(OMB Control No. 3206-0182).
    The OF 306 is completed by applicants who are under consideration 
for Federal or Federal contract employment. It collects information 
about an applicant's selective service registration, military service, 
and general background. The information collected on this form is 
mainly used to determine a person's acceptability for Federal and 
Federal contract employment. However, if necessary, and usually in 
conjunction with another form or forms, the information on this form 
may be used in conducting an investigation to determine a person's 
suitability or ability to hold a security clearance, and it may be 
disclosed to authorized officials making similar, subsequent 
determinations.
    The OF 306 requests that the applicant provide personal identifying 
data, including past convictions, imprisonments, probations, paroles or 
military court martial, delinquency on a Federal debt, Selective 
Service Registration, United States military service and Federal 
civilian or military retirement pay or pension received or applied for. 
It is estimated that 178,114 individuals will respond annually. Each 
form takes approximately 15 minutes to complete. The annual estimated 
burden is 44,529 hours.
    The 60-day Federal Register Notice was published in the Federal 
Register on April 19, 2010 (Federal Register Notices/Volume 75, Number 
74, page 20399). Comments from the Department of Treasury (Treasury), 
Minerals Management Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of 
Human Resources Management (USDA-HRM), USDA Rural Development, and 
General Services Administration (GSA) iterated the need for continuing 
this information collection to assist Federal agencies during the 
hiring process. Treasury, USDA-HRM, and GSA specifically commented on 
the public burden statement and characterized the burden as accurate 
and valid.
    In addition, comments from Federal agencies and members of the 
public made recommendations for adjustments to the form. The Department 
of Treasury (Treasury) recommended that OPM develop an automated 
version of the form to include electronic signature to minimize the 
burden on job candidates and streamline the hiring process. OPM will 
take this recommendation for future consideration. OPM accepted 
comments from Treasury regarding formatting changes for the collection 
of middle names and suffixes.
    OPM accepted Treasury's recommendation to collect the country of 
citizenship of the respondent in order to assist agencies in the hiring 
process for the majority of Federal positions that may be filled only 
by U.S. citizens. OPM did not accept Treasury's recommendation to 
collect information as to whether the respondent has been arrested/
charged but will consider including this question in future revisions 
to the investigative questionnaire for non-sensitive positions. OPM 
intends to limit the scope of the collection for conviction, 
imprisonment, probation, parole, and military court-martial to the past 
7 years vice 10 in order to align this collection with the collection 
of information on investigative questionnaires which generate 
collection of local law enforcement records. OPM particularly invites 
comment during this 30-day notice period regarding these proposed 
changes to the collection.
    OPM rejected a comment from a member of the public to collect the 
lifetime criminal record from the respondent. OPM also rejected a 
comment from a member of the public that recommended that Federal 
employment and Federal contract employment be extended only to persons 
with at least a GED or high school diploma as the comment was outside 
of the scope of the request for comments on the proposed collection.

John Berry,
Director, U.S. Office of Personnel Management.
[FR Doc. 2010-27544 Filed 10-29-10; 8:45 am]
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