[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 229 (Tuesday, November 29, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73680-73681]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-30585]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR


Proposed Information Collection Request Submitted for Sixty Days' 
Public Comment; O*NET Data Collection Program, Extension of Currently 
Approved Collection Without Change

AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration, 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 Employment and Training Administration is soliciting 
comments concerning the proposed extension of the O*NET (Occupational 
Information Network) Data Collection Program. 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.onetcenter.org/ombclearance.html

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
ADDRESSES section below on or before January 30, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to the Employment and Training Administration, 
200 Constitution Avenue NW., Room C4526, Washington, DC 20210, 
Attention: Pam Frugoli. Fax: (202) 693-3015 (this is not a toll-free 
number). Email: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lauren Wright, Telephone number (202) 
693-3045 (this is not a toll-free number), Email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The O*NET Data Collection Program is an ongoing effort to collect 
and maintain current information on the detailed characteristics of 
occupations and skills for more than 900 occupations. The resulting 
database provides the most comprehensive standardized source of 
occupational and skills information in the nation. O*NET information is 
used by a wide range of audiences, including individuals making career 
decisions, public agencies and schools providing career exploration 
services or education and training programs, and businesses making 
staffing and training decisions. The O*NET system provides a common 
language, framework and database to meet the administrative needs of 
various federal programs, including workforce investment and training 
programs supported by funding from the Departments of Labor, Education, 
and Health and Human Services.
    Section 309 of the Workforce Investment Act requires the Secretary 
of Labor to oversee the ``development, maintenance, and continuous 
improvement of a nationwide employment statistics system'' which shall 
include, among other components, ``skill trends by occupation and 
industry.'' The O*NET database provides:
     Detailed information for more than 900 occupations.
     Descriptive information using standardized descriptors for 
skills, abilities, interests, knowledge, work values, education, 
training, work context, and work activities.

[[Page 73681]]

     Occupational coding based on the 2010 Standard 
Occupational Classification (SOC) system.
    The O*NET electronic database and related O*NET products and tools 
have been incorporated into numerous public and private sector products 
and resources, summarized at http://www.onetcenter.org/paw.html. These 
products in turn serve millions of customers.

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.
    Agency: Employment and Training Administration.
    Title: O*NET Data Collection Program.
    OMB Number: 1205-0421.
    Affected Public: Business/Employers (includes private and not-for-
profit businesses and government); individuals (incumbent workers, 
subject-matter experts).
    Form: O*NET Data Collection Program.
    Total Annual Respondents: 26288.
    Frequency: annual.
    Total Annual Responses: 26288.
    Average Time per Response: Employer response time is 70 minutes. 
Incumbent worker response time is 30 minutes. Subject-matter expert 
response time is 90 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 13,670.
    Total Annual Burden Cost: $536,820.
    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.

    Signed: at Washington, DC, this 16th day of November, 2011.
Jane Oates,
Assistant Secretary, Employment and Training Administration.
[FR Doc. 2011-30585 Filed 11-28-11; 8:45 am]
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