[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 238 (Monday, December 12, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77259-77260]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-31821]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR


Proposed Information Collection Request (ICR) for the Voice in 
the Workplace Survey; Comment Request

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy, Labor.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor (DOL or the Department), 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 (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). This 
program helps to ensure that required 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 Department notes that a Federal agency cannot conduct or 
sponsor a collection of information unless it is approved by the Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB) under the PRA and the related materials 
display a currently valid OMB control number. Also, notwithstanding any 
other provisions of law, no person shall be subject to penalty for 
failing to comply with a collection of information if the related 
materials do not display a currently valid OMB control number. See 5 
CFR 1320.5(a) and 1320.6. A copy of the proposed ICR can be obtained by 
contacting the office listed below in the addresses section of this 
notice or by accessing http://www.doleta.gov/OMBCN/OMBControlNumber.cfm.

DATES: Written comments must be received by the office listed in the 
addresses section below on or before February 10, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Celeste Richie, U.S. Department of Labor, 
Chief Evaluation Office, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy, 
200 Constitution Avenue NW., Frances Perkins Bldg., Room S-2312, 
Washington, DC 20210, telephone number (202) 693-5959 (this is not a 
toll-free number). Email address is [email protected] and fax 
number is (202) 693-5960.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    1. Background: The purpose of this evaluation is to gauge the 
current level of workers' voice in the workplace and the factors 
affecting voice, specifically voice as it relates to the laws 
administered and enforced by the Department of Labor's Occupational 
Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Wage and Hour Division 
(WHD). Voice in the workplace is a key outcome goal for the Secretary 
of Labor and part of her vision of good jobs for everyone. DOL's 
working definition of voice in the workplace is the ``worker's ability 
to access information on their rights in the workplace, their 
understanding of those rights, and their ability to exercise those 
rights without fear of recrimination.'' The survey will measure each of 
these items, first individually, and then combine those to come up with 
an overall measure of voice. The Department also hopes to learn how 
voice is related to workers' perceptions of employer noncompliance, 
such as whether or not particular dimensions of voice correlate to 
workers' perceptions of noncompliance. The study will also be useful in 
examining how noncompliance in one area, such as safety, is related to 
voice in the workplace and noncompliance in another area, such as 
wages.
    The evaluation of voice will benefit the Department of Labor (DOL) 
in several important ways:
     It will establish a baseline level of voice to which 
future measurement could be compared.
     The study should provide the Department with information 
about what factors affect voice and how voice can be promoted in the 
workplace. In particular, the analysis of survey results should 
identify which aspects of voice are particularly sensitive or linked to 
actions the Department may conduct to increase workers' knowledge of 
their rights.
     The relationship between worker voice and worker outcomes, 
such as perceived workplace safety, fair compensation, and employer 
noncompliance (or perceived noncompliance) will also be explored.
     It may also provide information about types of workplaces 
where workers believe OSHA and WHD violations are more prevalent, which 
will be useful for targeting the Department's limited enforcement 
resources.
    Because this evaluation will collect new and unique data, the 
contractor is engaged in a rigorous process to develop the survey 
questions.
    1. A comprehensive one-on-one qualitative review was undertaken 
with 25 stakeholders provided by OSHA and WHD, in order to understand 
concerns of DOL's constituency groups (see Attachment A--Stakeholder 
Interviewer Guide). Stakeholders came from both Federal and third-party 
nonprofit agencies. A report was prepared from these interviews and 
suggestions from the report were incorporated into the survey 
instrument.\1\
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    \1\ Gallup, Inc. Stakeholder Interview Report: Department of 
Labor Voice in the Workplace. Washington, DC: 2011.
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    2. The contractor conducted a thorough review of the literature 
that examined existing research and surveys related to the traditional 
concept of worker voice as well as the concept of voice as defined for 
this study. The literature review resulted in a comprehensive 
bibliography of research articles, reports, and studies that are 
relevant to this effort.\2\ Through the literature review, similar 
survey instruments on the concept of voice were identified and a few 
applicable questions incorporated into DOL's survey instrument. 
However, it was also discovered in the course of the literature review 
that DOL's undertaking is unique to the voice literature as its mandate 
focuses on compliance-related issues. As such, it is expected that this 
research will be groundbreaking in the voice (as defined for this 
study) literature and may lead to follow-on research articles.
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    \2\ Gallup, Inc. Worker Voice Literature Review. Washington, DC: 
2011.
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    3. A pilot survey will be undertaken so that the instrument and 
sampling design will be tested thoroughly to ensure the instrument is 
performing

[[Page 77260]]

according to DOL needs. Upon completion of the pilot, a report will be 
written so that final results will be clearly outlined.
    Using results from the first two tasks, the contractor developed a 
modularized survey questionnaire that is approximately 18 minutes in 
length. The questionnaire begins with a core set of questions about the 
DOL voice definition. These questions will be the crux of the voice 
survey and will provide DOL with an index for each respondent or a 
voice ``score.'' This score will be applicable across agencies and is 
expected to be used in other research being undertaken with the 
Department. The second part of the instrument is two rotating modules, 
one each for OSHA and for WHD, in which specific questions can be 
directed to respondents about each agency. Each respondent will be 
directed to just one module (i.e., no respondent will get both the OSHA 
and the WHD modules). Each module will focus on knowledge, voice, and 
perceived noncompliance for the given agency, providing a second gauge 
of a voice measure--one that has more granularities around the topics. 
For example, knowledge of specific laws will be tested for each agency 
as well as more detail on noncompliance. A final section will query how 
worker rights are being communicated. In the knowledge section, 
respondents will be asked about worker rights (corresponding to agency 
specifics) and a knowledge score will be derived to assess a knowledge 
index score for each respondent. This knowledge index will then play 
into a second overall actual voice score that is calculated for each 
respondent. The survey will be conducted in both Spanish and English, 
and will be administered only to people who, according to the CPS, say 
they are currently employed.
    2. Desired Focus of Comments: Currently, the Department of Labor is 
soliciting comments concerning the above data collection. Comments are 
requested 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; and
     Minimize the burden of the information collection on those 
who are to respond, including 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.
    3. Current Actions: Pursuant to the PRA implementing regulations at 
5 CFR 1320.8(d)(1), this notice requests comments on the proposed 
information collection request discussed above in the Background 
section of this notice. Interested parties are encouraged to provide 
comments to the individual list in the ADDRESSES section above.
    Agency: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy.
    Type of Review: New Collection
    Title of Collection: Voice in the Workplace Survey.
    OMB Control Number: [Insert OMB Control Number].
    Affected Public: Individuals or households.
    Two survey undertakings will be completed, the first being the 
pilot with 800 respondents and the second being the full study with 
4,000 respondents.

 
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                                                                                      Average
                                                     Number of       Number of      burden per     Total  burden
      Type of respondent            Form name       respondents   responses  per   response  (in       hours
                                                                     respondent       hours)
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General Working Population....  Pilot Voice                  800               1           18/60             240
                                 Study.
General Working Population....  Full Voice Study           4,000               1           18/60           1,200
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    Comments submitted in response to this request will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval; they will also become 
a matter of public record.

    Signed: at Washington, DC, this 6th day of December, 2011.
William E. Spriggs,
Assistant Secretary, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy.
[FR Doc. 2011-31821 Filed 12-9-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-22-P