[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 113 (Tuesday, June 12, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35058-35059]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-14210]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Office of the Secretary


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Pilot Surveys of Employee Voice in the Coal 
Mining Industry

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Mine Safety 
and Health Administration (MSHA) sponsored new information collection 
request (ICR) titled, ``Pilot Surveys of Employee Voice in the Coal 
Mining Industry,'' to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for 
review and approval for use in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

DATES: Submit comments on or before July 12, 2012.

ADDRESSES: A copy of this ICR with applicable supporting documentation; 
including a description of the likely respondents, proposed frequency 
of response, and estimated total burden may be obtained from the 
RegInfo.gov Web site, http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain, on the 
day following publication of this notice or by contacting Michel Smyth 
by telephone at 202-693-4129 (this is not a toll-free number) or 
sending an email to [email protected].
    Submit comments about this request to the Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs, Attn: OMB Desk Officer for DOL-MSHA, Office of 
Management and Budget, Room 10235, New Executive Office Building, 
Washington, DC 20503, Telephone: 202-395-6929/Fax: 202-395-6881 (these 
are not toll-free numbers), email: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michel Smyth by telephone at 202-693-
4129 (this is not a toll-free number) or by email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The DOL seeks OMB approval to conduct an 
information collection as part of a pilot study to determine how to 
measure workers' voice in mining workplaces under the jurisdiction of 
the MSHA. The DOL working definition for voice in the workplace is 
workers' ability to access information on their rights in the 
workplace, their understanding of those rights, and their ability to 
exercise these rights without fear of discrimination or retaliation. 
Voice in the workplace is a key outcome goal for the Secretary of Labor 
and part of her vision of good jobs for everyone. A separate concurrent 
effort will measure workers' voice in workplaces under the jurisdiction 
of the Wage and Hour Division and Occupational Safety and Health 
Administration. Measuring voice among miners, however, poses unique 
data collection challenges, including implementing a survey in a 
setting that feels non-threatening to mine workers, and asking 
questions in a format that reflects mining community cultures and 
practices. The DOL seeks to perform a pilot study to investigate the 
efficacy of different data collection methods and to develop a survey 
instrument that is appropriate for the mining community. The primary 
research question is what measures of voice and perceived non-
compliance, combined with what modes of data collection, could be best 
used to track MSHA's worker-protection outreach activity? This ICR 
covers a set two or three small-scale pilot data collections. Data 
collection for this effort will employ two or three strategies: (1) 
Submission of paper questionnaires to be filled out by individual mine 
workers during offsite mining-related training sessions, (2) 
recruitment of miners by using radio and paper advertisements, and (3) 
a mail or phone survey. The DOL is currently assessing the feasibility 
of each method prior to implementation. For example, implementation of 
a phone or mail survey will depend on the availability of a valid list 
of miners. A maximum of 125 respondents will be surveyed under each 
collection mode for 375 maximum respondents for the overall effort.
    This information collection is subject to the PRA. A Federal agency 
generally cannot conduct or sponsor a collection of information, and 
the public is generally not required to respond to an information 
collection, unless it is approved by the OMB under the PRA and displays 
a currently valid OMB Control Number. In addition, notwithstanding any 
other provisions of law, no person shall generally be subject to 
penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information if the 
collection of information does not display a valid OMB Control Number. 
See 5 CFR 1320.5(a) and 1320.6. For additional information, see the 
related notice published in the Federal Register on January 19, 2012 
(77 FR 2760).
    Interested parties are encouraged to send comments to the OMB, 
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs at the address shown in 
the ADDRESSES section within 30 days of publication of this notice in 
the Federal Register. In order to help ensure appropriate 
consideration, comments should reference OMB ICR Reference Number 
201205-1219-001. The OMB is

[[Page 35059]]

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; 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 submission of responses.
    Agency: DOL-MSHA.
    Title of Collection: Pilot Surveys of Employee Voice in the Coal 
Mining Industry.
    OMB ICR Reference Number: 201205-1219-001.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households.
    Total Estimated Number of Respondents: 375.
    Total Estimated Number of Responses: 375.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden Hours: 156.
    Total Estimated Annual Other Costs Burden: $0.

    Dated: June 6, 2012.
Michel Smyth,
Departmental Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2012-14210 Filed 6-11-12; 8:45 am]
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