[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 148 (Friday, August 1, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44869-44871]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-18184]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Office of the Secretary


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Institutional Analysis of American Job Centers 
(AJCs) Study

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor (DOL), 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 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.

[[Page 44870]]

    A copy of the proposed ICR can be obtained by contacting the office 
listed below in the addressee section of this notice.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
addressee section below on or before September 30, 2014.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either one of the following 
methods: Email: [email protected]; Mail or Courier: Erika 
Liliedahl, Chief Evaluation Office, U.S. Department of Labor, Room S-
2312, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20210. Instructions: 
Please submit one copy of your comments by only one method. All 
submissions received must include the agency name and OMB Control 
Number identified above for this information collection. Because we 
continue to experience delays in receiving mail in the Washington, DC 
area, commenters are strongly encouraged to transmit their comments 
electronically via email or to submit them by mail early. Comments, 
including any personal information provided, become a matter of public 
record. They will also be summarized and/or included in the request for 
OMB approval of the information collection request.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Erika Liliedahl by telephone at 202-
693-5992 (this is not a toll-free number) or by email at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    When Congress overhauled the country's public workforce system with 
the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) in 1998, its paramount goal was to 
replace America's fragmented and inefficient patchwork of employment 
and training programs with a more streamlined and coordinated service 
delivery system. To that end, WIA required that local workforce 
investment boards (LWIBs) establish centers--now known as American Job 
Centers (AJCs)--to provide ``one-stop shopping'' for customers seeking 
employment information and access to jobs, training, and related 
services. While all AJCs provide employment related services, there is 
variation across centers in their organization, partnering 
arrangements, data reporting, funding, administration, and service 
delivery. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is sponsoring a 
comprehensive study to better understand the spectrum of institutional 
features that shape AJCs' day-to-day operations and customer 
experiences.
    The goals of the Institutional Analysis of American Job Centers 
(AJCs) study are to systematically document key institutional 
characteristics of AJCs; present a comprehensive description of AJC 
funding, organization, administration and management, and service 
delivery structures and processes; and develop typologies of AJCs that 
capture the institutional variations documented.
    To achieve these goals, an in-depth institutional analysis will be 
conducted that systematically documents AJCs' operations across 10 
research domains: (1) Administrative structure; (2) partnerships; (3) 
performance and strategic management; (4) staffing; (5) physical 
environment; (6) Management Information S system capacity and the use 
of technology, including electronic tools and resources; (7) service 
delivery structure and linkages; (8) the program and service mix 
provided; (9) outreach; and (10) funding. In addition, the study will 
consider external factors that are particularly important for 
understanding AJC structure, operations, policies, and processes. These 
include LWIBs and state-level workforce agencies that have 
administrative and oversight responsibilities over AJCs.
    This package requests clearance for: (1) Site visits to AJCs; (2) 
telephone interviews with state workforce administrators in states 
where site visits are conducted; and (3) a network analysis survey of 
selected study AJC partner organizations.
    The site visits include semi-structured interviews, and 
observations of center operations and client flow. Interviews with 
state workforce administrators in each state in which there is a 
selected AJC will be conducted to gather state-level information that 
is relevant for understanding local-level AJC organization and 
operations. A network analysis of AJC partnerships will be conducted 
based on a brief survey administered to a subset of the AJCs selected 
for site visits.
    There are two primary data sources for the study: Semi-structured 
interviews and a survey. Semi-structured telephone interviews will be 
conducted with state workforce administrators. In-person interviews 
during the site visits will be conducted with AJC managers and key 
partner staff, AJC line staff, and LWIB staff; telephone interviews 
will be conducted in cases where an on-site meeting cannot be arranged. 
Field researchers will use a modular interview guide, organized by 
major topics that can be adapted based on the respondent's knowledge 
base, to prompt discussions on topics of interest to the study.
    To better understand relationships between the AJC partners, the 
research team will supplement information about AJC partnerships 
obtained through semi-structured interviews with a network analysis 
survey of AJC partners that is distributed through email in the form of 
an editable PDF. The network analysis survey is a brief, targeted tool 
used to explore the strength of relationships between the key entities 
(partners) that oversee service delivery within the AJC framework as 
part of the overall effort to describe and analyze the institutional 
characteristics of the AJC system. The short survey will systematically 
collect information on select elements of partner interactions 
(frequency of communication, level of collaboration, and referral 
flow).

II. Desired Focus of Comments

    Currently, the Department of Labor is soliciting comments 
concerning the above data collection Institutional Analysis of American 
Job Centers. Comments are requested to:
    * 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.

III. Current Actions

    At this time, the Department of Labor is requesting clearance for 
data collection for the Institutional Analysis of AJCs via a survey and 
interviews.
    Type of review: New information collection request.
    OMB Control Number: 1205-0NEW.
    Affected Public: Members of the public affected by the data 
collection include state and local government agencies, for-profit 
institutions, and not-for-profit institutions. Respondent groups 
identified include (1) State, regional, and local workforce agency and 
(2) AJC partners.
    Frequency: Once.

[[Page 44871]]

    Total Responses: 1,643.
    Average Time per Response: 60 minutes.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 1,643 hours.
    Total Other Burden Cost: $0.
    Comments submitted in response to this request will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for Office of Management and Budget 
approval; they will also become a matter of public record.

James H. Moore, Jr.,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, U.S. Department of Labor.
[FR Doc. 2014-18184 Filed 7-31-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-23-P