[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 98 (Tuesday, May 23, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23607-23608]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-10502]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR


Comment Request: Survey of Employer Policies on the Employment of 
People With Disabilities

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy, Chief Evaluation 
Office, Department of 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). 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 is 
properly assessed. Currently, the Department of Labor is soliciting 
comments concerning the collection of data about the Survey of Employer 
Policies on the Employment of People with Disabilities. A copy of the 
proposed Information Collection Request (ICR) can be obtained by 
contacting the office listed in the addressee section of this notice.

DATES: The OMB will consider all written comments that the agency 
receives on or before July 24, 2017.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either one of the following 
methods: Email: [email protected]; Mail or Courier: Juston 
Locks, Office of Disability Employment Policy, U.S. Department of 
Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Room S-1303, 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: Juston Locks by email at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The Chief Evaluation Office (CEO) of the U.S. Department of Labor 
in partnership with the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) 
seeks to conduct a Survey of Employer Policies on the Employment of 
People with Disabilities to examine employer perceptions of their 
efforts to employ individuals with disabilities. Knowing this 
information will enhance the ability of ODEP to engage employers on how 
to hire, retain and promote individuals with disabilities. ODEP has the 
ability to reach out to employers through its public education 
campaigns and technical assistance centers, as well as engage the 
business community directly. Assessing employer attitudes towards 
hiring and retaining individuals with disabilities will allow ODEP to 
better understand employer successes and concerns, as well as more 
effectively share best practices in hiring, retaining, and promoting 
individuals with disabilities. This study will answer research 
questions with regard to current employer practices and attitudes 
towards employment of people with disabilities (`disability 
employment'); barriers and facilitators of disability employment; the 
impact of accommodations and technology on employer perceptions and 
attitudes towards disability employment; and sources of disability 
employment-related information for employers.
    To answer the research questions, the study will include three data 
collection strategies: (1) A telephone survey with employers; (2) case 
studies with representatives of six companies; and (3) qualitative 
interviews with supervisors from companies with disability employment 
experience.
    This Federal Register Notice provides the opportunity to comment on 
proposed data collection instruments that will be used in the study:
     Employer Survey (n=4,800). Westat will contact each 
sampled HR managers to complete a 20-minute computer-assisted telephone 
interview (CATI). This survey will cover topics such as company 
policies and practices on disability employment, successes and 
challenges of disability employment, information on employment policies 
and best practices, and the use of technology and accommodations.
     Case Studies (n=120). Westat will conduct six site visits 
at companies demonstrating experience with disability employment. 
Westat will interview individuals from a sample across the spectrum of 
involvement in disability employment, including: Human Resource (HR) 
managers, hiring managers, disabled employees, colleagues of disabled 
employees, and

[[Page 23608]]

senior leadership tasked with creating diversity and inclusion policy. 
Westat will conduct approximately 20 interviews per case study, with 
each interview lasting between 20-30 minutes.
     Qualitative Interviews with HR Managers (n=90). Westat 
will purposefully select a subsample of employers with significant 
experience with disability employment and interview mid-level managers 
from those companies to collect more in-depth information. These 
interviews will cover questions about the employer's current practices 
and attitudes towards employment of people with disabilities; barriers 
and facilitators towards disability employment; accommodations and 
technology available for employees with disabilities; and information 
flow about disability employment. These interviews will last 
approximately 30 minutes.

II. Review Focus

    Currently, the Department of Labor is soliciting comments 
concerning the above data collection for a study of employer policies 
and practices on the employment of people with disabilities. DOL is 
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 submissions of responses.

III. Current Action

    At this time, DOL is requesting clearance for the SEED 
Implementation Evaluation Survey.
    Type of Review: New Information Collection.
    OMB Control Number: 1230-0NEW.
    Title: Survey of Employer Policies on the Employment of People with 
Disabilities.

     Estimated Total Burden Hours--Survey of Employer Policies on the Employment of People With Disabilities
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                                                     Number of                        Average
           Respondents             Total  number   responses per   Total  annual   burden hours    Total annual
                                  of respondents    respondent       responses     per response    burden hours
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Telephone Survey................           4,800               1           1,600             .33          533.33
Case Study......................             120               1              40             .50              20
Qualitative Interviews..........              90               1              30             .50              15
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    Total.......................           5,010  ..............           1,670  ..............          568.33
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    Affected Public: Approximately 5,010 respondents will be contacted 
to participate in this data collection, including hiring managers; HR 
managers; employees with disabilities; colleagues of employees with 
disabilities; and diversity/inclusion officers.
    Annual Frequency: One time.
    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.

    Dated: April 28, 2017.
Molly Irwin,
Chief Evaluation Officer, U.S. Department of Labor.
[FR Doc. 2017-10502 Filed 5-22-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4510-HX-P