[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 139 (Friday, July 21, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33928-33929]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-15323]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Bureau of Labor Statistics


Information Collection Activities; Comment Request

AGENCY: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Department of Labor.

ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to 
reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a pre-clearance 
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 
can be properly assessed. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is 
soliciting comments concerning the proposed revision of the Annual 
Refiling Survey (ARS). A copy of the proposed information collection 
request (ICR) can be obtained by contacting the individual listed below 
in the ADDRESSES section of this notice.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
Addresses section of this notice on or before September 19, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Carol Rowan, BLS Clearance Officer, 
Division of Management Systems, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Room 4080, 
2 Massachusetts Avenue NE., Washington, DC 20212. Written comments also 
may be transmitted by fax to 202-691-5111 (this is not a toll free 
number).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carol Rowan, BLS Clearance Officer, 
202-691-7628 (this is not a toll free number). (See ADDRESSES section.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    The Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) program is a 
Federal/State cooperative effort which compiles monthly employment 
data, quarterly wages data, and business identification information 
from employers subject to State Unemployment Insurance (UI) laws. These 
data are collected from State Quarterly Contribution Reports (QCRs) 
submitted to State Workforce Agencies (SWAs). The States send micro-
level employment and wages data, supplemented with the names, 
addresses, and business identification information of these employers, 
to the BLS. The State data are used to create the BLS sampling frame, 
known as the longitudinal QCEW data.
    To ensure the continued accuracy of these data, the information 
supplied by employers must be periodically verified and updated. For 
this purpose, the ARS is used in conjunction with the UI tax reporting 
system in each State. The information collected by the ARS is used to 
review the existing industry code assigned to each establishment as 
well as the physical location of the business establishment. As a 
result, changes in the industrial and geographical compositions of our 
economy are captured in a timely manner and reflected in the BLS 
statistical programs.
    The ARS also asks employers to identify new locations in the State. 
If these employers meet QCEW program reporting criteria, then a 
Multiple

[[Page 33929]]

Worksite Report (MWR) is sent to the employer requesting employment and 
wages for each worksite each quarter. Thus, the ARS is also used to 
identify new potential MWR-eligible employers.

II. Current Action

    Office of Management and Budget clearance is being sought for a 
revision of the ARS. While the primary purpose of the ARS is to verify 
or to correct the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) 
code assigned to establishments, there are other important purposes of 
the ARS. For example, the BLS and the Census Bureau enhance the quality 
of their data and reduce costs and respondent burden through increased 
data sharing. Such sharing improves the quality and the reliability of 
information for multi-location businesses by developing consistent 
industrial and geographical classifications for these businesses. The 
ARS seeks accurate mailing and physical location addresses of 
establishments as well as geographical codes such as county and 
township (independent city, parish, or island in some States).
    Once every three years, the SWAs survey employers that are covered 
by the State's UI laws to ensure that State records correctly reflect 
the business activities and locations of those employers. States survey 
approximately one-third of their businesses each year and largely take 
care of the entire universe of covered businesses over a three-year 
cycle. The selection criterion for surveying establishments is based on 
the nine-digit Federal Employer Identification Number of the 
respondent.
    BLS constantly pursues a growing number of automated reporting 
options to reduce employer burden and costs and to take advantage of 
more efficient methods and procedures. Even given such actions, mailing 
remains an important part of the survey. The BLS developed a one-page 
letter rather than mailing forms for ARS solicitation. This letter 
explains the purpose of the ARS and provides respondents with a unique 
Web ID and password. Respondents are directed to the BLS online web 
collection system to verify or to update their geographic and industry 
information.
    Additionally, BLS staff review selected, large multi-worksite 
national employers rather than surveying these employers with 
traditional ARS forms. This central review reduces postage costs 
incurred in sending letters or forms. It also reduces respondent 
burden, as the selected employers do not have to return forms either.
    Finally, BLS continues to use a private contractor to handle 
various administrative aspects of the survey to reduce the costs 
associated with the ARS. This initiative is called the Centralized 
Annual Refiling Survey (CARS). Under CARS, BLS effectively utilizes the 
commercial advantages related to printing and mailing large volumes of 
survey letters.

III. Desired Focus of Comments

    The Bureau of Labor Statistics 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.
     Minimize the burden of the collection of information 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.
    Title of Collection: Annual Refiling Survey (ARS).
    OMB Number: 1220-0032.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit institutions, not-
for-profit institutions, and farms.
    Frequency: Annually.

 
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                                                                                   Average time
  ARS collection instrument         Total          Frequency          Total        per response    Total  burden
                                 respondents                        responses       (minutes)         (hours)
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BLS 3023-(NVS)...............         695,969  Once............         695,969  5..............          57,997
BLS 3023-(NVM)...............          18,328  Once............          18,328  15.............           4,582
BLS 3023-(NCA)...............         283,810  Once............         283,810  10.............          47,302
                              ----------------                  ------------------------------------------------
    Totals...................         998,107  ................         998,107  ...............         109,881
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    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for Office of Management and Budget 
approval of the information collection request; they also will become a 
matter of public record.

    Signed at Washington, DC, this 14th day of July 2017.
Kimberley Hill,
Chief, Division of Management Systems.
[FR Doc. 2017-15323 Filed 7-20-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4510-24-P