[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 144 (Friday, July 28, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35202-35203]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-15875]


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FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM


Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment 
Request

AGENCY: Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

ACTION: Notice, request for comment.

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SUMMARY: The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Board) 
invites comment on a proposal to extend for three years, with revision, 
the Application for Employment with the Board of Governors of the 
Federal Reserve System (FR 28 and FR 28i; OMB No. 7100-0181). On June 
15, 1984, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) delegated to the 
Board authority under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) to approve of 
and assign OMB control numbers to collection of information requests 
and requirements conducted or sponsored by the Board. In exercising 
this delegated authority, the Board is directed to take every 
reasonable step to solicit comment. In determining whether to approve a 
collection of information, the Board will consider all comments 
received from the public and other agencies.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before September 26, 2017.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by FR 28, FR 28s, or FR 
28i by any of the following methods:
     Agency Web site: http://www.federalreserve.gov. Follow the 
instructions for submitting comments at http://www.federalreserve.gov/apps/foia/proposedregs.aspx.
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     Email: [email protected]. Include OMB 
number in the subject line of the message.
     Fax: (202) 452-3819 or (202) 452-3102.
     Mail: Ann E. Misback, Secretary, Board of Governors of the 
Federal Reserve System, 20th Street and Constitution Avenue NW., 
Washington, DC 20551.
    All public comments are available from the Board's Web site at 
http://www.federalreserve.gov/apps/foia/proposedregs.aspx as submitted, 
unless modified for technical reasons. Accordingly, your comments will 
not be edited to remove any identifying or contact information. Public 
comments may also be viewed electronically or in paper form in Room 
3515, 1801 K Street (between 18th and 19th Streets NW.,) Washington, DC 
20006 between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on weekdays.
    Additionally, commenters may send a copy of their comments to the 
OMB Desk Officer--Shagufta Ahmed--Office of Information and Regulatory 
Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, New Executive Office 
Building, Room 10235, 725 17th Street NW., Washington, DC 20503 or by 
fax to (202) 395-6974.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: A copy of the PRA OMB submission, 
including the proposed reporting form and instructions, supporting 
statement, and other documentation will be placed into OMB's public 
docket files, once approved. These documents will also be made 
available on the Federal Reserve Board's public Web site at: http://www.federalreserve.gov/apps/reportforms/review.aspx or may be requested 
from the agency clearance officer, whose name appears below.
    Federal Reserve Board Clearance Officer--Nuha Elmaghrabi--Office of 
the Chief Data Officer, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve 
System, Washington, DC 20551 (202) 452-3829. Telecommunications Device 
for the Deaf (TDD) users may contact (202) 263-4869, Board of Governors 
of the Federal Reserve System, Washington, DC 20551.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Request for Comment on Information Collection Proposal

    The Board invites public comment on the following information 
collection, which is being reviewed under authority delegated by the 
OMB under the PRA. Comments are invited on the following:
    a. Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for 
the proper performance of the Federal Reserve's functions; including 
whether the information has practical utility;
    b. The accuracy of the Federal Reserve's estimate of the burden of 
the proposed information collection, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;
    c. Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected;
    d. Ways to minimize the burden of information collection on 
respondents, including through the use of automated collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology; and
    e. Estimates of capital or startup costs and costs of operation, 
maintenance, and purchase of services to provide information.
    At the end of the comment period, the comments and recommendations 
received will be analyzed to determine the extent to which the Federal 
Reserve should modify the proposed revisions prior to giving final 
approval.

Proposal To Approve Under OMB Delegated Authority the Extension for 
Three Years, With Revision, of the Following Report

    Report title: Application for Employment with the Board of 
Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
    Agency form number: FR 28, FR 28s, FR 28i.
    OMB control number: 7100-0181.
    Frequency: As needed.
    Respondents: Individuals.
    Estimated number of respondents: FR 28: 3,500, FR 28s: 2,000, FR 
28i: 300.

[[Page 35203]]

    Estimated average hours per response: FR 28: 1 hour, FR 28s: 1 
minute, FR 28i: 15 minutes.
    Estimated annual burden hours: FR 28: 3,500 hours, FR 28s: 33 
hours, FR 28i: 75 hours, Total: 3,608 hours.
    General Description of Report: The Application for Employment with 
the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Application) 
collects information to determine the qualifications and availability 
of applicants for employment with the Board of Governors of the Federal 
Reserve System (Board). The FR 28 collects information on education and 
training, employment record, military service record, and other 
information since the time the applicant left high school. Included 
with the FR 28 are two supplemental questionnaires: (1) The Applicant's 
Voluntary Self-Identification Form (FR 28s), which collects information 
on the applicant's gender and ethnic group and (2) The Research 
Assistant Candidate Survey of Interests (FR 28i), which collects 
information from candidates applying for Research Assistant (RA) 
positions on their level of interest in economics and related areas. 
The Board receives approximately 3,500 applications per year, both 
solicited and unsolicited, from members of the public who would like to 
be considered for employment at the Board. Since the applicant is 
usually either hired by the Board or finds other employment within the 
two years that the Board retains the Application, the applicant 
generally files the Application once.
    The Application is comprised of eight sections: Background, 
Education and Training, Employment Record, Military Service Record, 
References, General, Remarks, and Notes. The first six sections collect 
information on specific aspects of the applicant's qualifications. The 
Background section collects name, address, telephone, and citizenship 
information and the position for which the applicant is applying. The 
Education and Training section collects detailed information on the 
applicant's educational history and skills set. The Employment Record 
section collects a chronological summary of work experience. The 
Military Service Record section collects information on service branch, 
rank, duties, and discharge. The References section collects 
information on three references. The General section collects 
information on criminal records, discharge from employment, willingness 
to travel, and relations to or acquaintances with Board staff or 
officers and directors of financial institutions. The Remarks section 
provides the applicant an opportunity to provide further information 
regarding his or her qualifications. The Notes section explains what is 
required of the applicant prior to an interview and what may be 
required of the applicant if he or she is offered a position (for 
example, transcripts, medical examination, or drug test).
    The FR 28s is comprised of four sections: (1) Name and gender, in 
which applicants are asked to check the box that corresponds to their 
gender or check ``I do not wish to disclose'', (2) position for which 
the applicant is applying, (3) ethnicity self-identification, in which 
applicants are asked to choose between Hispanic or Latino or Not 
Hispanic or Latino, or ``I do not wish to disclose,'' and (4) race 
self-identification, in which applicants are asked to choose one or 
more among American Indian or Alaskan Native, Asian, Black or African-
American, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, White, or ``I do 
not wish to disclose.'' The Board uses this information to comply with 
federal equal employment opportunity (EEO) recordkeeping and reporting 
requirements, other legal requirements, and as an input to its self-
analysis of hiring practices. Information collected on the FR 28s has 
no bearing on the determination of an applicant's job-related 
qualifications and completion of the self-identification form is 
voluntary.
    The FR 28i is comprised of three sections in which research 
assistant candidates are asked to rate their level of interest in 
categories of economics and related research areas, experience with 
various software packages and statistical programming languages, and 
interest in pursuing educational opportunities after leaving the Board. 
The FR 28i helps to streamline the recruitment process.
    Proposed revisions: The Board proposes four changes to the FR 28 
form: (1) Adding fields in the employment history section for job type, 
shift, employee status, and desired compensation; (2) adding fields in 
the education and training section for issue and expiration date for 
certifications and professional licenses; (3) adding fields in the 
references section for relationship, type, and length of relationship 
with the reference; and (4) adding fields in the submission section to 
allow for withdrawal of the application and a request for the applicant 
to provide a reason for withdrawal.
    The Board proposes to revise the FR 28i questionnaire by adding a 
section to allow an open-ended response by applicants to describe how 
they've demonstrated attributes that are displayed by successful 
research assistants in the Economics Divisions.
    Legal authorization and confidentiality: The Board's Legal Division 
has determined that the Application (including the two supplemental 
questionnaires) is required to obtain the benefit of Board employment. 
It is authorized pursuant to sections 10(4) and 11(1) of the Federal 
Reserve Act, which provide the Federal Reserve Board broad authority 
over employment of staff. (12 U.S.C. 244 and 248(l)). Information 
provided on the Application (including the two supplemental 
questionnaires) will be kept confidential under exemption (b)(6) of the 
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to the extent that the disclosure of 
information ``would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of 
personal privacy.'' (5 U.S.C. 552(b)(6)). However, the release of 
information such as the educational and professional qualifications of 
applicants would not likely constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion 
of personal privacy and would not be kept confidential.

    Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, July 24, 2017.
Ann E. Misback,
Secretary of the Board.
[FR Doc. 2017-15875 Filed 7-27-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6210-01-P