[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 121 (Friday, June 22, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29137-29139]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-13437]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Office of Disability Employment Policy


Proposed Information Collection Request

AGENCY: Department of Labor (DOL).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. 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. 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. Currently, the Office of Disability Employment 
Policy (ODEP) of the Department of Labor (DOL) is soliciting comments 
concerning the proposed collection of information for the Retaining 
Employment and Talent After Injury/Illness Network (RETAIN) 
Demonstration Projects and Evaluation.
    A copy of the proposed information collection request (ICR) can be 
obtained by contacting the office listed below in the ADDRESSES section 
of this notice.

DATES: Submit comments on or before August 21, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments to the Office of Disability 
Employment Policy, Room S-1303, 200 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, 
DC 20210, Attention: Juston Locks, Workforce Research Analyst, Division 
of Policy Planning and Research.
    Telephone number: (202) 693-7880.
    Fax: (202) 693-7888.
    Email: [email protected].
    Instructions: Please submit one copy of your comments by only one 
method. All submissions received must include the agency name and 
collection name 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 be summarized and/or included in the 
request for Office of Management and Budget approval of the information 
collection request.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Juston Locks, Workforce Research 
Analyst, Division of Policy Planning & Research, Office of Disability 
Employment Policy, U.S. Department of Labor, Room S-1303, 200 
Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20210; telephone (202) 693-7880 
(this is not a toll free number). Copies of this notice may be obtained 
in alternative formats (Large print, Braille, Audio Tape, or Disc), 
upon request by calling (202) 693-7880 (this is not a toll-free 
number). TTY/TTD callers may dial (202) 693-7881 to obtain information 
or to request materials in alternative formats.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    In FY 2018, the Department of Labor and the Social Security 
Administration are collaborating to develop and test promising stay-at-
work/return-to-work (SAW/RTW) early intervention strategies and 
evaluate outcomes for individuals who are at risk of experiencing work 
disability.\1\ Each year, millions of American workers leave the 
workforce after experiencing

[[Page 29138]]

an injury or illness.\2\ The Occupational Safety and Health 
Administration (OSHA) estimates that 4 million nonfatal work-related 
injuries and illnesses occur annually, and the National Safety Council 
(NSC) estimates that there were over 14 million nonfatal, off-the-job 
injuries and illnesses in 2014 alone.\3\ According to NSC, over three 
times as many injuries requiring medical attention occur off-the-job 
compared to those that occur on-the-job. Indeed, some experts estimate 
that non-occupational injuries and illnesses are roughly eight times as 
common as occupational ones.\4\ Hundreds of thousands of these workers 
go on to receive state or federal disability benefits.\5\ The socio-
economic impacts of these injuries and illnesses on individuals, 
employers, and all levels of government can be significant and long-
lasting.
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    \1\ For the purposes of RETAIN, the term ``work disability'' is 
defined as an illness, injury, or medical condition that has the 
potential to inhibit or prevent continued employment or labor force 
participation, and ``federal disability benefits'' refers 
specifically to the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and 
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs. See https://www.ssa.gov/disability/ for more information on SSDI and SSI.
    \2\ Bardos, Maura, Hannah Burak, and Yonatan Ben-Shalom. 
``Assessing the Costs and Benefits of Return-to-Work Programs.'' 
Final report submitted to the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of 
Disability Employment Policy. Washington, DC: Mathematica Policy 
Research, March 2015.
    \3\ U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health 
Administration, 2012, ``Injury and Illness Prevention Programs White 
Paper.'' Available online at <https://www.osha.gov/dsg/InjuryIllnessPreventionProgramsWhitePaper.html>. and National Safety 
Council. 2016, ``Injury Facts, 2016 Edition.'' Itasca, IL: Author.
    \4\ Neuhauser, F. 2016. ``The Myth of Workplace Injuries: or Why 
We Should Eliminate Workers' Compensation for 90% of Workers and 
Employers.'' IAIABC Perspectives. Accessed online at https://www.iaiabc.org/iaiabc/Perspectives.asp.
    \5\ Social Security Administration, ``Annual Statistical Report 
on the Social Security Disability Insurance Program, 2016.'' SSA 
Publication No. 13-11826. Washington, DC: Social Security 
Administration, October 2017.
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    SAW/RTW programs succeed by returning injured workers to productive 
work as soon as medically possible by providing interim part-time or 
light duty work and accommodations, as necessary. The RETAIN 
Demonstration Projects are modeled after promising programs currently 
operating in Washington State, including the Centers of Occupational 
Health and Education (COHE),\6\ the Early Return to Work (ERTW),\7\ and 
the Stay at Work programs.\8\ While these programs operate within the 
state's workers' compensation system and are available only to 
individuals experiencing work-related injuries or illnesses, the RETAIN 
Demonstration Projects provide opportunities to improve SAW/RTW 
outcomes for individuals with both occupational and non-occupational 
injuries and illnesses.
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    \6\ http://www.lni.wa.gov/ClaimsIns/Providers/ProjResearchComm/OHS/default.asp.
    \7\ http://www.lni.wa.gov/ClaimsIns/Insurance/Injury/LightDuty/Ertw/Default.asp.
    \8\ http://lni.wa.gov/Main/StayAtWork/.
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    The primary goals of the RETAIN Demonstration Projects are:
    1. To increase employment retention and labor force participation 
of individuals who acquire, and/or are at risk of developing, work 
disabilities; and
    2. To reduce long-term work disability among project participants, 
including the need for federal disability benefits (i.e., Social 
Security Disability Insurance [SSDI] and Supplemental Security Income 
[SSI]).
    The ultimate purpose of the demonstration is to validate and bring 
to scale evidence-based strategies to accomplish these goals.
    By September 2018, up to eight states will receive funding through 
a cooperative agreement to create systems changes by developing and 
implementing partnerships and strategies to test the effects of the 
provision of comprehensive, coordinated health and employment-related 
services and supports to injured or ill workers who have acquired, or 
are at risk of developing, a work disability. Awards will be made in 
two phases. In Phase 1, up to eight states will receive awards to 
complete start-up activities and launch a small pilot. In Phase 2, up 
to four of those states will receive awards to scale up their pilot to 
full implementation. Only Phase 1 awardees will be eligible to compete 
for Phase 2 awards.
    The purpose of the RETAIN employee participant information 
collection is to understand and assess RETAIN program start-up, pilot 
projects, and full implementation.

II. Review Focus

    DOL is interested in comments that:
     Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary, and 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.

III. Current Actions

    Agency: Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment 
Policy.
    Title: Retaining Employment and Talent After Injury/Illness Network 
(RETAIN) Demonstration Projects Baseline Data Collection and Reporting.

Baseline Employee Participant Data Collection

    Total Respondents (Employee Participants): 10,667.
    Years 1-3 Total Respondents: 4,000 + 16,000 + 12,000 = 32,000.
    Average Annual Respondents: 32,000 / 3 = 10,667.
    Frequency: Rolling basis.
    Average Time per Response: Once pilots are launched and throughout 
implementation, RETAIN employee participants will spend approximately 
20 minutes (0.33 hour) submitting baseline information at the time of 
enrollment.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: The cumulative hours of burden due to 
the baseline employee participant data collection is approximately 
1,320 hours in the first year (zero hours for the first three quarters 
and 1,320 in the fourth quarter) and approximately 5,280 hours in the 
second year and approximately 3,960 hours in the third year. This is an 
average of 3,520 hours of burden per year.

 Estimated Hours of Burden Due to Baseline Participant Data Collection--
                                Years 1-3
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                                                  Employee participants
                                               -------------------------
                    Awardee                      Number of      Hours/
                                                respondents    response
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State 1.......................................        7,000         0.33
State 2.......................................        7,000         0.33
State 3.......................................        7,000         0.33
State 4.......................................        7,000         0.33
State 5.......................................        1,000         0.33
State 6.......................................        1,000         0.33
State 7.......................................        1,000         0.33
State 8.......................................        1,000         0.33
Year 1, Qtrs 1-3 Total........................            0            0
Year 1, Qtr 4 Total...........................        4,000        1,320
*Year 2, Qtrs 1 and 2 Total...................        4,000        1,320
*Year 2, Qtrs 3 and 4.........................       12,000        3,960
**Year 3......................................       12,000        3,960
                                               -------------------------
  Three-year total............................       32,000       10,560
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* Year 2 will include six months of the pilot for eight states and six
  months of full implementation for the four states competitively
  selected for Phase 2 awards.
** In Year 3, the full 12 months will focus on full-scale implementation
  in the four Phase 2 states.

    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 that 
does not display a valid Control Number. See 5 CFR 1320.5(a) and 
1320.6.

[[Page 29139]]

    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 ICR; they will also become a matter of public record.

    Signed: at Washington, DC, this 15th day of June 2018.
Jennifer Sheehy,
Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of Disability Employment Policy.
[FR Doc. 2018-13437 Filed 6-21-18; 8:45 am]
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