[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 56 (Friday, March 22, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10837-10838]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-05434]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; Weekly 
Claims and Extended Benefits Data and Weekly Initial and Continued 
Weeks Claimed

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor's (DOL's) Employment and Training 
Administration (ETA) is soliciting comments concerning a proposed 
extension for the authority to conduct the information collection 
request (ICR) titled, ``Weekly Claims and Extended Benefits Data and 
Weekly Initial and Continued Weeks Claimed.'' This comment request is 
part of continuing Departmental efforts to reduce paperwork and 
respondent burden in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995 (PRA).

DATES: Consideration will be given to all written comments received by 
May 21, 2019.

ADDRESSES: A copy of this ICR with applicable supporting documentation, 
including a description of the likely respondents, proposed frequency 
of response, and estimated total burden, may be obtained free by 
contacting Anatoli Sznoluch by telephone at 202-693-3176, TTY1-877-889-
5627 (these are not toll-free numbers), or by email at 
[email protected].
    Submit written comments about, or requests for a copy of, this ICR 
by mail or courier to the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and 
Training Administration, Office of Unemployment Insurance, 200 
Constitution Avenue NW, Room S-4524, Washington, DC 20210, by email: 
[email protected], or by Fax at 202-693-3975.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact Kevin Stapleton by telephone 
at 202-693-3009 (this is not a toll-free number) or by email at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As part of continuing efforts to reduce 
paperwork and respondent burden, DOL conducts a pre-clearance 
consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies 
an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing collections of 
information before submitting them to the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) for final approval. This program helps to ensure requested 
data is provided in the desired format, reporting burden (time and 
financial resources) is minimized, collection instruments are clearly 
understood, and the impact of collection requirements can be properly 
assessed.
    The ETA 538 and ETA 539 reports are submitted weekly and contain 
information on initial claims and continued weeks claimed for the 
Unemployment Insurance (UI) program. These figures are important 
economic indicators. The ETA 538 report provides information that 
allows UI claims data to be released to the public five days after the 
close of the reference period. The ETA 539 report contains more 
detailed weekly claims information including the state's 13-week 
insured unemployment rate, which determines eligibility for the 
Extended Benefits program. Section 303(a)(6) of the Social Security Act 
and 20 CFR 615.15 authorize this information collection.
    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 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.
    Interested parties are encouraged to provide comments to the 
contact shown in the ADDRESSES section. Comments must be written to 
receive consideration, and they will be summarized and included in the 
request for OMB approval of the final ICR. In order to help ensure 
appropriate consideration, comments should mention OMB control number 
1205-0028.
    Submitted comments will also be a matter of public record for this 
ICR and

[[Page 10838]]

posted on the internet, without redaction. DOL encourages commenters 
not to include personally identifiable information, confidential 
business data, or other sensitive statements/information in any 
comments.
    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 submission of responses.
    Agency: DOL-ETA.
    Type of Review: Extension without changes.
    Title of Collection: Weekly Claims and Extended Benefits Data and 
Weekly Initial and Continued Weeks Claimed.
    Form: ETA 538 and ETA 539.
    OMB Control Number: 1205-0028.
    Affected Public: State Workforce Agencies.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 53.
    Frequency: Both reports once a week.
    Total Estimated Annual Responses: 5,512.
    Estimated Average Time per Response: 30 minutes per submittal for 
the ETA 538, 50 minutes per submittal for the ETA 539.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 3,675 hours.
    Total Estimated Annual Other Cost Burden: $0.

    Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A).

Molly E. Conway,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training, Labor.
[FR Doc. 2019-05434 Filed 3-21-19; 8:45 am]
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