[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 146 (Tuesday, July 30, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36974-36975]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-16144]


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OFFICE OF SPECIAL COUNSEL

[Previous Control No. 3255-0003]


Modification of OSC Annual Survey

AGENCY: Office of Special Counsel.

ACTION: Notice for public comment.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) seeks approval from 
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for use of a 2019 survey that 
differs slightly in process and timing from a previously approved 
information collection, OSC's annual survey. The prior OMB approval for 
the annual survey expired November 30, 2016. As required by statute, 
since 1994 OSC has conducted an annual survey collecting feedback from 
those who have filed complaints/disclosures with OSC. The prior surveys 
required 12 minutes to complete. The proposed OSC 2019 survey consists 
of a single electronic questionnaire with eleven questions that 
requires 5.5 minutes to complete. The prior annual surveys could only 
be sent after OSC closed the individual's complaint or disclosure file. 
The timing therefore deprived OSC of useful feedback about how 
individuals perceive OSC as they are in the process of working or 
engaging with OSC. Congress authorized this 2019 survey (and suspended 
the previously approved annual survey), so OSC could collect feedback 
from individuals who file complaints or disclosures with OSC while 
their cases or queries are open. See the OSC Reauthorization Act of 
2017, Public Law 115, Sec. 1097. OSC is requesting emergency approval 
for the proposed 2019 survey, which by statute must be completed by the 
end of FY2019.

DATES: Written comments should be received on or before August 29, 
2019. However, pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.13, OSC is requesting OMB's 
emergency

[[Page 36975]]

approval by August 5, 2019. Comments should therefore be communicated 
to OMB within 5 days of this notice's publication in the Federal 
Register.

ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by mail to: Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 
Attention: Desk Officer for OSC, New Executive Office Building, Room 
10235, Washington, DC 20503; or by email via: 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan Ullman, General Counsel of the 
U.S. Office of Special Counsel, by telephone at (202) 804-7000, or by 
email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: OSC is a permanent independent federal 
investigative and prosecutorial agency. OSC's basic authorities come 
from four federal statutes: The Civil Service Reform Act, the 
Whistleblower Protection Act, the Hatch Act, and the Uniformed Services 
Employment & Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA). OSC's primary mission is 
to safeguard the merit system by protecting federal employees and 
applicants from prohibited personnel practices, especially reprisal for 
whistleblowing, and to serve as a safe channel for allegations of 
wrongdoing.
    OSC is required to conduct an annual survey of individuals who seek 
its assistance. Under Section 13 of Public Law 103-424 (1994), codified 
at 5 U.S.C. 1212 note, OSC distributed prior annual surveys after the 
conclusion of cases. OSC sent four separate questionnaires to four 
categories of complainants and whistleblowers, asking (1) whether the 
respondent was fully apprised of their rights; (2) if their claim was 
successful at OSC or at the MSPB; and (3) successful or not, if they 
were satisfied with the service received from OSC. OSC reported the 
results in its annual report.
    The OSC Reauthorization Act of 2017, Public Law 115-91, Sec. 1097, 
required OSC to suspend its existing survey obligations in order to 
allow OSC to design a survey to ``collect [ ] information and improv[e] 
service at various stages of [OSC's] review or investigation.'' The 
proposed 2019 survey is a single questionnaire consisting of 11 
questions to be asked of individuals who have filed a complaint or 
disclosure with OSC. The 2019 survey asks respondents to identify the 
stage of their complaint or disclosure; the outcome, if closed; to rate 
their interactions with OSC staff, including whether OSC was responsive 
to communications, the frequency and clarity of OSC communications, 
whether the respondent had the opportunity to provide additional 
information, and whether OSC allowed the respondent to ask further 
questions; to rate their overall experience; and to offer any 
suggestions for improvement.
    As required by the Paperwork Reduction 1995, (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 
U.S.C. chapter 35) as amended by the Clinger-Cohen Act (Pub. L. 104-
106), OSC is soliciting comments for this survey because it collects 
information. Current and former Federal employees, employee 
representatives, other Federal agencies, state and local government 
employees, and the general public are invited to comment on: (a) The 
accuracy of OSC's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of 
information; (b) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of 
the information to be collected; and (c) ways to minimize the burden of 
the collection of information on respondents.
    The OSC Reauthorization Act also requires OSC to publish the 2019 
survey's results in OSC's annual report to Congress. Copies of prior 
years' annual reports are available on OSC's website, at https://osc.gov/Pages/Resources-ReportsAndInfo.aspx or by calling OSC at (202) 
804-7000. The prior OSC Annual Survey, OMB Control Number 3255-0003, 
expired on November 30, 2016.
    OSC is requesting emergency approval of this modified collection of 
information, as the 2019 survey must be completed and reviewed by the 
end of FY2019. As with the prior approved survey, the 2019 survey will 
be hosted by Survey Monkey (https://www.surveymonkey.com). The 2019 
survey questionnaires are available for review online at https://osc.gov/Pages/Resources-ReportsAndInfo.aspx or by calling OSC at (202) 
804-7000.
    Type of Information Collection Request: Approval of a re-designed 
survey collecting information aimed at enabling OSC to improve service 
at various stages of its review or investigation and thereby better 
accomplish OSC's mission.
    Affected Public: Filers (or their representatives) seeking OSC 
services through (1) filing complaints alleging prohibited personnel 
practice or Hatch Act violations; (2) seeking Hatch Act advisory 
opinions; or (3) making disclosures of information alleging gross 
mismanagement or waste; a violation of law, rule, or regulation; abuse 
of authority; a substantial and specific danger to public health or 
safety; or censorship related to scientific research.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Estimated Annual Number of Survey Form Respondents: 500.
    Frequency of Survey Form Use: One-time.
    Estimated Average Amount of Time for a Person to Respond to Survey: 
5.5 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Survey Burden: 45.8 hours.

    Dated: July 25, 2019.
Bruce Gipe,
Chief Operating Officer.
[FR Doc. 2019-16144 Filed 7-29-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7405-01-P