[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 147 (Wednesday, July 31, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37350-37351]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-16257]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Bureau of Labor Statistics


Proposed Collection, Comment Request

ACTION: Notice.

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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 ``Job 
Openings and Labor Turnover Survey.'' 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 below on or before September 30, 2019.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Erin Good, BLS Clearance Officer, Division 
of Management Systems, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Room 4080, 2 
Massachusetts Avenue NE, Washington, DC 20212, telephone number 202-
691-7628. (This is not a toll free number.)

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Erin Good, BLS Clearance Officer, 
telephone number 202-691-7628. (See ADDRESSES section.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) collects data on 
job vacancies, labor hires, and labor separations. As the monthly JOLTS 
time series grow longer, their value in assessing the business cycle, 
the difficulty that employers have in hiring workers, and the extent of 
the mismatch between the unused supply of available workers and the 
unmet demand for labor by employers will increase. The study of the 
complex relationship between job openings and unemployment is of 
particular interest to researchers. While these two measures are 
expected to move in opposite directions over the course of the business 
cycle, their relative levels and movements depend on the efficiency of 
the labor market in matching workers and jobs.
    Along with the job openings rate, trends in hires and separations 
may broadly identify which aggregate industries face the tightest labor 
markets. The quits rate, the number of persons who quit during an 
entire month as a percentage of total employment, may provide clues 
about workers' views of the labor market or their success in finding 
better jobs. In addition, businesses will be able to compare their own 
turnover rates to the national, regional, and major industry division 
rates.
    The BLS uses the JOLTS form to gather employment, job openings, 
hires, and total separations from business establishments. The 
information is collected once a month at the BLS Data Collection Center 
(DCC) in Atlanta, Georgia. The information is collected using Computer 
Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI), Web, email, and FAX. An 
establishment is in the sample for 36 consecutive months.

II. Current Action

    Office of Management and Budget clearance is being sought for the 
JOLTS. The BLS is requesting a revision to the existing clearance for 
the JOLTS. JOLTS is extending time respondents remain in the sample 
from 24 to 36 months. This will cause an estimated 9.2% increase in 
burden costs resulting from an increase in the sample from 16,000 to 
20,700 (30% increase).

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, through 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.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Agency: Bureau of Labor Statistics.
    Title: Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey.
    OMB Number: 1220-0170.
    Affected Public: Federal Government; State, Local, or Tribal 
governments; Businesses or other for-profit; Not-for-profit 
institutions; Small businesses and organizations.

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                                                                                   Average time
       Affected public             Total           Frequency           Total       per response      Estimated
                                respondents                          responses        (min.)       total burden
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Private.....................           9,637  Monthly...........         115,643              10          19,274
State, Local, & Tribal Gov't           1,512  Monthly...........          18,149              10           3,025
Federal Gov't...............             532  Monthly...........           6,379              10           1,063
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    Totals..................          11,681  Monthly...........         140,171              10          23,362
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[[Page 37351]]

    Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0.
    Total Burden Cost (operating/maintenance): $0.
    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, on July 25, 2019.
Mark Staniorski,
Chief, Division of Management Systems, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
[FR Doc. 2019-16257 Filed 7-30-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4510-24-P