[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 1 (Thursday, January 2, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 133-134]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-28310]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; 
Federal-State Unemployment Insurance Program Data Exchange 
Standardization

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, ``Federal-State Unemployment Insurance Program 
Data Exchange Standardization.'' 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 
March 2, 2020.

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 Jagruti Patel by telephone at (202) 693-3059 (this is not a 
toll-free number), TTY 1-877-889-5627 (this is not a toll-free number), 
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, Room S-4524, 
200 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20210; by email: 
[email protected]; or by Fax (202) 693-3975.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Contact Jagruti Patel by telephone at 
(202) 693-3059 (this is not a toll-free number) or by email at 
[email protected].

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


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: DOL, as part of continuing efforts to reduce 
paperwork and respondent burden, 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 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 can be properly 
assessed.
    On February 22, 2012, the President signed the Middle Class Tax 
Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (the Act). Section 2104 of the Act 
amends Title IX, SSA by adding a new section 911 (42 U.S.C. 1111), 
which requires the Department to issue rules, developed in consultation 
with an interagency workgroup established by the OMB, that establish 
data exchange standards for certain functions related to administration 
of the unemployment insurance (UI) program. The rule designates XML 
(eXtensible Markup Language) as the data exchange standard for the 
real-time applications on the Interstate Connection Network (ICON) and 
for State Information Data Exchange System (SIDES). States are required 
to conform to the XML data exchange standard for these applications. 
DOL's

[[Page 134]]

regulations implementing this Act, codified in 20 CFR part 619, 
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 
1205-0510.
    Submitted comments will also be a matter of public record for this 
ICR and 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: Revision.
    Title of Collection: Federal-State Unemployment Insurance Program 
Data Exchange Standardization.
    Form: Not Applicable.
    OMB Control Number: 1205-0510.
    Affected Public: State Workforce Agencies.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 25.
    Frequency: Once per incident.
    Total Estimated Annual Responses: 25.
    Estimated Average Time per Response: 120 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 3,000 hours.
    Total Estimated Annual Other Cost Burden: $0.

John Pallasch,
Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training.
[FR Doc. 2019-28310 Filed 12-31-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4510-FW-P