[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 163 (Friday, August 21, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51758-51759]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-18358]


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OFFICE OF SPECIAL COUNSEL


OSC Annual Survey

AGENCY: U.S. Office of Special Counsel.

ACTION: Notice for public comment; information collection.

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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 survey that 
differs only slightly from previously approved information collections. 
OSC is requesting emergency approval for the annual survey, which by 
statute must be completed by the end of FY2020. Following a one-year 
pilot-project survey in 2019, OSC now resumes its annual survey to 
collect feedback from those who have contacted OSC for assistance, 
either by filing complaints and/or disclosures with OSC, or by seeking 
Hatch Act Advisory Opinions. This OSC annual survey consists of four 
electronic questionnaires (one for each type of assistance an 
individual can seek from OSC), each asking between five and ten 
questions. OSC invites comments on: The accuracy of OSC's estimate of 
the burden of the proposed collections of information; ways to enhance 
the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; 
and ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
respondents.

DATES: Written comments should be received on or before September 21, 
2020. However, pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.13, OSC is requesting OMB's 
emergency approval by August 26, 2020.

[[Page 51759]]

Therefore, comments are best assured of having full effect if received 
by 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: Amy Beckett, Senior Litigation 
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. OSC conducts an annual survey pursuant to 
Section 13 of Public Law 103-424 (1994), codified at 5 U.S.C. 1212 
note, which states, in part: ``[T]he survey shall--(1) determine if the 
individual seeking assistance was fully apprised of their rights; (2) 
determine whether the individual was successful either at the Office of 
Special Counsel or the Merit Systems Protection Board; and (3) 
determine if the individual, whether successful or not, was satisfied 
with the treatment received from the Office of Special Counsel.'' The 
statute requires OSC to publish the 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 October 31, 
2017. The 2019 Pilot Project Survey, OMB Control Number 3255-0007, 
expired on March 31, 2020.
    OSC will use the questionnaires to survey all persons who contacted 
OSC for assistance during the relevant time period.
    OSC is requesting emergency approval of this modified collection of 
information, because by statute OSC must complete and review the annual 
survey by the end of FY2020, less than 45 days from the date of this 
Notice, well before the normal expiration periods; because obtaining 
the survey responses is essential to OSC's mission and must also be 
provided to Congress in OSC's annual report; and because OSC faced an 
unanticipated event with office disruptions due to the Coronavirus 
pandemic preventing earlier publication.
    The survey questionnaires are available for review on line at 
https://osc.gov/Resources/Pages/Reports.aspx#tabGroup07 or by calling 
OSC at (202) 804-7000.
    Type of Information Collection Request: The survey seeks to 
determine whether individuals seeking assistance were fully apprised of 
their rights; were successful either at OSC or the MSPB; and whether 
successful or not, were satisfied with the treatment they received from 
OSC.
    Affected public: Individuals (or their representatives) who sought 
OSC services through: (1) Submitting complaints alleging prohibited 
personnel practice, USERRA violations, or Hatch Act violations; (2) 
disclosures of information alleging violation of law, rule, or 
regulation, gross mismanagement or waste of funds, abuse of authority, 
substantial and specific danger to public health and/or safety, or 
censorship related to scientific research; or (3) seeking Hatch Act 
advisory opinions.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Estimated Annual Number of Survey Form Respondents: 600.
    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: 55 hours.

    Dated: August 17, 2020.
Travis Millsaps,
Deputy Special Counsel for Public Policy.
[FR Doc. 2020-18358 Filed 8-20-20; 8:45 am]
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