[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 164 (Monday, August 24, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52158-52159]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-18460]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Bureau of Labor Statistics


Information Collection Activities; Comment Request

AGENCY: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Department of Labor.

ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.

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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. 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 ``Annual Refiling 
Survey.'' A copy of the proposed information collection request 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 of this notice on or before October 23, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Carol Rowan, BLS Clearance Officer, 
Division of Management Systems, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Room 4080, 
2 Massachusetts Avenue NE, Washington, DC 20212. Written comments also 
may be transmitted by email to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carol Rowan, BLS Clearance Officer, at 
202-691-7628 (this is not a toll free number). (See Addresses section.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) program is a 
federal/state cooperative effort which compiles monthly employment 
data, quarterly wages data, and business identification information 
from employers subject to state Unemployment Insurance (UI) laws. These 
data are collected from state Quarterly Contribution Reports (QCRs) 
submitted to State Workforce Agencies (SWAs). The states send micro-
level employment and wages data, supplemented with the names, 
addresses, and business identification information of these employers, 
to the BLS. The state data are used to create the BLS sampling frame, 
known as the longitudinal QCEW data.
    To ensure the continued accuracy of these data, the information 
supplied by employers must be periodically verified and updated. For 
this purpose, the Annual Refiling Survey (ARS) is used in conjunction 
with the UI tax reporting system in each state. The information 
collected by the ARS is used to review the existing industry code 
assigned to each establishment as well as the physical location of the 
business establishment. As a result, changes in the industrial and 
geographical compositions of our economy are captured in a timely 
manner and reflected in the BLS statistical programs.
    The ARS also asks employers to identify new locations in the state. 
If these employers meet QCEW program reporting criteria, then a 
Multiple Worksite Report (MWR) is sent to the employer requesting 
employment and wages for each worksite each quarter. Thus, the ARS is 
also used to identify new potential MWR-eligible employers.

II. Current Action

    Office of Management and Budget clearance is being sought for a 
revision to the ARS.
    Once every three years, the SWAs survey employers that are covered 
by the state's UI laws to ensure that state records correctly reflect 
the business activities and locations of those employers. States survey 
approximately one-third of their businesses each year and largely take 
care of the entire universe of covered businesses over a three-year 
cycle. The selection criterion for surveying establishments is based on 
the nine-digit Federal Employer Identification Number of the 
respondent.
    BLS constantly pursues a growing number of automated reporting 
options to reduce employer burden and costs and to take advantage of 
more efficient methods and procedures. Even given such actions, mailing 
remains an important part of the survey. The BLS developed a one-page 
letter rather than mailing forms for ARS solicitation. This letter 
explains the purpose of the ARS and provides respondents with a unique 
Web ID and password. Respondents are directed to the BLS online web 
collection system to verify or to update their geographic and industry 
information. Additionally, BLS staff review selected, large multi-
worksite national employers rather than surveying these employers with 
traditional ARS forms. This central review reduces postage costs 
incurred by the states in sending letters or forms. It also reduces 
respondent burden, as the selected employers do not have to return 
forms either. BLS continues to use a private contractor to handle 
various administrative aspects of the survey to reduce the costs 
associated with the ARS. This initiative is called the Centralized 
Annual Refiling Survey (CARS). Under CARS, BLS effectively utilizes the 
commercial advantages related to printing and mailing large volumes of 
survey letters. Finally, BLS continues to make use of email addresses 
collected from the ARS and from the state Unemployment Insurance 
agencies for solicitation purposes. Use of email for solicitation 
reduces the overall cost of data collection. BLS will also continue to 
make use of email solicitation of small establishments that had been 
excluded from the ARS for budgetary reasons. Since collection costs for 
email solicitation are minimal, these respondents can continue to be 
added back to the ARS at little cost to the government.

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, including through the use of appropriate 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other

[[Page 52159]]

technological collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology, e.g., permitting electronic submissions of responses.
    Title of Collection: Annual Refiling Survey.
    OMB Number: 1220-0032.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit, Not-for-profit 
institutions, and farms.

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                                         Total                               Estimated time per    Total burden
     ARS collection instrument         responses          Frequency               response            (hours)
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BLS NVS...........................         397,000  once.................  5 minutes............          33,083
Non-mandatory.....................
BLS NVS...........................         444,000  once.................  5 minutes............          37,000
Mandatory.........................
BLS NVM...........................          22,000  once.................  15 minutes...........           5,500
Non-mandatory.....................
BLS NVM...........................          24,000  once.................  15 minutes...........           6,000
Mandatory.........................
BLS NCA...........................          91,000  once.................  10 minutes...........          15,167
Non-mandatory.....................
BLS NCA...........................         120,000  once.................  10 minutes...........          20,000
Mandatory.........................
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    Totals........................       1,098,000  .....................  .....................         116,750
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    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 August 18, 2020.
Leslie Bennett,
Acting Chief, Division of Management Systems.
[FR Doc. 2020-18460 Filed 8-21-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-24-P