[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 8 (Wednesday, January 13, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2700-2701]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-00503]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; 
Registration and Equal Employment Opportunity in Apprenticeship 
Programs

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor's (DOL) Employment and Training 
Administration (ETA) is soliciting comments concerning a proposed 
revision for the authority to conduct the information collection 
request (ICR) titled, ``Registration and Equal Employment Opportunity 
in Apprenticeship Programs.'' 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 15, 2021.

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 Stephanie Arku by telephone at 202-693-3965 (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 Apprenticeship, Room C-5321, 200 
Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20210; by email: [email protected]; or by fax 202-693-3799.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stephanie Arku by telephone at 202-
693-3965 (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.
    ETA is requesting approval of a revision to a currently approved 
ICR pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act. The National 
Apprenticeship Act (NAA) of 1937 (29 U.S.C. 50) authorizes this 
information collection. If approved, this ICR will enable ETA to refine 
its data collection concerning the registration of apprenticeship 
programs and apprentices with DOL/ETA's Office of Apprenticeship and 
recognized State Apprenticeship Agencies, properly assess the types of 
sponsors that are seeking to register an apprenticeship program and the 
level of growth in apprenticeship, collect the data necessary to 
calculate national registered apprenticeship program and apprentice 
totals, and implement the requirements of the Veterans Apprenticeship 
and Labor Opportunity Reform (VALOR) Act (Pub. L. 115-89). This ICR 
will also continue to enable ETA to collect data from registered 
apprenticeship programs relating to equal employment opportunity, and 
from applicants and/or apprentices, who file a discrimination 
complaint. Under the NAA, the Secretary of Labor (Secretary) is charged 
with the establishment of labor standards designed to safeguard the 
welfare of apprentices and promote apprenticeship opportunity. The NAA 
also authorizes the Secretary to ``publish information relating to 
existing and proposed labor standards of apprenticeship.''
    ETA seeks a revision of this ICR to include the following: a change 
to the ICR title from ``Title 29 CFR Part 29--Labor Standards for the 
Registration of Apprenticeship Programs'' to the ``Registration and 
Equal Employment Opportunity in Apprenticeship Programs'' to accurately 
reflect the collection of information contained in this revised ICR; 
modifications to ETA Form 671 (Program Registration and Apprenticeship 
Agreement); the addition (with minor modifications) of the information 
collection requirements currently approved under OMB Control Number 
1205-0224 (titled ``Equal Employment Opportunity in Apprenticeship 
Training''), including ETA Form 9039 (Complaint Form--Equal Employment 
Opportunity in Apprenticeship Programs); and the addition of an 
information collection instrument pertaining to state program and 
apprentice registration (ETA Form 9186). ETA Forms 671 and 9039 are 
currently set to expire on March 31, 2023.
    Overall adjustments to ETA Form 671 (Program Registration and 
Apprenticeship Agreement) include nonsubstantive textual and formatting 
edits to enhance clarity, technical corrections to reflect that 29 CFR 
part 29, subpart A, now governs the operation of registered 
apprenticeship programs, and the streamlining of fields that are no 
longer relevant or in use. The notable changes specific to ETA Form 
671, Section I (Program Registration) include the addition of a 
subsection where a sponsor must attest to the assurances required under 
section 2(b)(1) of the Support for Veterans in Effective 
Apprenticeships Act of 2019 (Pub. L. 116-134) with respect to Title 38 
educational assistance; the addition of a field where a sponsor must 
disclose the principal place of business (i.e., the location of the 
sponsor's headquarters) in connection with section 2(b)(3) of Public 
Law 116-134 and section 2(c)(1) of Public Law 115-89; the addition of a 
field where a sponsor must indicate its willingness to be placed on the 
Eligible Training Provider List with respect to section 122 of the 
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (Pub. L. 113-128); and the 
addition of multiple fields (e.g., ratio of apprentices to 
journeyworkers, on-the-job learning/training plan, and minimum program 
requirements) and a subsection (i.e., selection procedures) where a 
sponsor must disclose critical information that will inform the content 
of its apprenticeship program standards.
    In ETA Form 671, Section II (Apprentice Agreement and 
Registration), ETA has modified the veteran status category in 
connection with Public Law 116-134 to enable registered apprenticeship 
programs to better service veterans; updated the sex, ethnicity, race, 
and veteran status categories to include an additional field for 
apprentices who elect not to disclose this information; slightly 
adjusted the education level category to align with the educational 
attainment categories for which the U.S. Government compiles workforce 
data by race, national origin, and sex; and aligned the overall content 
in the apprenticeship agreement with the various regulatory 
requirements specified in DOL's apprenticeship regulations under 29 CFR 
29.7. ETA has not made any

[[Page 2701]]

adjustments to ETA Form 671, Section II (Voluntary Disability 
Disclosure).
    ETA has added the information collection requirements that are 
currently approved under OMB Control Number 1205-0224 to this ICR in an 
effort to consolidate all information collection requirements 
pertaining to the registration of apprenticeship programs and 
apprentices into a single ICR. The adjustments to ETA Form 9039 
(Complaint Form--Equal Employment Opportunity in Apprenticeship 
Programs) include minor, nonsubstantive textual edits, and technical 
corrections indicating that the regulatory requirements governing 
registered apprenticeship programs are now contained in 29 CFR part 29, 
subpart A. ETA will submit a request to discontinue the ICR approved 
under OMB Control Number 1205-0224 once approval is granted by OMB on 
this ICR.
    ETA has also added a new information collection instrument, ETA 
Form 9186 (State Apprenticeship Agency (SAA) Self-Assessment Report for 
Program Data and Apprentice Demographics), to this ICR. If approved, 
this form will be completed by the SAAs that currently do not use DOL/
ETA's Registered Apprenticeship Partners Information Database System 
(RAPIDS) to administer Registered Apprenticeship in their respective 
state/territory. This collection will enable ETA to calculate more 
precisely the total number of registered apprenticeship programs and 
apprentices on a nationwide basis.
    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 
1205-0223.
    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: Registration and Equal Employment Opportunity 
in Apprenticeship Programs.
    Forms: ETA Form 671, ETA Form 9039, and ETA Form 9186.
    OMB Control Number: 1205-0223.
    Affected Public: Individuals/households, state/local/tribal 
governments, Federal government, private sector (businesses or other 
for-profits, and, not-for-profit institutions).
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 651,093.
    Frequency: Varies.
    Total Estimated Annual Responses: 957,452.
    Estimated Average Time per Response: Varies.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 521,964 hours.
    Total Estimated Annual Other Cost Burden: $0.

John Pallasch,
Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training.
[FR Doc. 2021-00503 Filed 1-12-21; 8:45 am]
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