[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 21 (Wednesday, February 3, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8037-8038]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-02208]


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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 new information collection of the 
``QCEW Business Supplement.'' 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 of this notice on or before April 5, 2021.

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 Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) intends to implement a new 
collection for a QCEW Business Supplement (QBS). Through the QBS, the 
BLS will be able to capture information on the US economy in a more 
efficient and timely manner than is currently possible. The QBS is 
intended to be a versatile collection instrument that will allow BLS to 
quickly collect and publish information so that stakeholders and data 
users can understand the impact of specific events on the US economy as 
they occur, improving the relevancy of the data.
    The QBS is designed to incorporate new questionnaires as the need 
arises based on topics of relevance. BLS initially published a notice 
requesting comments on this collection in 85 FR

[[Page 8038]]

3426, on January 21, 2020, but the collection was postponed so the BLS 
could collect the Business Response Survey (BRS). The initial 
collection under the QBS will be a follow-up to the BRS, conducted in 
2020, which captured information about changes to businesses 
operations, employment and workforce flexibilities, and benefits that 
occurred as a result of the onset of the Coronavirus pandemic. The BRS 
was a one-time collection which provided critical information on the 
U.S. business response to the Coronavirus pandemic to help provide 
policy makers and data users with additional information to help inform 
decisions. This follow-up survey to the BRS, under the QBS collection, 
will collect information on how establishments are coping with the 
transition from the height of the pandemic into a period of economic 
recovery.

II. Method of Collection

    The BLS will use the Annual Refiling Survey (ARS) as a platform for 
conducting the QBS. Each year, the BLS Quarterly Census of Employment 
and Wages (QCEW) Program conducts the ARS by reaching out to 
approximately 1.2 million establishments requesting verification of 
their main business activity, and their mailing and physical location 
addresses. The fully web-based ARS allows for an accelerated timeframe 
for collection and provides a low-cost platform for conducting the 
quick, short surveys of the QBS. The QBSs accompanying the ARS will 
have little data collection overhead, leveraging the respondent contact 
process undertaken as part of the production ARS. QBS Respondents 
already logged into the ARS secure website will be directed to a QBS 
and asked to answer a limited number of additional survey questions 
after completing the ARS.

II. Current Action

    Office of Management and Budget clearance is being sought for the 
QCEW Business Supplement (QBS).
    The QBS, based on the ARS data collection platform, will allow BLS 
to leverage the multitude of information already known about the sample 
units to allow for targeted sampling. It also will permit BLS to target 
only the units meeting the specific set of characteristics desired 
allowing BLS to delve into specific areas of economic interest without 
burdening establishments which do not meet the specific targeted 
features.
    The QBS is designed to encourage a fast response and minimize 
respondent burden on the public by limiting the number of questions on 
each survey and by asking questions that respondents should be able to 
answer without research or referring to records. In this manner, BLS 
can provide information that is needed quickly and is not collected 
elsewhere.
    The QBS is designed to incorporate new questionnaires as the need 
for data arises, as frequently as twice a year. The BLS plans to 
conduct multiple small surveys under the QBS clearance. The initial 
survey will focus on how establishments are coping with the current 
status of the Coronavirus pandemic and the transition period that they 
are currently experiencing. Questions will cover a range of 
establishment topics including changes in telework, paid sick leave, 
demand for products and services, changes in products or services 
ordered, rehiring activities, recruitment activities, mandated 
closures, and government assistance.

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 technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting 
electronic submissions of responses.
    Title of Collection: QCEW Business Supplement.
    OMB Number: 1220-NEW.
    Type of Review: New Collection.
    Agency: Bureau of Labor Statistics.
    Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profit institutions, not-
for-profit institutions, and farms.
    Total Respondents: 150,000.
    Frequency: One time.
    Total Responses: 150,000.
    Average Time per Response: 10 minutes.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 25,000 hours.
    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, January 28, 2021.
Mark Staniorski,
Chief, Division of Management Systems.
[FR Doc. 2021-02208 Filed 2-2-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-24-P