[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 169 (Friday, September 3, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49569-49570]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-19068]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; 
National Agricultural Workers Survey

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 
revision for the authority to conduct the information collection 
request (ICR) titled, ``National Agricultural Workers Survey.'' 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 
November 2, 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 Mr. Daniel Carroll by telephone at 202-693-2795 (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 Policy Development and Research, 
Room N-5641, 200 Constitution Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20210; by email: 
[email protected]; or by Fax 202-693-2766.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Wayne Gordon by telephone at 202-
693-3179 (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.
    The National Agricultural Workers Survey (NAWS) is an employment-
based, annual survey of the demographic, employment, and health 
characteristics of hired crop workers, including those who employers 
hire indirectly through labor contractors. The survey began in 1988. 
Each year the NAWS contractor interviews between 1,500 and 3,500 crop 
workers. The contractor interviews crop workers three times per year to 
account for the seasonality of agricultural employment. ETA uses NAWS 
data to estimate each state's share of crop workers who are eligible 
for employment and training services through ETA's National Farmworker 
Jobs Program. Other Federal agencies similarly use the survey's data to 
estimate the number and characteristics of crop workers and their 
dependents who qualify to participate in or receive services from 
various migrant and seasonal farmworker programs. The United States 
Department of Agriculture periodically uses NAWS data, along with other 
data, to estimate changes in agricultural productivity.
    ETA is seeking approval to continue the NAWS, with revisions. This 
request is to add supplemental questions to the survey to gather 
retrospective information on employment, health, and safety and health 
practices among crop workers during the Coronavirus pandemic. This 
collection is on behalf of the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 
under an inter-agency agreement with ETA. The additional employment 
information to be collected is:
     Whether the respondent missed any days of work in the last 
12 months due to illness or fear of being ill.
     Where applicable, the number of missed workdays in the 
last 12 months that were related to COVID-19.
     Whether the respondent worked any days in the last 12 
months while ill with COVID-19.

[[Page 49570]]

     Where applicable, the number of days in the last 12 months 
the respondent worked while ill with COVID-19.
     Whether the respondent or anyone in the respondent's 
household received a COVID-19 unemployment benefit in the last 12 
months.
    The additional health information to be collected is:
     Whether the respondent has been diagnosed with COVID-19.
     Whether COVID-19 prevented the respondent from seeking 
health care.
     Whether the respondent faced any barriers to being tested 
for COVID-19.
     Whether the respondent has been vaccinated against COVID-
19.
     Where applicable, the reason(s) why the respondent has not 
been vaccinated.
     Whether the respondent screens positive for depression.
    The additional safety and health information to be collected is:
     Where applicable, information on safety and health 
protocols in employer-provided, rent-free housing.
     Whether there are COVID-19 safety and health protocols in 
place at the respondent's farm job at the time of the interview.
    The Wagner-Peyser Act, as amended (29 U.S.C. 49f(d) and 49l-2(a)) 
authorizes 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. To receive consideration, you 
must provide written comments, which DOL will summarize and include in 
the request for OMB approval of the final ICR. In order to help ensure 
appropriate consideration, comments should mention OMB Control No. 
1205-0453.
    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: National Agricultural Workers Survey.
    Form: Primary Questionnaire.
    OMB Control Number: 1205-0453.
    Affected Public: Individuals and Households, Private Sector.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 4,476.
    Frequency: Annual.
    Total Estimated Annual Responses: 4,476.
    Estimated Average Time per Response: 45 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,484 hours.
    Total Estimated Annual Other Cost Burden: $0.

Lenita Jacobs-Simmons,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training, Labor.
[FR Doc. 2021-19068 Filed 9-2-21; 8:45 am]
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