[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 74 (Monday, April 18, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22868-22869]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-08218]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 74 / Monday, April 18, 2022 / 
Notices  

[[Page 22868]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

[Docket ID: USDA-2022-0011]


Notice of Request for an Extension of a Currently Approved 
Information Collection

AGENCY: Department of Agriculture.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice announces the intention of the Department of Agriculture to 
request Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval of an extension 
of a currently approved information collection entitled ``Request for a 
Medical Exception to the COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement,'' OMB 
Control Number 0503-0027. The OMB control number was obtained through 
emergency clearance on December 21, 2021 and it will expire on June 20, 
2022.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by June 17, 2022 to be 
assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on this 
notice. Comments may be submitted through the Federal eRulemaking 
Portal. This website provides the ability to type short comments 
directly into the comment field on this web page or attach a file for 
lengthier comments. Go to https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the on-
line instructions at that site for submitting comments.
    You may also send comments to the Desk Officer for Agriculture, 
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and 
Budget, Washington, DC 20503.
    All items submitted must include the Agency name and docket number 
Department of Agriculture, USDA-2022-0011. Comments received in 
response to this docket will be made available for public inspection 
and posted without change, including any personal information, to 
https://www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ruth Brown, email: 
[email protected]; telephone: (202) 720-8958. Person with 
disabilities who require alternative means for communication should 
contact the USDA Target Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice) or 844-433-
2774 (toll-free nationwide).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Request for a Medical Exception to the COVID-19 Vaccination 
Requirement.
    OMB Number: 0503-0027.
    Expiration Date of Approval: 3-Year from approval date.
    Type of Request: Extension Request of an Approved Information 
Collection.
    Abstract: Section 2 of E.O. 14043 mandates that each agency 
``implement, to the extent consistent with applicable law, a program to 
require COVID-19 vaccination for all of its Federal employees, with 
exceptions only as required by law.'' This medical exemption form is 
necessary for USDA to determine legal exemptions to the vaccine 
requirement under the Rehabilitation Act. This includes the requisite 
confidentiality requirements, subject to the applicable Rehabilitation 
Act standards, and maintenance of supporting documents.
    For the following estimated total annual burden on respondents, the 
formula used to calculate the total burden hour is the estimated 
average time per response hours multiplied by the estimated total 
annual responses.
    Estimate of Annual Burden: Public reporting burden for this 
collection of information is estimated to average 10 minutes per 
response.
    Type of Respondents: Federal Employees and Medical Providers.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 2,000.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 2,000.
    Estimated Average Time per Responses: 0.1666 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 333.
    Comments are invited on:
    (1) 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;
    (2) 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;
    (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
    (4) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology.
    Comments may be sent to Ruth Brown, [email protected]. All 
comments received will be available for public inspection during 
regular business hours at the same address.
    All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for OMB approval. All comments will become a matter of public 
record.
    The vaccination requirement issued pursuant to E.O. 14043, is 
currently the subject of a nationwide injunction. While that injunction 
remains in place, Department of Agriculture will not process requests 
for a medical exception from the COVID-19 vaccination requirement 
pursuant to E.O. 14043. Department of Agriculture will also not request 
the submission of any medical information related to a request for an 
exception from the vaccination requirement pursuant to E.O. 14043 while 
the injunction remains in place. But Department of Agriculture may 
nevertheless receive information regarding a medical exception. That is 
because, if Department of Agriculture were to receive a request for an 
exception from the COVID-19 vaccination requirement pursuant to E.O. 
14043 during the pendency of the injunction, Department of Agriculture 
will accept the request, hold it in abeyance, and notify the employee 
who submitted the request that implementation and enforcement of the 
COVID-19 vaccination requirement pursuant to E.O. 14043 is currently 
enjoined and that an exception therefore is not necessary so long as 
the injunction is in place. In other words, during the pendency of the 
injunction, any information collection related to requests for medical 
exception from the COVID-19 vaccination requirement pursuant to E.O. 
14043 is not

[[Page 22869]]

undertaken to implement or enforce the COVID-19 vaccination 
requirement.

Oscar Gonzales,
Assistant Secretary for Administration.
[FR Doc. 2022-08218 Filed 4-15-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-01-P