[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 95 (Tuesday, May 17, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29881-29882]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-10543]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages 
Business Supplement

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting this Bureau of 
Labor Statistics (BLS)-sponsored information collection request (ICR) 
to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in 
accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA). Public 
comments on the ICR are invited.

DATES: The OMB will consider all written comments that the agency 
receives on or before June 16, 2022.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of 
this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular 
information collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--
Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search function.
    Comments are invited on: (1) Whether the collection of information 
is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the 
Department, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; (2) if the information will be processed and used in a timely 
manner; (3) the accuracy of the agency's estimates of the burden and 
cost of the collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used; (4) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility and clarity of the information collection; and (5) ways to 
minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are 
to respond, including the use of automated collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nicole Bouchet by telephone at 202-
693-0213, or by email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages 
Business Supplement (QBS) is a versatile collection instrument designed 
to capture information on the U.S. economy quicky and efficiently using 
the BLS Annual Refiling Survey as the data collection platform. The QBS 
collection is designed to incorporate new questionnaires as the need 
arises to allow BLS to collect and publish information quickly so that 
stakeholders and data users can understand the impact of specific 
events on the U.S. economy as they occur. The initial QBS survey, the 
2021 Business Response Survey, collected information on how 
establishments were coping with the transition from the height of the 
coronavirus pandemic into a period of relative economic recovery. It 
followed the 2020 Business Response Survey (1220-0197), a one-time 
survey which captured information about changes to business operations, 
employment and workforce flexibilities, and benefits that occurred as a 
result of the onset of the pandemic. The BLS is now seeking approval to 
conduct another survey under the QBS information collection to capture 
information on telework, hiring and vacancies at establishments. This

[[Page 29882]]

second QBS survey will ask questions about the availability of telework 
at businesses, hiring and current vacancies in an attempted to better 
understand current labor market conditions at this stage of the 
coronavirus pandemic. For additional substantive information about this 
ICR, see the related notice published in the Federal Register on 
February 3, 2021 (86 FRN 8037).
    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 the OMB approves it 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 
OMB Control Number. See 5 CFR 1320.5(a) and 1320.6. DOL seeks 
authorization for this information collection under OMB Control Number 
1220-0198. The current approval is scheduled to expire on July 31, 
2024.
    Agency: DOL-BLS.
    Title of Collection: Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages 
Business Supplement.
    OMB Control Number: 1220-0198.
    Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profit institutions, not-
for-profit institutions, and farms.
    Total Estimated Number of Respondents: 80,000.
    Total Estimated Number of Responses: 80,000.
    Total Estimated Annual Time Burden: 6,667 hours.
    Total Estimated Annual Other Costs Burden: $0.

(Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3507(a)(1)(D))

Nicole Bouchet,
Senior PRA Analyst.
[FR Doc. 2022-10543 Filed 5-16-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-24-P