[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 182 (Wednesday, September 21, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57720-57721]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-20396]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; 
Fidelity Bonding Demonstration

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor's (DOL) Employment and Training 
Administration (ETA) is soliciting comments concerning a proposed 
extension for the authority to conduct the information collection 
request (ICR) titled, ``Fidelity Bonding Demonstration.'' 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 21, 2022.

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 Mallery Johnson by telephone at 202-693-3497 (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 email to [email protected]. Though hard copy mail frequently 
experiences delays, comments can also be delivered by mail or courier 
to the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training 
Administration, Reentry Employment Opportunities, Room N-4508, 200 
Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20210.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mallery Johnson by telephone at 202-
693-3497 (this is not a toll-free number) or by email at 
[email protected].

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.

[[Page 57721]]

    The Federal Bonding Program provides fidelity bonds protecting 
employers who hire individuals with criminal records and other job 
applicants from theft, forgery, or embezzlement by the employee. 
Although the bonds have mainly been used for hires of individuals with 
criminal records, any job applicant is eligible for bonding services, 
including recovering substance abusers (alcohol or drugs) and persons 
having poor financial credit, youth and adults who lack a work history, 
individuals dishonorably discharged from the military, and others. Over 
the years, the Federal Bonding Program has remained a relatively small 
program, serving about 900 individuals each year. DOL expanded the use 
of fidelity bonds to place individuals previously incarcerated in jobs 
by providing multiple year grants to 24 states in 2019 and 8 additional 
grants in 2020 for states to purchase such bonds. Relatedly, the number 
of individuals served rose to approximately 1,050 in 2021.
    In order to account for the accurate use and tracking of the 
expansion of fidelity bonding, the Department is now seeking to extend 
PRA approval for the Fidelity Bond Issuance Form. This form lists the 
contact information of the job placement agency and the employer; 
identifies the person being insured; and provides the amount and the 
effective date of the bond issued. The form also identifies the 
occupation, hourly wage, and hours per week of the job placement; the 
employer type, industry, and size of the firm; and the gender, race, 
and ethnicity of the person insured.
    This information collection is conducted under the authority of 
section 185(a)(2) of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act 
(WIOA), which requires recipients of funds under title I to maintain 
such records and submit such reports as the Secretary requires 
regarding the performance of Title I programs and activities (including 
Federal Bonding, a WIOA section 169 demonstration). The fidelity 
bonding demonstration grantees will report a recidivism rate for 
participants enrolled in Wagner-Peyser Employment Service. The proposed 
reporting and record-keeping system provides a minimum level of 
information collection that is necessary to comply with Equal 
Opportunity requirements, to hold grantees appropriately accountable 
for the Federal funds they receive to purchase bonds, and to allow the 
Department to fulfil its oversight and management responsibilities.
    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 1205-
0541. 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: Extension.
    Title of Collection: Fidelity Bonding Demonstration.
    Form: Fidelity Bonding Issuance Form.
    OMB Control Number: 1205-0541.
    Affected Public: State Workforce Agencies, local American Job 
Center staff, private employers.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 8,000.
    Frequency: Once.
    Total Estimated Annual Responses: 32,000.
    Estimated Average Time per Response: Varies.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 2,400 hours.
    Total Estimated Annual Other Cost Burden: $32,947.20.
    Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A).

Brent Parton,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training, Labor.
[FR Doc. 2022-20396 Filed 9-20-22; 8:45 am]
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