[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 42 (Friday, March 3, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13471-13473]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-04368]


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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 revision of the ``National 
Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997.'' A copy of the proposed information 
collection request can be obtained by contacting the individual

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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 May 2, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Nora Kincaid, BLS Clearance Officer, 
Division of Management Systems, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Room G225, 
2 Massachusetts Avenue NE, Washington, DC 20212. Written comments also 
may be transmitted by email to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nora Kincaid, BLS Clearance Officer, 
at 202-691-7628 (this is not a toll free number). (See ADDRESSES 
section.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    The National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 (NLSY97) is a 
nationally representative sample of persons who were born in the years 
1980 to 1984. These respondents were ages 12-17 when the first round of 
annual interviews began in 1997; starting with round sixteen, the 
NLSY97 is conducted on a biennial basis. Round twenty-one interviews 
will occur from September 2023 to June 2024. The Bureau of Labor 
Statistics (BLS) contracts with a vendor to conduct the NLSY97. The 
primary objective of the survey is to study the transition from 
schooling to the establishment of careers and families. The 
longitudinal focus of this survey requires information to be collected 
from the same individuals over many years in order to trace their 
education, training, work experience, fertility, income, and program 
participation.
    One of the goals of the Department of Labor (DOL) is to produce and 
disseminate timely, accurate, and relevant information about the U.S. 
labor force. The BLS contributes to this goal by gathering information 
about the labor force and labor market and disseminating it to 
policymakers and the public so that participants in those markets can 
make more informed, and thus more efficient, choices.
    Research based on the NLSY97 contributes to the formation of 
national policy in the areas of education, training, work experience, 
fertility, income, and program participation. In addition to the 
reports that the BLS produces based on data from the NLSY97, members of 
the academic community publish articles and reports based on NLSY97 
data for the DOL and other funding agencies. To date, approximately 976 
articles examining NLSY97 data have been published in scholarly 
journals.
    The survey design provides data gathered from the same respondents 
over time to form the only dataset that contains this type of 
information for this important population group. Without the collection 
of these data, an accurate longitudinal dataset could not be provided 
to researchers and policymakers, thus adversely affecting the DOL's 
ability to perform its policy- and report-making activities.

II. Current Action

    The BLS seeks approval to conduct round 21 of biennial interviews 
of the NLSY97. Respondents of the NLSY97 will undergo an interview of 
approximately 74 minutes during which they will answer questions about 
schooling and labor market experiences, family relationships, and 
community background.
    During the fielding period for the main round 21 interviews, no 
more than 2 percent of respondents will be asked to participate in a 
brief validation interview a few weeks after the initial interview. The 
purpose of the validation interview is to verify that the initial 
interview took place as the interviewer reported and to assess the data 
quality of selected questionnaire items.
    Round 21 will be a predominantly telephone survey. Approximately 90 
percent of interviews will be completed by telephone, with the 
remaining interviews being conducted in person.
    The round 21 questionnaire will resemble the round 20 questionnaire 
with few modifications. New questions for the round 21 questionnaire 
include questions on the location of work and job search, whether an 
employer requires the signing of a non-disclosure agreement, chronic 
health conditions relating to heart conditions, blood sugar, and high 
blood pressure, coronavirus vaccine recipiency, the use of pain 
medications, and adverse childhood experiences. In addition, attempts 
to streamline the questionnaire have been made so that it will be 
shorter and less burdensome for respondents. To this end, fewer 
questions will be asked about impact of the coronavirus pandemic, and 
questions about the value of a job, sexual activity and birth control, 
criminal background checks, and internet access were removed.

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: National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997.
    OMB Number: 1220-0157.
    Type of Review: Revision.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households.

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                                                                                                                                             Estimated
                  Form                         Total                 Frequency                 Total         Average time per response     total burden
                                            respondents                                      responses                                        (hours)
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Main NLSY97: September 2023-June 2024...            6570  One-time......................            6570  74 minutes....................            8103
Validation interview: October 2023-June              100  One-time......................             100  6 minutes.....................              10
 2024.
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    Totals *............................            6570  ..............................            6670  ..............................            8113
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    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, on this 27th day of February 2023.
Eric Molina,
Acting Chief, Division of Management Systems.
[FR Doc. 2023-04368 Filed 3-2-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-24-P