[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 235 (Friday, December 8, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 85654-85655]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-26920]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; 
Registration and Equal Employment Opportunity in Apprenticeship 
Programs

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, ``Registration and Equal Employment Opportunity 
in Apprenticeship Programs.'' 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 
February 6, 2024.

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 Ayesha Upshur by telephone at 202-693-2771 (this is not a 
toll-free number). For persons with a hearing or speech disability who 
need assistance to use the telephone system, please dial 711 to access 
telecommunications relay services.
    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 Apprenticeship, 200 Constitution 
Ave. NW, Room N-5311, Washington, DC 20210; by email: [email protected]; 
or by fax 202-693-3799.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ayesha Upshur by telephone at 202-693-
2771 (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.
    ETA is requesting an extension to a currently approved ICR pursuant 
to the Paperwork Reduction Act. The National Apprenticeship Act (NAA) 
of 1937 (29 U.S.C. 50) authorizes this information collection. If 
approved, this ICR will enable ETA to continue its data collection 
concerning the registration of apprenticeship programs and apprentices 
with DOL/ETA's Office of Apprenticeship and recognized State 
Apprenticeship Agencies, properly assess the types of sponsors that are 
seeking to register an apprenticeship program and the level of growth 
in apprenticeship, collect the data necessary to calculate national 
registered apprenticeship program and apprentice totals, continue to 
implement the requirements of the Veterans Apprenticeship and Labor 
Opportunity Reform (VALOR) Act (Pub. L. 115-89) and the Support for 
Veterans in Effective Apprenticeships Act of 2019 (Pub. L. 116-134). 
This ICR will also continue to enable ETA to collect data from 
registered apprenticeship programs relating to equal employment 
opportunity, and from applicants and/or apprentices, who file a 
discrimination complaint. Under the NAA, the Secretary of Labor 
(Secretary) is charged with the establishment of labor standards 
designed to safeguard the welfare of apprentices and promote 
apprenticeship opportunity. The NAA also authorizes the Secretary to 
``publish information relating to existing and proposed labor standards 
of apprenticeship.''
    ETA seeks an extension of this ICR which includes the following: 
ETA Form 671 (Program Registration and Apprenticeship Agreement); ETA 
Form 9039 (Complaint Form--Equal Employment Opportunity in 
Apprenticeship Programs); and the information collection instrument 
pertaining to state program and apprentice registration (ETA Form 
9186). ETA Forms 671, 9039, and 9186

[[Page 85655]]

are currently set to expire on June 30, 2024.
    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 Number 
1205-0223.
    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: Registration and Equal Employment Opportunity 
in Apprenticeship Programs.
    Forms: ETA Form 671, ETA Form 9039, and ETA Form 9186.
    OMB Control Number: 1205-0223.
    Affected Public: Individuals/households, state/local/tribal 
governments, Federal government, private sector (businesses or other 
for-profits, and, not-for-profit institutions).
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 704,577.
    Frequency: Varies.
    Total Estimated Annual Responses: 1,066,917.
    Estimated Average Time per Response: Varies.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 522,623 hours.
    Total Estimated Annual Other Cost Burden: $0.
    Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A).

Laura P. Watson,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training, Labor.
[FR Doc. 2023-26920 Filed 12-7-23; 8:45 am]
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