[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 91 (Thursday, May 9, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39649-39650]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-10071]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; 
Characteristics of the Insured Unemployed

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, ``Characteristics of the Insured Unemployed.'' 
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 
July 8, 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 Rachel Beistel by telephone at 202-693-2736 (this is not a 
toll-free number) or by email at [email protected]. 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 Unemployment Insurance Room S-4519, 
200 Constitution Ave NW, Washington, DC 20210; by email: 
[email protected]; or by fax 202-693-3975.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rachel Beistel by telephone at 202-
693-2736 (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.
    Section 303(a)(6) of the Social Security Act specifies that for 
State UI programs to be certified to receive administrative funding 
from the Federal government, the State's law must include provisions 
for ``making of such reports . . . as the Secretary of Labor may from 
time to time require, and compliance with such provisions as the 
Secretary may from time to time find necessary to assure the 
correctness and verification of such reports.'' DOL considers the 
proposed changes and updates to the ETA 203 report to be one of those 
``provisions . . . necessary to assure the correctness and 
verification'' of the reports submitted by states. ETA is proposing 
changes to the ETA 203 to update and expand terms and definitions in 
the race and ethnicity categories to adhere to updated guidance/changes 
set out in the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) Revisions to its 
Statistical Policy Directive No. 15: Standards for Maintaining, 
Collecting, and Presenting Federal Data on Race and 
Ethnicity,[hairsp]\1\ which became effective on March 29, 2024. Also, 
adding ``Another Gender Identity/Non-binary/X'' as a response option 
will make the data collection consistent with the U.S. State 
Department's passport guidelines. These changes will capture 
characteristics that better reflect society and the UI population 
across demographic groups. For example, race and ethnicity will be 
combined into one question and reporting category to decrease confusion 
by respondents; a separate race and/or ethnicity category will be added 
(``Middle Eastern or North African''); and ``other'' will be removed 
from ``Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander.'' In addition to collecting 
age, industry, and occupation information, the revised ETA 203 report 
would also collect information on a claimant's primary language, self-
identified disability status, level of educational attainment, and base 
period wages. ETA proposes adding these categories to increase 
understanding of interactions between socio-economic characteristics 
and unemployment insurance receipt, and to inform state UI programs 
managers about possible needs in areas such as translation services. 
These categories and the specific terms proposed were identified after 
examining data studied, collected, or used by the U.S. Department of 
State, the U.S. Census Bureau, and Bureau of Labor Statistics. An 
individual's refusal to disclose claimant demographic information will 
not impact eligibility determinations. Also, any responses collected 
and information provided will be treated as confidential. This data 
will not be shared beyond aggregate reporting to ETA and any 
demographic information associated with a specific claimant or employer 
will be masked or hidden from state agency staff. Furthermore, 
disclosure of demographic information is voluntary and a non-response 
to questions will continue to be reported as ``Information Not 
Available'' or INA.
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    \1\ https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2024-03-29/pdf/2024-06469.pdf.
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    The Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA) requires 
Federal agencies to develop annual and strategic performance plans that 
establish performance goals, have concrete indicators of the extent 
that goals are achieved, and set performance targets. Each year, the 
agency is to issue a report that ``evaluate[s] the performance plan for 
the current fiscal year relative to the performance achieved toward the 
performance goals in the fiscal year covered by the report.'' DOL 
emphasizes the importance of complete and accurate information for 
program monitoring and improving program performance `` . . . as a 
framework for agencies to communicate progress in achieving their 
missions.'' (OMB Circular A-11, Section 15.5). The Social Security Act, 
Section 303(a)(6), authorizes this information collection.
    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

[[Page 39650]]

order to help ensure appropriate consideration, comments should mention 
OMB control number 1205-0009.
    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: Revision.
    Title of Collection: Characteristics of the Insured Unemployed.
    Form: ETA 203.
    OMB Control Number: 1205-0009.
    Affected Public: State Workforce Agencies.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 53.
    Frequency: Monthly.
    Total Estimated Annual Responses: 636.
    Estimated Average Time per Response: 40 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 424 hours.
    Total Estimated Annual Other Cost Burden: $0.
    Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A).

Jos[eacute] Javier Rodr[iacute]guez,
Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training, Labor.
[FR Doc. 2024-10071 Filed 5-8-24; 8:45 am]
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