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| 17.005 COMPENSATION AND WORKING CONDITIONS |
| FEDERAL AGENCY |
| BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR |
| AUTHORIZATION |
| Public Laws 62-426, 71-537, 91-596 and 94-206, 29 U.S.C. 1-2; 29 U.S.C. 2b; 29 U.S.C. 4; 5 U.S.C. 5305; 29 U.S.C. 651; 29 U.S.C. 673. |
| OBJECTIVES |
| To provide timely and relevant data on levels and trends in wages; employee benefits; occupational safety and health; and work stoppages. |
| TYPES OF ASSISTANCE |
| Project Grants (Cooperative Agreements); Dissemination of Technical Information. |
| USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS |
| This program provides the following information: (A) trend data on employee wages and compensation; (B) occupational wage data in about 150 localities nationwide and studies of employee benefits plans; (C) national and State data on occupational injuries, illness and fatalities; and (D) information on work stoppages. It also makes available funds in the form of cooperative agreements to State agencies or designated local governments for collection of data on occupational injuries, illnesses, and fatalities. The Occupational Safety and Health Statistics program authorizes funds on a matching basis to States or local governments to assist them in developing and administering programs. |
| Applicant Eligibility |
| State agencies or designated local governments are eligible to apply for cooperative agreement funding to share costs in operating statistical programs dealing with occupational safety and health statistics. Request for copies of published studies and reports may be made by the general public. |
| Beneficiary Eligibility |
| General public. |
| Credentials/Documentation |
| None for the general public requesting data; OMB Circular No. A-87 requirements apply as well as agency regulations implementing OMB Circulars No. A-102 and No. A-110 requirements, to State and local governments. |
| Preapplication Coordination |
| In early summer, BLS begins discussions with existing and potential agencies concerning the next fiscal year's cooperative agreement, and provides them the appropriate application materials. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372. |
| Application Procedure |
| Requests for information may be made to the nearest regional office of the Bureau of Labor Statistics listed in Appendix IV of the catalog. Applications for cooperative agreement funding are submitted to the appropriate regional office of the Bureau of Labor Statistics. |
| Award Procedure |
| Upon submission of an acceptable application and after negotiation of specific program deliverables and costs, the Bureau of Labor Statistics awards cooperative agreement funding to the State or local government. |
| Deadlines |
| Cooperative agreements which cover a given Federal fiscal year are executed prior to the beginning of the fiscal year (October 1). |
| Range of Approval/Disapproval Time |
| The typical process would include guidelines and application material being mailed to State or local government in early summer, with initial drafts required by mid- summer, and final applications due by late summer. Cooperative agreements are executed by early-September and become effective October 1. |
| Appeals |
| None. |
| Renewals |
| Each fiscal year the Bureau of Labor Statistics enters into new cooperative agreements with appropriate State or local governments. |
| Formula and Matching Requirements |
| The Federal share for each State's or local government's statistical program may be up to 50 percent of the State's or local government's total cost. |
| Length and Time Phasing of Assistance |
| Cooperative agreement funding generally is for a single fiscal year. |
| Reports |
| Cooperative agreements with State or local government specify quarterly financial reports and periodic program reports. |
| Audits |
| In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, in Federal Register June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards shall have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133. |
| Records |
| Recordkeeping is in accordance with 29 CFR 97 (implementing OMB Circulars No. A-102 and No. A-110). |
| Account Identification |
| 16-0200-0-1-505. |
| Obligations |
| (Salaries and Expenses) FY 07 $81,595,015; FY 08 est $82,251,000; and FY 09 est $86,281,000. (Grants) FY 07 $5,812,910; FY 08 est $6,339,000; and FY 09 est $6,574,000. |
| Range and Average of Financial Assistance |
| The size of each cooperative agreement reflects the staff and nonpersonal resources required to operate the program. The range of awards in fiscal year 2007 is from $4,100 (Idaho) to $630,900 (California). The average is $111,787. |
| PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS |
| In fiscal year 2007, the Office of Compensation Levels and Trends within the Office of Compensation and Working Conditions published approximately 138 bulletins, news releases, and articles. Titles of these publications are included in the literature below. The National Compensation Survey (NCS) produces data on wages, salaries, and employee benefits from an integrated survey design. During 2007, the program completed transitioning to new industry and occupational classification systems and began using a new sample and revised definitions of metropolitan areas. The Occupational Safety and Health Statistics program produces data that allow for State publications, and provides tools for the States to conduct research and outreach. In 2007, the program continued to release data earlier in the year and produced nonfatal injury and illness rates for demographic characteristics for the first time. BLS provides establishments the option of responding to the Survey Occupational Injuries and Illnesses via the internet and now collects a significant portion of its annual data using this method. |
| REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE |
| NCS - Regional Wage Data for each of the nine Census Divisions (web only); National Compensation Survey - National bulletin, National summary, Locality bulletins and summaries; NCS: Employee Benefits in Private Industry - National bulletin, National summary, and News Releases; "Employment Cost Index"; "Employer Costs for Employee Compensation"; Major Work Stoppages - monthly news releases (web only) and annual summary; "Occupational Injuries and Illnesses: Counts, Rates, and Characteristics" (Annually); "Fatal Workplace Injuries: A Collection of Data and Analysis" (Annually); "Workplace Injuries and Illnesses," "Nonfatal Occupational Injuries and Illnesses Requiring Days Away from Work," and "National Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries" (annual news releases); "Major Programs of the Bureau of Labor Statistics"; "Bureau of Labor Statistics Customer Service Guide"; "BLS Handbook of Methods." |
| Regional or Local Office |
| Contact the appropriate regional office of the Bureau of Labor Statistics listed in Appendix IV of the Catalog. |
| Headquarters Office |
| None. |
| Web Site Address |
| http://www.bls.gov |
| RELATED PROGRAMS |
| 17.002, Labor Force Statistics; 17.003, Prices and Cost of Living Data. |
| EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS |
| None. |
| CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS |
| Acceptable application and specific program deliverables and cost. |
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General Services Administration Office of Chief Acquisition Officer Regulatory and Federal Assistance Division (VIR) |
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