[Federal Register: July 25, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 143)]
[Notices]
[Page 48672-48673]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr25jy02-96]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training Administration
Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request
AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration (ETA), Department of
Labor.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to
reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a preclearance
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 (PRA95) (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). 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
[[Page 48673]]
understood, and the impact of collection requirements on respondents
can be properly assessed. Currently, the Employment and Training
Administration is soliciting comments about the proposed new collection
of information as part of the Evaluation of Labor Exchange Services in
a One-Stop Environment. The evaluation is partially composed of three
surveys: an employer survey, an in-office job seeker survey, and an in-
office survey of workshop participants.
DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the
addresses's section below on or before September 23, 2002.
ADDRESSES: Richard Muller, Office of Policy and Research, ETA, N-5637,
US Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Ave., NW. Washington, DC
20210, (202) 693-3680 (this is not a toll-free number), e-mail:
RMULLER@DOLETA.GOV.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
Public labor exchanges (PLEX) were last evaluated by ETA in 1983.
At that time, obtaining basic information about job-seekers' and
employers' use of state labor exchanges was relatively easy, given that
nearly all job seekers filled out registration forms and could only get
a referral after being screened by staff at local offices. Similarly,
employers had to describe job openings and key characteristics to staff
to obtain referrals. Moreover, cost information was available because
Wagner-Peyser Act funds were allocated to each state based on a type of
performance-based budgeting, called the balanced placement formula,
designed to stimulate improvements in placement services by allocating
grants to state agencies on the basis of their actual performance.
While special purpose block grants simplified distribution of
Wagner-Peyser Act funds, the removal of the balanced formula eliminated
the need to determine how costly it is for staff to perform various
services, and also reduced incentives to carefully track delivery of
individual services. Job seekers can now utilize large public
databases, such as America's Job Bank (AJB), and every state labor
exchange, by using PC modems at home, in libraries and a variety of
other sites. The block grants and the easy access to electronic job
information has greatly limited the amount of quantifiable data
available to perform a comprehensive evaluation. In order to accurately
measure the costs and benefits of PLEXs today, surveys of job seekers
and employers are required to assess the quantity and quality of
services provided.
II. Review Focus
The Department of Labor is particularly interested in comments
which:
* 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 clarify 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
submissions of responses.
III. Current Actions
This study will examine the efficacy of labor exchange services in
6 States operating within selected State One-Stop delivery systems. The
findings from the employer survey and in-office surveys will describe
the results of mail surveys and follow-up telephone interviews with
diverse employers, and will describe the experiences of job seekers.
The study will provide, among other things, in-depth information on:
The amount of hiring done at each establishment in a year;
The methods used to obtain applicants for high and low
paying jobs;
Satisfaction with methods used to obtain applicants;
The costs associated with hiring and recruitment efforts;
The costs to the establishment for not filling various
types of jobs; and
How placements made from public labor exchanges affect
recruiting and production costs.
Type of Review: New.
Agency: Employment and Training Administration.
Title: Evaluation of Labor Exchange Services in a One Stop
Environment.
OMB Number: 1205-0NEW.
Affected Public: Individuals or households/Business or other for
profit/Not for profit institutions/Farms/Federal Government/State,
Local or Tribal Government.
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Total Total Average time
Cite/reference respondents Frequency responses per per response Burden hours
per state state per hour per state
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Employer survey & reminders... 60 Once + reminder 60 .5 30
cards for
nonrespondents.
Telephone interview........... 240 Once............ 240 .75 180
In-office survey.............. 1200 Once............ 1200 .25 300
Workshop survey............... 1200 Once............ 1200 .25 300
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Totals.................... .............. ................ .............. .............. 810
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Total Burden Cost: The total estimated cost of the study is
$160,200 over a 36-month contract period, with a one-year option. Of
the total costs, approximately 11 percent is allocated for surveys. The
annualized cost of the surveys, over the 36 month period is
approximately $53,400. The total burden in terms of time is 810 hours
per State times 6 States, or 4860 hours.
Comments submitted in response to this comment request will be
summarized and/or included in the request for Office of Management and
Budget approval of the information collection request; they will also
become a matter of public record.
Dated: July 18, 2002.
Gerard F. Fiala,
Administrator, Office of Policy and Research.
[FR Doc. 02-18876 Filed 7-24-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-30-P