[Federal Register: December 31, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 251)]
[Notices]               
[Page 72341-72342]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr31de98-159]

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OFFICE OF SPECIAL COUNSEL

 
Agency Information Collection Activities Under OMB Review

AGENCY: U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (44 
U.S.C. Secs. 3501, et seq.), this notice announces that the Information 
Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below has been sent to the Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The ICR 
describes the nature of information collected and its expected cost and 
burden; it also includes the actual data collection instruments.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before February 1, 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Erin M. McDonnell, Associate Special 
Counsel for Planning and Advice, U.S. Office of Special Counsel, at 
(202) 653-8971 (or by e-mail at emcdonnell@osc.gov), and refer to OSC 
Forms 48a-c. Copies of the proposed survey forms will be provided upon 
request.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: OCS Survey Program Forms. Following the expiration of a 
prior OMB approval, this is a request for approval of modified forms 
for use in carrying out an information collection required by law.
    Abstract: Section 13 of Public Law 103-424 requires the OSC to 
conduct annual surveys of individuals seeking OSC assistance, and to 
report on survey results in its annual reports to Congress. The statute 
provides that the surveys

[[Page 72342]]

shall determine whether individuals seeking OSC assistance were: (1) 
fully apprised of their rights; (2) successful at the OSC or the Merit 
Systems Protection Board; and (3) satisfied, whether successful or not, 
with the treatment received from the OSC.
    Pursuant to enactment of this requirement in 1994, the OSC 
developed three survey forms, corresponding to the principal categories 
of individuals seeking OSC assistance: (1) individuals whose cases 
alleging prohibited personnel practices, or other violations of law, 
rule or regulation within the agency's jurisdiction, have been closed 
by the OSC with or without corrective and/or disciplinary action (OSC 
Form 48a); (2) individuals who have received written advisory opinions 
about allowable and unallowable political activity under the Hatch Act 
(OSC Form 48b); and (3) individuals whose disclosures of possible 
wrongdoing by federal agencies have been processed by the OSC 
Disclosure Unit (OSC Form 48c).
    Since the expiration of OMB's three-year approval of the initial 
version of survey forms, the OSC has modified the forms to focus more 
clearly on customer service issues, and to elicit information that 
would place responses to the questions enumerated in the statute in a 
more meaningful context. The three survey formats, as revised, are 
proposed for use in surveying persons whose matters were closed, or who 
received written Hatch Act advisory opinions, or whose disclosures were 
processed by the OSC, between fiscal years (FY) 1998-2000. As before, 
survey responses will be voluntary, will not solicit information 
required by law or regulation, and will be able to be submitted without 
personal identification if the respondent so chooses.
    The information collected will be used by the OSC to: comply with 
the law; assess levels of satisfaction with services rendered; link 
results with management planning and other agency operations; identify 
areas where improvements can be made; enhance awareness of service 
issues at all levels of the agency; improve service to complainants and 
others seeking the agency's assistance; and report on the agency survey 
program (in statistical form) to Congress.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required 
to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a 
currently valid OMB control number. A Federal Register Notice 
soliciting comments on this collection of information, and providing a 
60-day comment period, was published on September 8, 1998 (63 FR 47542-
3). No comments were received pursuant to that notice.
    Burden statement: The respondent burden for this collection is 
estimated to average 20 minutes per response to OSC Form 48a (by 
complainants whose allegations of prohibited personnel practices or 
other violations were resolved by the OSC); 12 minutes per response to 
OSC Form 48b (by recipients of written Hatch Act advisory opinions); 
and 15 minutes per response to OSC Form 48c (by submitters of 
whistleblower disclosures to the agency's Disclosure Unit). These 
estimates include the time needed to read and review introductory 
information and instructions; search existing data sources; complete 
and review the collection of information; and return the survey form to 
the OSC.
    Respondents/affected entities. Current and former federal 
employees, applicants for federal employment, their representatives, 
and others whose allegations of prohibited personnel practices or other 
violations of law or regulation under the OSC's have been resolved by 
the OSC; current and former federal employees, applicants for federal 
employment, their representatives, and others who have received written 
Hatch Act advisory opinions; current and former federal employees, and 
applicants for federal employment, whose whistleblower disclosures have 
been acted upon by the OSC.
    Estimated number of respondents: 2,063 in FY 1999; 2,270 in FY 
2000; and 2,487 in FY 2001.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 755 hours in FY 1999; 
884 hours in FY 2000; and 968 hours in FY 2001.
    Frequency of collection: One time per matter closed or opinion 
received.
    Any comments about the burden estimate, or any other aspect of the 
information collection, including suggestions for reducing the burden, 
should be sent to the following addresses (please refer to the OSC 
Survey Forms Information Collection Request in any correspondence): (1) 
Erin M. McDonnell, Associate Special Counsel for Planning and Advice, 
U.S. Office of Special Counsel, 1730 M Street, NW., Suite 300, 
Washington, DC 20036-4505, fax: (202) 653-5151; and (2) Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 
Attention: Desk Officer for the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, 725 
17th Street, NW. 20503.

    Dated: December 23, 1998.
Elaine Kaplan,
Special Counsel.
[FR Doc. 98-34627 Filed 12-30-98; 8:45 am]
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