[Federal Register: July 30, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 146)]
[Notices]               
[Page 41470-41471]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr30jy99-152]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

 
Proposed Collection; Comment Request

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

[[Page 41471]]

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 understood, and the impact of collection requirements on 
respondents can be properly assessed. Currently, the employment and 
Training Administration is soliciting comments concerning the proposed 
extension of the collection of Employment Rates for the Youth 
Opportunity Area Demonstration. A copy of the proposed information 
collection request (ICR) can be obtained by contacting the office 
listed below in the addressee section of this notice.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
addressee's section below on or before September 28, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Greg Knorr, Employment and Training Administration, U.S. 
Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, room N-5637, 
Washington, DC 20210; 202-219-5782 ext. 120 (this is not a toll-free 
number); gknorr@doleta.gov; Fax: 202-219-5455 (this is not a toll-free 
number).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The Youth Opportunity Area Demonstration is an initiative designed 
to improve the labor market prospects of out-of-school youth in a small 
number of high poverty areas. Under this demonstration eleven 
Opportunity Areas have been created to expand employment, education, 
and training opportunities for out-of-school youth ages 16-24, with 
priority given to high school dropouts. Each Opportunity Area consists 
of an identified target area within a designated empowerment zone or 
enterprise community with a population of between 10,000 and 20,000 
persons and a poverty rate among the highest in the community. The 
Opportunity Areas are in the cities of Chicago, Los Angeles, Houston, 
New York, Boston, Detroit, Denver, Baltimore, Oakland, San Diego, and 
in Kentucky's Lake County Area Development District.
    An important part of determining whether these demonstrations are 
successful is to measure the youth employment rate in the subject areas 
before the program begins in each area and again after three years of 
operation. The extension of this collection will allow for the 
completion of these before and after comparisons. The OMB approved 
survey that is currently being used is strongly based on the Current 
Population Survey.

II. Review Focus

    The Department of Labor is particularly interested in comments 
which:
    <bullet> 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;
    <bullet> 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;
    <bullet> enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
    <bullet> 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

    Continuing to collect the before and after youth employment rate 
measures will allow for an evaluation of the effectiveness of the 
demonstration's approach. Policy-makers in and out of government will 
be able to use results from this study to better understand what sorts 
of program initiatives are effective in increasing youth employment in 
poverty areas.
    Type of Review: Extension.
    Agency: Employment and Training Administration.
    Title: Employment Rates for the Youth Opportunity Area 
Demonstrations.
    OMB Number: 1205-0373.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households.
    Cite/Reference/Form/etc: Youth Employment Survey.
    Total Respondents: 9,600.
    Frequency: One-time.
    Total Responses: 9,600.
    Average Time per Response: 0.25 hours.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 2,400.
    Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0, extension of an ongoing 
project.
    Total Burden Cost (operating/maintaining): $3,600,000 contractor 
support over three and one-half years
    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 26, 1999.
Gerard F. Fiala,
Administrator, Office of Policy and Research.
[FR Doc. 99-19536 Filed 7-29-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-30-M