Bureau of International Labor Affairs; Office of Trade and Labor Affairs; Bahrain-United States Free Trade Agreement; Notice of Extension of the Period of Review for Submission #2011-01, 81984-81985 [2011-33478]
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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 250 / Thursday, December 29, 2011 / Notices
Agency: Bureau of Labor Statistics
(BLS).
Title of Collection: Cognitive and
Psychological Research.
OMB Control Number: 1220–0141.
Affected Public: Individuals and
Households, Private Sector.
Total Estimated Number of
Responses: 3,600.
Total Estimated Annual Burden
Hours: 3,600.
Total Estimated Annual Other Costs
Burden: $0.
Dated: December 22, 2011.
Linda Watts Thomas,
Acting Departmental Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2011–33365 Filed 12–28–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510–24–P
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Office of the Secretary
Agency Information Collection
Activities; Submission for OMB
Review; Comment Request; Local Area
Unemployment Statistics Program
ACTION:
Notice.
The Department of Labor
(DOL) is submitting the Bureau of Labor
Statistics (BLS) sponsored information
collection request (ICR) titled, ‘‘Local
Area Unemployment Statistics
Program,’’ to the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) for review and
approval for continued use in
accordance with the Paperwork
Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C.
3501 et seq.).
DATES: Submit comments on or before
January 30, 2012.
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 from the RegInfo.gov
Web site, https://www.reginfo.gov/
public/do/PRAMain, on the day
following publication of this notice or
by contacting Michel Smyth by
telephone at (202) 693–4129 (this is not
a toll-free number) or sending an email
to DOL_PRA_PUBLIC@dol.gov.
Submit comments about this request
to the Office of Information and
Regulatory Affairs, Attn: OMB Desk
Officer for the Department of Labor,
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Office
of Management and Budget, Room
10235, Washington, DC 20503,
Telephone: (202) 395–6929/Fax: (202)
395–6881 (these are not toll-free
numbers), email:
OIRA_submission@omb.eop.gov.
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SUMMARY:
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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Contact Michel Smyth by telephone at
(202) 693–4129 (this is not a toll-free
number) or by email at
DOL_PRA_PUBLIC@dol.gov.
The
Manual provides the theoretical basis
and essential technical instructions and
guidance, which States require to
prepare State and area labor force
estimates, while the reports ensure and/
or measure the timeliness, quality,
consistency, and adherence to LAUS
program directives and research.
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 the 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 if the
collection of information does not
display a valid OMB Control Number.
See 5 CFR 1320.5(a) and 1320.6. The
DOL obtains OMB approval for this
information collection under OMB
Control Number 1220–0017. The current
OMB approval is scheduled to expire on
February 29, 2012; however, it should
be noted that existing information
collection requirements submitted to the
OMB receive a month-to-month
extension while they undergo review.
For additional information, see the
related notice published in the Federal
Register on September 27, 2011 (76 FR
59741).
Interested parties are encouraged to
send comments to the OMB, Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs at
the address shown in the ADDRESSES
section within 30 days of publication of
this notice in the Federal Register. In
order to help ensure appropriate
consideration, comments should
reference OMB Control Number 1220–
0017. The OMB 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
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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• 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: Bureau of Labor Statistics
(BLS).
Title of Collection: Local Area
Unemployment Statistics Program.
OMB Control Number: 1220–0017.
Affected Public: State Government.
Total Estimated Number of
Respondents: 52.
Total Estimated Number of
Responses: 95,790.
Total Estimated Annual Burden
Hours: 143,375.
Total Estimated Annual Other Costs
Burden: $0.
Linda Watts Thomas,
Acting Departmental Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2011–33468 Filed 12–28–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510–24–P
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Office of the Secretary
Bureau of International Labor Affairs;
Office of Trade and Labor Affairs;
Bahrain—United States Free Trade
Agreement; Notice of Extension of the
Period of Review for Submission
#2011–01
Bureau of International Labor
Affairs, U.S. Department of Labor.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
The Office of Trade and Labor
Affairs (OTLA) in the Bureau of
International Labor Affairs of the U.S.
Department of Labor has determined
that an extension of time is required for
its review of a public submission
concerning Bahrain filed under Chapter
Fifteen (the Labor Chapter) of the
Bahrain—United States Free Trade
Agreement (FTA).
The submission was received on April
21, 2011 from the American Federation
of Labor and Congress of Industrial
Organizations (AFL-CIO) and alleges
actions by the Government of Bahrain
that, if substantiated, would be
inconsistent with Bahrain’s
commitments under the FTA Labor
Chapter.
OTLA accepted the submission for
review on June 10, 2011, in accordance
with its published procedures and
standards for acceptance. Acceptance of
the submission for review does not
imply a finding that the allegations are
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\29DEN1.SGM
29DEN1
wreier-aviles on DSK3TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 250 / Thursday, December 29, 2011 / Notices
true. Rather, it triggers a 180-day factfinding and review period (unless
circumstances as determined by OTLA
require an extension of time) that results
in the issuance of a public report of any
findings and recommendations.
As part of its ongoing review, OTLA
sent a delegation to Bahrain from
October 22–26, 2011 to gather
information on issues raised by the
public submission. The Department of
Labor delegation met with
representatives from the Government of
Bahrain, Bahraini trade unions,
employers’ organizations, employers,
workers, and other groups with
information relevant to the submission.
Due to the receipt of recent
information relevant to the submission
and the thorough on-going review
process, OTLA has determined that the
circumstances require an extension of
time. The extension of time is necessary
to permit adequate consideration of
several recent developments:
• The Government of Bahrain has
recently made commitments to the U.S.
government and to the Bahraini public
to promptly and favorably resolve the
matters at issue in the AFL-CIO
submission. It is important for OTLA to
assess the progress made in coming
weeks towards prompt and favorable
resolution;
• OTLA has recently received a
substantial amount of information and a
large volume of documents, requiring
careful study and analysis. Several
hundred pages of documents in Arabic
require translation;
• OTLA’s visit to Bahrain for first
hand collection of documentary and
interview information, the source of
much of the most substantive and
relevant information, was twice
delayed, to accommodate the schedule
of elections in Bahrain and at the
request of the Government of Bahrain;
and
• There have been other recent
developments in response to the issues
raised by the AFL-CIO submission, and
on matters closely related to them. It is
important that there be sufficient
opportunity to assess the Government of
Bahrain’s response to them. These
include the issuance of the Report of the
Bahrain Independent Commission of
Inquiry and the proposal of the
Government of Bahrain to the Governing
Body of the International Labor
Organization (ILO) to constitute a
tripartite committee to address the issue
of workplace dismissals and
reinstatements, to avail itself of the
independent legal advice of the ILO,
and to report to the ILO Director General
and to the ILO Governing Body.
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15:12 Dec 28, 2011
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OTLA will continue to give this
matter the highest priority and to devote
the resources necessary to completing
the review as expeditiously as possible.
DATES: Effective Date: December 7, 2011.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Gregory Schoepfle, Director, OTLA, U.S.
Department of Labor, 200 Constitution
Avenue NW., Room S–5303,
Washington, DC 20210. Telephone:
(202) 693–4900 (this is not a toll-free
number).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Article
15.4.2 of the Labor Chapter of the
Bahrain—United States Free Trade
Agreement establishes that each Party’s
contact point shall provide for the
submission, receipt, and consideration
of communications from persons of a
Party on matters related to provisions of
the Labor Chapter and shall review such
communications in accordance with
domestic procedures. On December 14,
2006, the Department of Labor’s OTLA
was designated as the office to serve as
the contact point for administering the
labor provisions in free trade
agreements, including the Bahrain—
United States Free Trade Agreement. 71
FR 76691 (2006). The same Federal
Register notice informed the public of
the Procedural Guidelines that OTLA
would follow for the receipt and review
of public submissions. These Procedural
Guidelines are available at https://
www.dol.gov/ilab/programs/otla/
proceduralguidelines.htm. According to
the definitions contained in the
Procedural Guidelines (Section B) a
‘‘submission,’’ as used in the guidelines,
means ‘‘a communication from the
public containing specific allegations,
accompanied by relevant supporting
information, that another Party has
failed to meet its commitments or
obligations arising under a labor chapter
* * *.’’
The Procedural Guidelines specify
that OTLA shall consider six factors, to
the extent that they are relevant, in
determining whether to accept a
submission for review:
1. Whether the submission raises
issues relevant to any matter arising
under a labor chapter;
2. Whether a review would further the
objectives of a labor chapter;
3. Whether the submission clearly
identifies the person filing the
submission, is signed and dated, and is
sufficiently specific to determine the
nature of the request and permit an
appropriate review;
4. Whether the statements contained
in the submission, if substantiated,
would constitute a failure of the other
Party to comply with its obligations or
commitments under a labor chapter;
PO 00000
Frm 00077
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 9990
81985
5. Whether the statements contained
in the submission or available
information demonstrate that
appropriate relief has been sought under
the domestic laws of the other Party, or
that the matter or a related matter is
pending before an international body;
and,
6. Whether the submission is
substantially similar to a recent
submission and significant, new
information has been furnished that
would substantially differentiate the
submission from the one previously
filed.
The submission raises pertinent
issues that would further the objectives
of the Labor Chapter and that would, if
substantiated, constitute a failure of the
Government of Bahrain to comply with
its FTA commitments. The submission
provides new information and was filed
in a correct and complete manner with
an allegation that is specific enough to
be investigated. The affected trade
unionists have attempted to engage in
dialogue with the Government of
Bahrain regarding the allegations
contained in the submission. The OTLA
has taken these factors into account and
accepted the submission for review.
OTLA’s decision to accept the
submission for review is not intended to
indicate any determination as to the
validity or accuracy of the allegations
contained in the submission. The
objectives of the review of the
submission will be to gather information
so that OTLA can better understand and
publicly report on the U.S.
Government’s views regarding whether
the Government of Bahrain’s actions
were consistent with the obligations set
forth in the Labor Chapter of the
Bahrain—United States Free Trade
Agreement. The review will be
completed and a public report issued
within 180 days, unless circumstances,
as determined by OTLA, require an
extension of time, as set out in the
Procedural Guidelines. The public
report will include a summary of the
review process, as well as findings and
recommendations.
Signed at Washington, DC, on December
22, 2011.
Carol Pier,
Associate Deputy Undersecretary,
International Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2011–33478 Filed 12–28–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510–28–P
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 250 (Thursday, December 29, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 81984-81985]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-33478]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Office of the Secretary
Bureau of International Labor Affairs; Office of Trade and Labor
Affairs; Bahrain--United States Free Trade Agreement; Notice of
Extension of the Period of Review for Submission 2011-01
AGENCY: Bureau of International Labor Affairs, U.S. Department of
Labor.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Office of Trade and Labor Affairs (OTLA) in the Bureau of
International Labor Affairs of the U.S. Department of Labor has
determined that an extension of time is required for its review of a
public submission concerning Bahrain filed under Chapter Fifteen (the
Labor Chapter) of the Bahrain--United States Free Trade Agreement
(FTA).
The submission was received on April 21, 2011 from the American
Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO)
and alleges actions by the Government of Bahrain that, if
substantiated, would be inconsistent with Bahrain's commitments under
the FTA Labor Chapter.
OTLA accepted the submission for review on June 10, 2011, in
accordance with its published procedures and standards for acceptance.
Acceptance of the submission for review does not imply a finding that
the allegations are
[[Page 81985]]
true. Rather, it triggers a 180-day fact-finding and review period
(unless circumstances as determined by OTLA require an extension of
time) that results in the issuance of a public report of any findings
and recommendations.
As part of its ongoing review, OTLA sent a delegation to Bahrain
from October 22-26, 2011 to gather information on issues raised by the
public submission. The Department of Labor delegation met with
representatives from the Government of Bahrain, Bahraini trade unions,
employers' organizations, employers, workers, and other groups with
information relevant to the submission.
Due to the receipt of recent information relevant to the submission
and the thorough on-going review process, OTLA has determined that the
circumstances require an extension of time. The extension of time is
necessary to permit adequate consideration of several recent
developments:
The Government of Bahrain has recently made commitments to
the U.S. government and to the Bahraini public to promptly and
favorably resolve the matters at issue in the AFL-CIO submission. It is
important for OTLA to assess the progress made in coming weeks towards
prompt and favorable resolution;
OTLA has recently received a substantial amount of
information and a large volume of documents, requiring careful study
and analysis. Several hundred pages of documents in Arabic require
translation;
OTLA's visit to Bahrain for first hand collection of
documentary and interview information, the source of much of the most
substantive and relevant information, was twice delayed, to accommodate
the schedule of elections in Bahrain and at the request of the
Government of Bahrain; and
There have been other recent developments in response to
the issues raised by the AFL-CIO submission, and on matters closely
related to them. It is important that there be sufficient opportunity
to assess the Government of Bahrain's response to them. These include
the issuance of the Report of the Bahrain Independent Commission of
Inquiry and the proposal of the Government of Bahrain to the Governing
Body of the International Labor Organization (ILO) to constitute a
tripartite committee to address the issue of workplace dismissals and
reinstatements, to avail itself of the independent legal advice of the
ILO, and to report to the ILO Director General and to the ILO Governing
Body.
OTLA will continue to give this matter the highest priority and to
devote the resources necessary to completing the review as
expeditiously as possible.
DATES: Effective Date: December 7, 2011.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gregory Schoepfle, Director, OTLA,
U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Room S-5303,
Washington, DC 20210. Telephone: (202) 693-4900 (this is not a toll-
free number).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Article 15.4.2 of the Labor Chapter of the
Bahrain--United States Free Trade Agreement establishes that each
Party's contact point shall provide for the submission, receipt, and
consideration of communications from persons of a Party on matters
related to provisions of the Labor Chapter and shall review such
communications in accordance with domestic procedures. On December 14,
2006, the Department of Labor's OTLA was designated as the office to
serve as the contact point for administering the labor provisions in
free trade agreements, including the Bahrain--United States Free Trade
Agreement. 71 FR 76691 (2006). The same Federal Register notice
informed the public of the Procedural Guidelines that OTLA would follow
for the receipt and review of public submissions. These Procedural
Guidelines are available at https://www.dol.gov/ilab/programs/otla/proceduralguidelines.htm. According to the definitions contained in the
Procedural Guidelines (Section B) a ``submission,'' as used in the
guidelines, means ``a communication from the public containing specific
allegations, accompanied by relevant supporting information, that
another Party has failed to meet its commitments or obligations arising
under a labor chapter * * *.''
The Procedural Guidelines specify that OTLA shall consider six
factors, to the extent that they are relevant, in determining whether
to accept a submission for review:
1. Whether the submission raises issues relevant to any matter
arising under a labor chapter;
2. Whether a review would further the objectives of a labor
chapter;
3. Whether the submission clearly identifies the person filing the
submission, is signed and dated, and is sufficiently specific to
determine the nature of the request and permit an appropriate review;
4. Whether the statements contained in the submission, if
substantiated, would constitute a failure of the other Party to comply
with its obligations or commitments under a labor chapter;
5. Whether the statements contained in the submission or available
information demonstrate that appropriate relief has been sought under
the domestic laws of the other Party, or that the matter or a related
matter is pending before an international body; and,
6. Whether the submission is substantially similar to a recent
submission and significant, new information has been furnished that
would substantially differentiate the submission from the one
previously filed.
The submission raises pertinent issues that would further the
objectives of the Labor Chapter and that would, if substantiated,
constitute a failure of the Government of Bahrain to comply with its
FTA commitments. The submission provides new information and was filed
in a correct and complete manner with an allegation that is specific
enough to be investigated. The affected trade unionists have attempted
to engage in dialogue with the Government of Bahrain regarding the
allegations contained in the submission. The OTLA has taken these
factors into account and accepted the submission for review.
OTLA's decision to accept the submission for review is not intended
to indicate any determination as to the validity or accuracy of the
allegations contained in the submission. The objectives of the review
of the submission will be to gather information so that OTLA can better
understand and publicly report on the U.S. Government's views regarding
whether the Government of Bahrain's actions were consistent with the
obligations set forth in the Labor Chapter of the Bahrain--United
States Free Trade Agreement. The review will be completed and a public
report issued within 180 days, unless circumstances, as determined by
OTLA, require an extension of time, as set out in the Procedural
Guidelines. The public report will include a summary of the review
process, as well as findings and recommendations.
Signed at Washington, DC, on December 22, 2011.
Carol Pier,
Associate Deputy Undersecretary, International Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2011-33478 Filed 12-28-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-28-P
