Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; Institutional Analysis of American Job Centers (AJCs) Study, 44869-44871 [2014-18184]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 148 / Friday, August 1, 2014 / Notices tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES the Washington, DC area, commenters are strongly encouraged to transmit their comments electronically via email or to submit them by mail early. Comments, including any personal information provided, become a matter of public record. They will also be summarized and/or included in the request for OMB approval of the information collection request. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Erika Liliedahl by telephone at 202– 693–5992 (this is not a toll-free number) or by email at ChiefEvaluationOffice@ dol.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Background The Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College Career Training (TAACCCT) grants program provides community colleges and other eligible institutions of higher education with funds to expand and improve their ability to deliver education and career training programs that can be completed in two years or less and are suited for workers who are eligible for training under the Trade Adjustment Assistance for Workers program. TAACCCT-funded programs assist participants in acquiring the skills, degrees, and credentials needed employment while also meeting the needs of employers for skilled workers. A total of 185 grants have been awarded with 49 in fiscal year 2011 (‘‘Round 1’’), 79 in fiscal year 2012 (‘‘Round 2’’), and 57 in fiscal year 2013 (‘‘Round 3’’). The purpose of the evaluation, funded by the Chief Evaluation Office, is to evaluate the national TAACCCT grants program, using a mixed-method design including outcome analysis, formal implementation analysis, performance assessment, and evaluability assessment. All Round 2 and 3 grantees and several Round 1 grantees have independent third-party evaluations. The national evaluator is collaborating with grantees and their evaluators and will provide a nationwide assessment of the overall initiative. This package requests clearance for an online survey of all participating TAACCCT colleges and structured fieldwork in the form of site visits to 10 Round 2 and 10 Round 3 grantees. The online survey is aimed at developing a comprehensive description of grant activities undertaken by participating TAACCCT colleges, as well as assessing the extent to which grantees have achieved the main goals under the initiative. Unlike the planned site visits to a small select group of TAACCCT grants, the online survey will provide an opportunity to collect VerDate Mar<15>2010 22:09 Jul 31, 2014 Jkt 232001 responses to survey questions from all colleges that are a part of the 178 Round 1–3 TAACCCT grants. There are two primary data sources for the structured fieldwork: Semistructured interviews and focus groups. Interviews will be conducted with college administrators, program coordinators, faculty and instructional staff, industry and community partners, and employers. Field researchers will use a modular interview guide, organized by major topics that can be adapted based on the respondent’s knowledge base, to prompt discussions on the approaches used and experiences of the grantees and stakeholders. Inperson interviews will provide firsthand about the experiences of those involved in planning, implementing, and participating in the programs and the characteristics that contribute to success or lack of success in addressing and overcoming workforce challenges. To understand the experiences and perspectives of the participants in the TAACCCT-funded activities, the research team will conduct focus groups of students at each site. Focus group questions will be open-ended and designed to elicit detailed responses. From the focus groups with program participants, researchers will learn about their perceptions regarding the training and service delivery approaches including, recruitment and orientation to the training or career path, supports provided before and after training, educational attainment and employment, and satisfaction with the training program. II. Desired Focus of Comments Currently, the Department of Labor is soliciting comments concerning the above data collection for the national evaluation of the TAACCCT grants program. Comments are requested to: * 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 * minimize the burden of the information collection on those who are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of PO 00000 Frm 00132 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 44869 information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submissions of responses. III. Current Actions At this time, the Department of Labor is requesting clearance for data collection for the national evaluation of the TAACCCT grants program via survey and fieldwork efforts. Type of review: New information collection request. OMB Control Number: 1205–0NEW. Affected Public: Students participating in and staff and partners associated with implementing TAACCCT grant programs. Frequency: Once. Total Responses: 1,440. Average Time per Response: 76 minutes. Estimated Total Burden Hours: 1,824 hours. Total Other Burden Cost: $0. Comments submitted in response to this request will be summarized and/or included in the request for Office of Management and Budget approval; they will also become a matter of public record. James H. Moore, Jr., Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, U.S. Department of Labor. [FR Doc. 2014–18179 Filed 7–31–14; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4510–23–P DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Office of the Secretary Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; Institutional Analysis of American Job Centers (AJCs) Study Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy, Labor. ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: The Department of Labor (DOL), 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 required 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. SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\01AUN1.SGM 01AUN1 44870 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 148 / Friday, August 1, 2014 / Notices A copy of the proposed ICR can be obtained by contacting the office listed below in the addressee section of this notice. Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the addressee section below on or before September 30, 2014. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either one of the following methods: Email: ChiefEvaluationOffice@dol.gov; Mail or Courier: Erika Liliedahl, Chief Evaluation Office, U.S. Department of Labor, Room S–2312, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20210. Instructions: Please submit one copy of your comments by only one method. All submissions received must include the agency name and OMB Control Number identified above for this information collection. Because we continue to experience delays in receiving mail in the Washington, DC area, commenters are strongly encouraged to transmit their comments electronically via email or to submit them by mail early. Comments, including any personal information provided, become a matter of public record. They will also be summarized and/or included in the request for OMB approval of the information collection request. DATES: FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Erika Liliedahl by telephone at 202– 693–5992 (this is not a toll-free number) or by email at ChiefEvaluationOffice@ dol.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES I. Background When Congress overhauled the country’s public workforce system with the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) in 1998, its paramount goal was to replace America’s fragmented and inefficient patchwork of employment and training programs with a more streamlined and coordinated service delivery system. To that end, WIA required that local workforce investment boards (LWIBs) establish centers—now known as American Job Centers (AJCs)—to provide ‘‘one-stop shopping’’ for customers seeking employment information and access to jobs, training, and related services. While all AJCs provide employment related services, there is variation across centers in their organization, partnering arrangements, data reporting, funding, administration, and service delivery. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is sponsoring a comprehensive study to better understand the spectrum of institutional features that shape AJCs’ day-to-day operations and customer experiences. VerDate Mar<15>2010 22:09 Jul 31, 2014 Jkt 232001 The goals of the Institutional Analysis of American Job Centers (AJCs) study are to systematically document key institutional characteristics of AJCs; present a comprehensive description of AJC funding, organization, administration and management, and service delivery structures and processes; and develop typologies of AJCs that capture the institutional variations documented. To achieve these goals, an in-depth institutional analysis will be conducted that systematically documents AJCs’ operations across 10 research domains: (1) Administrative structure; (2) partnerships; (3) performance and strategic management; (4) staffing; (5) physical environment; (6) Management Information S system capacity and the use of technology, including electronic tools and resources; (7) service delivery structure and linkages; (8) the program and service mix provided; (9) outreach; and (10) funding. In addition, the study will consider external factors that are particularly important for understanding AJC structure, operations, policies, and processes. These include LWIBs and state-level workforce agencies that have administrative and oversight responsibilities over AJCs. This package requests clearance for: (1) Site visits to AJCs; (2) telephone interviews with state workforce administrators in states where site visits are conducted; and (3) a network analysis survey of selected study AJC partner organizations. The site visits include semi-structured interviews, and observations of center operations and client flow. Interviews with state workforce administrators in each state in which there is a selected AJC will be conducted to gather statelevel information that is relevant for understanding local-level AJC organization and operations. A network analysis of AJC partnerships will be conducted based on a brief survey administered to a subset of the AJCs selected for site visits. There are two primary data sources for the study: Semi-structured interviews and a survey. Semistructured telephone interviews will be conducted with state workforce administrators. In-person interviews during the site visits will be conducted with AJC managers and key partner staff, AJC line staff, and LWIB staff; telephone interviews will be conducted in cases where an on-site meeting cannot be arranged. Field researchers will use a modular interview guide, organized by major topics that can be adapted based on the respondent’s PO 00000 Frm 00133 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 knowledge base, to prompt discussions on topics of interest to the study. To better understand relationships between the AJC partners, the research team will supplement information about AJC partnerships obtained through semi-structured interviews with a network analysis survey of AJC partners that is distributed through email in the form of an editable PDF. The network analysis survey is a brief, targeted tool used to explore the strength of relationships between the key entities (partners) that oversee service delivery within the AJC framework as part of the overall effort to describe and analyze the institutional characteristics of the AJC system. The short survey will systematically collect information on select elements of partner interactions (frequency of communication, level of collaboration, and referral flow). II. Desired Focus of Comments Currently, the Department of Labor is soliciting comments concerning the above data collection Institutional Analysis of American Job Centers. Comments are requested to: * 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 * Minimize the burden of the information collection on those who are to respond, including 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 At this time, the Department of Labor is requesting clearance for data collection for the Institutional Analysis of AJCs via a survey and interviews. Type of review: New information collection request. OMB Control Number: 1205–0NEW. Affected Public: Members of the public affected by the data collection include state and local government agencies, for-profit institutions, and notfor-profit institutions. Respondent groups identified include (1) State, regional, and local workforce agency and (2) AJC partners. Frequency: Once. E:\FR\FM\01AUN1.SGM 01AUN1 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 148 / Friday, August 1, 2014 / Notices Total Responses: 1,643. Average Time per Response: 60 minutes. Estimated Total Burden Hours: 1,643 hours. Total Other Burden Cost: $0. Comments submitted in response to this request will be summarized and/or included in the request for Office of Management and Budget approval; they will also become a matter of public record. please contact the Office at 202–707– 8350 for special instructions. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jacqueline C. Charlesworth, General Counsel and Associate Register of Copyrights, by email at jcharlesworth@ loc.gov or by telephone at 202–707– 8350; or Sarang V. Damle, Special Advisor to the General Counsel, by email at sdam@loc.gov or by telephone at 202–707–8350. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: James H. Moore, Jr., Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, U.S. Department of Labor. I. Background The U.S. Copyright Office is conducting a study to assess the effectiveness of current methods for licensing sound recordings and musical works. The Office received written comments responding to an initial Notice of Inquiry, and held three public roundtables in Nashville, Los Angeles and New York. See 78 FR 13739 (Mar. 17, 2014); 79 FR 25626 (May 5, 2014). On July 23, 2014, the Office published a second Notice of Inquiry, seeking additional written comments on ten subjects concerning the music licensing environment. 79 FR 42833. To ensure commenters have sufficient time to address the topics set forth in the July 2014 Notice of Inquiry, the Office is extending the time for filing written comments from August 22, 2014 to September 12, 2014. [FR Doc. 2014–18184 Filed 7–31–14; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4510–23–P LIBRARY OF CONGRESS Copyright Office [Docket No. 2014–03] Music Licensing Study U.S. Copyright Office, Library of Congress. ACTION: Notice of extension of comment period. AGENCY: The United States Copyright Office is extending the deadline for public comments regarding the effectiveness of existing methods of licensing music that were solicited in a July 23, 2014 Notice of Inquiry. See 79 FR 42833 (July 23, 2014). DATES: Written comments are now due on or before September 12, 2014. ADDRESSES: All comments shall be submitted electronically. A comment page containing a comment form is posted on the Office Web site at https://www.copyright.gov/docs/ musiclicensingstudy. The Web site interface requires commenting parties to complete a form specifying their name and organization, as applicable, and to upload comments as an attachment via a browser button. To meet accessibility standards, commenting parties must upload comments in a single file not to exceed six megabytes (MB) in one of the following formats: The Portable Document File (PDF) format that contains searchable, accessible text (not an image); Microsoft Word; WordPerfect; Rich Text Format (RTF); or ASCII text file format (not a scanned document). The form and face of the comments must include both the name of the submitter and organization. The Office will post the comments publicly on the Office’s Web site in the form that they are received, along with associated names and organizations. If electronic submission of comments is not feasible, tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: VerDate Mar<15>2010 22:09 Jul 31, 2014 Jkt 232001 Dated: July 28, 2014. Maria A. Pallante, Register of Copyrights. [FR Doc. 2014–18096 Filed 7–31–14; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 1410–30–P LIBRARY OF CONGRESS U.S. Copyright Office [Docket No. 2014–02] Extension of Comment Period; Study on the Right of Making Available; Request for Additional Comments U.S. Copyright Office, Library of Congress. ACTION: Extension of comment period. AGENCY: The U.S. Copyright Office is extending the deadline for public comments that address topics listed in the Office’s July 15, 2014 Request for Additional Comments. DATES: Comments are now due no later than 5:00 p.m. EDT on September 15, 2014. ADDRESSES: All comments should be submitted electronically. To submit comments, please visit https:// www.copyright.gov/docs/making_ available/. The Web site interface SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00134 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 9990 44871 requires submitters to complete a form specifying name and organization, as applicable, and to upload comments as an attachment via a browser button. To meet accessibility standards, commenting parties must upload comments in a single file not to exceed six megabytes (‘‘MB’’) in one of the following formats: a Portable Document File (‘‘PDF’’) format that contains searchable, accessible text (not an image); Microsoft Word; WordPerfect; Rich Text Format (‘‘RTF’’); or ASCII text file format (not a scanned document). The form and face of the comments must include both the name of the submitter and organization. The Office will post all comments publicly on the Office’s Web site exactly as they are received, along with names and organizations. If electronic submission of comments is not feasible, please contact the Office at 202–707–1027 for special instructions. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Maria Strong, Senior Counsel for Policy and International Affairs, by telephone at 202–707–1027 or by email at mstrong@loc.gov, or Kevin Amer, Counsel for Policy and International Affairs, by telephone at 202–707–1027 or by email at kamer@loc.gov. On July 15, 2014, the Copyright Office issued a Request for Additional Comments on the state of U.S. law recognizing and protecting ‘‘making available’’ and ‘‘communication to the public’’ rights for copyright holders.1 The Request listed several questions for interested members of the public to address in the context of U.S. implementation of the WIPO Copyright Treaty (WCT) and the WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty (WPPT) rights of ‘‘making available’’ and ‘‘communication to the public,’’ and also invited views on specific issues raised during the public roundtable held in Washington, DC on May 5, 2014. To provide sufficient time for commenters to respond, the Office is extending the time for filing additional comments from August 14, 2014 to September 15, 2014. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Dated: July 28, 2014. Karyn A. Temple Claggett, Associate Register of Copyrights. [FR Doc. 2014–18097 Filed 7–31–14; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 1410–30–P 1 Study on the Right of Making Available; Request for Additional Comments, 79 FR 41309 (July 15, 2014). E:\FR\FM\01AUN1.SGM 01AUN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 148 (Friday, August 1, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44869-44871]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-18184]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Office of the Secretary


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Institutional Analysis of American Job Centers 
(AJCs) Study

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy, Labor.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Department of Labor (DOL), 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 required 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.

[[Page 44870]]

    A copy of the proposed 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 section below on or before September 30, 2014.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either one of the following 
methods: Email: ChiefEvaluationOffice@dol.gov; Mail or Courier: Erika 
Liliedahl, Chief Evaluation Office, U.S. Department of Labor, Room S-
2312, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20210. Instructions: 
Please submit one copy of your comments by only one method. All 
submissions received must include the agency name and OMB Control 
Number identified above for this information collection. Because we 
continue to experience delays in receiving mail in the Washington, DC 
area, commenters are strongly encouraged to transmit their comments 
electronically via email or to submit them by mail early. Comments, 
including any personal information provided, become a matter of public 
record. They will also be summarized and/or included in the request for 
OMB approval of the information collection request.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Erika Liliedahl by telephone at 202-
693-5992 (this is not a toll-free number) or by email at 
ChiefEvaluationOffice@dol.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    When Congress overhauled the country's public workforce system with 
the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) in 1998, its paramount goal was to 
replace America's fragmented and inefficient patchwork of employment 
and training programs with a more streamlined and coordinated service 
delivery system. To that end, WIA required that local workforce 
investment boards (LWIBs) establish centers--now known as American Job 
Centers (AJCs)--to provide ``one-stop shopping'' for customers seeking 
employment information and access to jobs, training, and related 
services. While all AJCs provide employment related services, there is 
variation across centers in their organization, partnering 
arrangements, data reporting, funding, administration, and service 
delivery. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is sponsoring a 
comprehensive study to better understand the spectrum of institutional 
features that shape AJCs' day-to-day operations and customer 
experiences.
    The goals of the Institutional Analysis of American Job Centers 
(AJCs) study are to systematically document key institutional 
characteristics of AJCs; present a comprehensive description of AJC 
funding, organization, administration and management, and service 
delivery structures and processes; and develop typologies of AJCs that 
capture the institutional variations documented.
    To achieve these goals, an in-depth institutional analysis will be 
conducted that systematically documents AJCs' operations across 10 
research domains: (1) Administrative structure; (2) partnerships; (3) 
performance and strategic management; (4) staffing; (5) physical 
environment; (6) Management Information S system capacity and the use 
of technology, including electronic tools and resources; (7) service 
delivery structure and linkages; (8) the program and service mix 
provided; (9) outreach; and (10) funding. In addition, the study will 
consider external factors that are particularly important for 
understanding AJC structure, operations, policies, and processes. These 
include LWIBs and state-level workforce agencies that have 
administrative and oversight responsibilities over AJCs.
    This package requests clearance for: (1) Site visits to AJCs; (2) 
telephone interviews with state workforce administrators in states 
where site visits are conducted; and (3) a network analysis survey of 
selected study AJC partner organizations.
    The site visits include semi-structured interviews, and 
observations of center operations and client flow. Interviews with 
state workforce administrators in each state in which there is a 
selected AJC will be conducted to gather state-level information that 
is relevant for understanding local-level AJC organization and 
operations. A network analysis of AJC partnerships will be conducted 
based on a brief survey administered to a subset of the AJCs selected 
for site visits.
    There are two primary data sources for the study: Semi-structured 
interviews and a survey. Semi-structured telephone interviews will be 
conducted with state workforce administrators. In-person interviews 
during the site visits will be conducted with AJC managers and key 
partner staff, AJC line staff, and LWIB staff; telephone interviews 
will be conducted in cases where an on-site meeting cannot be arranged. 
Field researchers will use a modular interview guide, organized by 
major topics that can be adapted based on the respondent's knowledge 
base, to prompt discussions on topics of interest to the study.
    To better understand relationships between the AJC partners, the 
research team will supplement information about AJC partnerships 
obtained through semi-structured interviews with a network analysis 
survey of AJC partners that is distributed through email in the form of 
an editable PDF. The network analysis survey is a brief, targeted tool 
used to explore the strength of relationships between the key entities 
(partners) that oversee service delivery within the AJC framework as 
part of the overall effort to describe and analyze the institutional 
characteristics of the AJC system. The short survey will systematically 
collect information on select elements of partner interactions 
(frequency of communication, level of collaboration, and referral 
flow).

II. Desired Focus of Comments

    Currently, the Department of Labor is soliciting comments 
concerning the above data collection Institutional Analysis of American 
Job Centers. Comments are requested to:
    * 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
    * Minimize the burden of the information collection on those who 
are to respond, including 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

    At this time, the Department of Labor is requesting clearance for 
data collection for the Institutional Analysis of AJCs via a survey and 
interviews.
    Type of review: New information collection request.
    OMB Control Number: 1205-0NEW.
    Affected Public: Members of the public affected by the data 
collection include state and local government agencies, for-profit 
institutions, and not-for-profit institutions. Respondent groups 
identified include (1) State, regional, and local workforce agency and 
(2) AJC partners.
    Frequency: Once.

[[Page 44871]]

    Total Responses: 1,643.
    Average Time per Response: 60 minutes.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 1,643 hours.
    Total Other Burden Cost: $0.
    Comments submitted in response to this request will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for Office of Management and Budget 
approval; they will also become a matter of public record.

James H. Moore, Jr.,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, U.S. Department of Labor.
[FR Doc. 2014-18184 Filed 7-31-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-23-P
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.