Agency Information Collection Activities: Announcement of Board Approval Under Delegated Authority and Submission to OMB, 49370-49371 [2017-23150]

Agencies

• FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 205 (Wednesday, October 25, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49370-49371]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-23150]


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FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM


Agency Information Collection Activities: Announcement of Board 
Approval Under Delegated Authority and Submission to OMB

AGENCY: Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

SUMMARY: The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Board) 
is adopting a proposal to extend for three years, with revision, the 
Application for Employment with the Board of Governors of the Federal 
Reserve System (FR 28; OMB No. 7100-0181). The revisions are applicable 
as of October 31, 2017.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Federal Reserve Board Clearance 
Officer--Nuha Elmaghrabi--Office of the Chief Data Officer, Board of 
Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Washington, DC 20551, (202) 
452-3829. Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) users may 
contact (202) 263-4869, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve 
System, Washington, DC 20551.
    OMB Desk Officer--Shagufta Ahmed--Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, New Executive 
Office Building, Room 10235, 725 17th Street NW., Washington, DC 20503 
or by fax to (202) 395-6974.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On June 15, 1984, the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) delegated to the Board authority under the Paperwork 
Reduction Act (PRA) to approve of and assign OMB control numbers to 
collection of information requests and requirements conducted or 
sponsored by the Board. Board-approved collections of information are 
incorporated into the official OMB inventory of currently approved 
collections of information. Copies of the Paperwork Reduction Act 
Submission, supporting statements and approved collection of 
information instrument(s) are placed into OMB's public docket files. 
The Federal Reserve may not conduct or sponsor, and the respondent is 
not required to respond to, an information collection that has been 
extended, revised, or implemented on or after October 1, 1995, unless 
it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

Final Approval Under OMB Delegated Authority of the Extension for Three 
Years, With Revision, of the Following Report

    Report title: Application for Employment with the Board of 
Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
    Agency form number: FR 28, FR 28s, FR 28i.
    OMB control number: 7100-0181.
    Frequency: As needed.
    Respondents: Individuals.
    Estimated number of respondents: FR 28: 3,500, FR 28s: 2,000, FR 
28i: 300.
    Estimated average hours per response: FR 28: 1 hour, FR 28s: 1 
minute, FR 28i: 15 minutes.

[[Page 49371]]

    Estimated annual burden hours: FR 28: 3,500 hours, FR 28s: 33 
hours, FR 28i: 75 hours, Total: 3,608 hours.
    General description of report: The Application for Employment with 
the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Application) 
collects information to determine the qualifications and availability 
of applicants for employment with the Board of Governors of the Federal 
Reserve System (Board). The FR 28 collects information on education and 
training, employment record, military service record, and other 
information since the time the applicant left high school. Included 
with the FR 28 are two supplemental questionnaires: (1) The Applicant's 
Voluntary Self-Identification Form (FR 28s), which collects information 
on the applicant's gender and ethnic group and (2) The Research 
Assistant Candidate Survey of Interests (FR 28i), which collects 
information from candidates applying for Research Assistant (RA) 
positions on their level of interest in economics and related areas. 
The Board receives approximately 3,500 applications per year, both 
solicited and unsolicited, from members of the public who would like to 
be considered for employment at the Board. Since the applicant is 
usually either hired by the Board or finds other employment within the 
two years that the Board retains the Application, the applicant 
generally files the Application once.
    The Application is comprised of eight sections: Background, 
Education and Training, Employment Record, Military Service Record, 
References, General, Remarks, and Notes. The first six sections collect 
information on specific aspects of the applicant's qualifications. The 
Background section collects name, address, telephone, and citizenship 
information and the position for which the applicant is applying. The 
Education and Training section collects detailed information on the 
applicant's educational history and skills set. The Employment Record 
section collects a chronological summary of work experience. The 
Military Service Record section collects information on service branch, 
rank, duties, and discharge. The References section collects 
information on three references. The General section collects 
information on criminal records, discharge from employment, willingness 
to travel, and relations to or acquaintances with Board staff or 
officers and directors of financial institutions. The Remarks section 
provides the applicant an opportunity to provide further information 
regarding his or her qualifications. The Notes section explains what is 
required of the applicant prior to an interview and what may be 
required of the applicant if he or she is offered a position (for 
example, transcripts, medical examination, or drug test).
    The FR 28s is comprised of four sections: (1) Name and gender, in 
which the applicant is asked to check the box that corresponds to 
gender or check ``I do not wish to disclose'', (2) position for which 
the applicant is applying, (3) ethnicity self-identification, in which 
the applicant is asked to choose between Hispanic or Latino or Not 
Hispanic or Latino, or ``I do not wish to disclose,'' and (4) race 
self-identification, in which the applicant is asked to choose one or 
more among American Indian or Alaskan Native, Asian, Black or African-
American, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, White, or ``I do 
not wish to disclose.'' The Board uses this information to comply with 
federal equal employment opportunity (EEO) recordkeeping and reporting 
requirements, other legal requirements, and as an input to its self-
analysis of hiring practices. Information collected on the FR 28s has 
no bearing on the determination of an applicant's job-related 
qualifications and completion of the self-identification form is 
voluntary.
    The FR 28i is comprised of three sections in which research 
assistant candidates are asked to rate their level of interest in 
categories of economics and related research areas, experience with 
various software packages and statistical programming languages, and 
interest in pursuing educational opportunities after leaving the Board. 
The FR 28i helps to streamline the recruitment process.
    Legal authorization and confidentiality: The Board's Legal Division 
has determined that the Application (including the two supplemental 
questionnaires) is required to obtain the benefit of Board employment. 
It is authorized pursuant to sections 10(4) and 11(1) of the Federal 
Reserve Act, which provide the Federal Reserve Board broad authority 
over employment of staff (12 U.S.C. 244 and 248(l)). Information 
provided on the Application (including the two supplemental 
questionnaires) will be kept confidential under exemption (b)(6) of the 
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to the extent that the disclosure of 
information ``would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of 
personal privacy.'' (5 U.S.C. 552(b)(6)). For example, the release of 
information such as an applicant's date of birth, address, phone 
number, and personal information regarding any references provided 
would likely constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal 
privacy, and would be kept confidential. However, the release of 
information such as the educational and professional qualifications of 
applicants would not likely constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion 
of personal privacy and would not be kept confidential.
    Current actions: On July 28, 2017, the Federal Reserve published a 
notice in the Federal Register (82 FR 35202) requesting public comment 
for 60 days on the extension, with revision, of the Application for 
Employment with the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. 
The Board proposed minor revisions to the FR 28 form, including (1) 
adding fields in the employment history section for job type, shift, 
employee status, and desired compensation, (2) adding fields in the 
education and training section for issue and expiration date for 
certifications and professional licenses, (3) adding fields in the 
references section for relationship, type, and length of relationship 
with the reference, and (4) adding fields in the submission section to 
allow for withdrawal of the application and a request for the applicant 
to provide a reason for withdrawal. In addition, the Board proposed to 
revise the FR 28i by adding a section to allow an open-ended response 
by applicants to describe how they have demonstrated attributes that 
are displayed by successful research assistants in the Economics 
Divisions. The comment period for this notice expired on September 26, 
2017. The Board did not receive any comments. The revisions will be 
implemented as proposed.

    Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, October 20, 
2017.
Ann E. Misback,
Secretary of the Board.
[FR Doc. 2017-23150 Filed 10-24-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6210-01-P