Information Collection Activities; Comment Request, 61330-61332 [2017-27852]
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61330
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 247 / Wednesday, December 27, 2017 / Notices
to Byron Anderson, Office of
Congressional and Intergovernmental
Affairs, on (202) 693–4600, or
anderson.byron.e@dol.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant
to section 224(a), the Department will
investigate: (1) The number of workers
in the domestic industry producing the
like or directly competitive article(s)
who have been or are likely to be
certified as eligible for adjustment
assistance, and (2) the extent to which
the adjustment of such workers to the
import competition may be facilitated
through the use of existing programs.
The full text of the report will be posted
on the Department’s website at https://
www.doleta.gov/tradeact.
Procedural Summary: On October 5,
2017, the Commission issued an
affirmative determination under Section
202(b)(1) of the Trade Act of 1974 in its
safeguard investigation No. TA–201–76,
Large Residential Washers. The
Commission submitted a report to the
President on December 4, 2017, which
can be found on https://www.usitc.gov.
A summary was also published in the
Federal Register (82 FR 58026
(December 08, 2017)).
Section 202(c)(1) of the Trade Act
directs the Department to report to the
President certain information whenever
the Commission makes a finding under
Section 202 of the Trade Act. The
Department’s report to the President
studies the following:
(1) The number of workers in the
domestic industry for LRWs producing
the like or directly competitive article
who have been or are likely to be
certified as eligible for adjustment
assistance; and
(2) The extent to which the
adjustment of workers to the import
competition may be facilitated through
the use of existing programs.
Consistent with the statutory
requirement, the focus of the
Department’s study is limited to
potential future job losses related to
increased imports on the domestic
production of LRWs. Job losses in
related domestic industries or upstream
providers, if any, and consequences of
potential remedies, such as foregone job
growth due to less foreign direct
investment are outside the scope of this
report. Based on the Department’s
analysis, the current size of the U.S.
domestic workforce responsible for the
production of LRWs is approximately
4,000.
In the U.S. domestic industry, there
are four companies which are currently
employing workers: Whirlpool, Staber,
Alliance, and General Electric. During
the Commission’s investigation, the
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21:43 Dec 26, 2017
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petitioner (Whirlpool) maintained that
in addition to tariffs, a quota on
imported covered parts would be a
strong final remedy that will ensure U.S.
manufacturing jobs are protected.
However, other interested stakeholders
(LG and Samsung) suggest that among
other things, the protection of U.S. jobs
afforded by the tariff and quota may be
offset in part by the loss of U.S. jobs that
could result from higher consumer
prices for LRWs and reduce overall
consumer demand. We also note that
Samsung and LG both have plans in the
near future to open factories in the
United States that would provide an
estimated 1,600 new jobs in this
industry. It is difficult to determine
what the effect any remedies would
have on long-run employment in this
industry.
The Department’s study on LRWs, as
required under Section 224, found the
following:
1. The Department received Trade
Adjustment Assistance (TAA) petitions
for four worker groups involved in the
production of LRWs since January 2012.
All four of those worker groups were
certified as eligible to apply for TAA,
resulting in an estimated 183 workers
eligible to apply for individual benefits
under the TAA Program.
2. The Department estimates that 324
additional workers are likely to be
covered by certified TAA petitions
before the end of 2019.
3. Sufficient funding is available to
provide TAA benefits and services to
these workers. In Fiscal Year 2017, the
Department provided $391 million to
states to provide training and other
activities for TAA participants, as well
as $294 million in funding for Trade
Readjustment Allowances, and $31
million in Reemployment Trade
Adjustment Assistance funds.
4. The Department believes that
training and benefits under the Trade
Act, other Department programs, and
programs at other federal agencies are
sufficient to assist workers in the LRWs
industry to adjust to the trade impact.
As required by Section 224(f)(1) of the
Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2274(f)(1)),
the Department must provide notice of
an affirmative determination by the
Commission and the identity of the
affected firms to the Governor in each
State in which one or more firms in the
affected industry are located. The
Department must also notify
representatives of the domestic
industry, firms identified by name
during the proceedings, and any
recognized worker representatives of the
benefits available under the TAA
program, the manner in which to file a
petition to apply for such benefits, and
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the availability of assistance in filing
TAA petitions.
Finally, once the Commission’s
findings and the Department’s report are
provided to the President, the President
may impose relief in the form of
increased duties and/or other
restrictions on imports of LRWs under
Section 203 of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C.
2253).
Rosemary Lahasky,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Employment
and Training.
[FR Doc. 2017–27670 Filed 12–26–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510–FN–P
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Information Collection Activities;
Comment Request
Bureau of Labor Statistics,
Department of Labor.
ACTION: Notice of information collection;
request for comment.
AGENCY:
The Department of Labor, as
part of its continuing effort to reduce
paperwork and respondent burden,
conducts a pre-clearance 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. 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. The Bureau of Labor
Statistics (BLS) is soliciting comments
concerning the proposed revision of the
‘‘Occupational Requirements Survey.’’
A copy of the proposed information
collection request can be obtained by
contacting the individual listed below
in the ADDRESSES section of this notice.
DATES: Written comments must be
submitted to the office listed in the
ADDRESSES section of this notice on or
before February 26, 2018.
ADDRESSES: Send comments to Nora
Kincaid, BLS Clearance Officer,
Division of Management Systems,
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Room 4080,
2 Massachusetts Avenue NE,
Washington, DC 20212. Written
comments also may be transmitted by
fax to 202–691–5111 (this is not a toll
free number).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Nora Kincaid, BLS Clearance Officer, at
SUMMARY:
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Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 247 / Wednesday, December 27, 2017 / Notices
202–691–7628 (this is not a toll free
number). (See ADDRESSES section.)
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
The Occupational Requirements
Survey (ORS) is a nationwide survey
that the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
is conducting at the request of the Social
Security Administration (SSA). Three
years of data collection and capture for
the ORS will start in 2018 and end in
mid-2021.
Estimates produced from the data
collected by the ORS will be used by the
SSA to update occupational
requirements data for administering the
Social Security Disability Insurance
(SSDI) and Supplemental Security
Income (SSI) programs.
The ORS occupational information
will allow SSA adjudicators to clearly
associate the assessment of a claimant’s
physical and mental functional capacity
and vocational profile with work
requirements. BLS will compute
percentages of workers with various
characteristics, such as skill and
strength level. SSA will use this
information to provide statistical
support for the medical-vocational rules
used at step 5 of sequential evaluation
regarding the number of unskilled jobs
that exist at each level of exertion in the
national economy.
The Social Security Administration,
Members of Congress, and
representatives of the disability
community have all identified
collection of updated information on the
requirements of work in today’s
economy as crucial to the equitable and
efficient operation of the Social Security
Disability (SSDI) program.
The ORS collects data from a sample
of employers. These requirements of
work data consist of information about
the duties, responsibilities, and critical
job tasks for a sample of occupations for
each sampled employer.
II. Current Action
Office of Management and Budget
clearance is being sought for the
Occupational Requirements Survey.
The ORS collects data on the
requirements of work, as defined by the
SSA’s disability program:
(1) An indicator of ‘‘time to
proficiency,’’ defined as the amount of
time required by a typical worker to
learn the techniques, acquire the
information, and develop the facility
needed for average job performance,
comparable to the Specific Vocational
Preparation (SVP) used in the
Dictionary of Occupational Titles
(DOT).
(2) Physical Demand characteristics/
factors of occupations, measured in
such a way to support SSA disability
determination needs, comparable to
measures in Appendix C of the Selected
Characteristics of Occupations (SCO).
(3) Environmental Conditions,
measured in such a way to support SSA
disability determination needs,
comparable to measures in Appendix D
of the SCO.
(4) Data elements that describe the
mental and cognitive demands of work.
(5) Occupational task lists of
occupations, defined as the critical job
function and key job tasks, to validate
the reported requirements of work,
comparable to data identified in the
Employment and Training
Administration’s (ETA’s) O*NET
Program.
The ORS data will be collected using
a revised sample design. This two-stage
stratified design includes new sample
cell definitions and allocations to
accommodate the goal to produce
estimates for as many occupations as
possible. Occupations for private
industry establishments will be selected
before the sample is fielded.
Occupational selection for government
units will generally occur after
establishment contact. The probability
of an occupation being selected after the
sample is fielded will be proportionate
to its employment within the
establishment.
BLS will disseminate the data from
the ORS on the BLS public website
(www.bls.gov/ors). The new design will
use a five-year rotation with complete
estimates published after the full sample
has been collected. Interim results will
be produced and disseminated on an
annual basis.
ORS collection will use several forms
(having unique private industry and
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES
The Bureau of Labor Statistics 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.
• 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.
Title of Collection: Occupational
Requirements Survey.
OMB Number: 1220–0189.
Type of Review: Revision of a
currently approved collection.
Affected Public: Businesses or other
for-profit; not-for-profit institutions; and
State, local, and tribal government.
Total Average Burden: All figures in
the table below are based on a three-year
average.
Average responses
per year
Total # of responses
Average minutes
Total hours
11,200
1.04464
11,700
107.4205
20,947
Three-year average .............................................................
21:43 Dec 26, 2017
III. Desired Focus of Comments
Respondents
%
VerDate Sep<11>2014
government collection versions). For
those sampled establishments that are in
the current National Compensation
Survey (NCS), ORS will use NCS data
and forms for those data elements that
overlap.
ORS data are defined to balance SSA’s
adjudication needs with the ability of
the respondent to provide data. With
this clearance, BLS is: Replacing
questions related to the mental and
cognitive demands; adding a screening
question for the presence of stooping,
kneeling, crouching or crawling;
modifying the categories collected for
hearing; and eliminating ‘‘Push/Pull—
Feet Only’’ collection.
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61332
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 247 / Wednesday, December 27, 2017 / Notices
COLLECTION FORMS
Occupational Requirements Survey (Private Industry sample).
Occupational Requirements Survey (State and
local government sample).
Comments submitted in response to
this notice will be summarized and/or
included in the request for Office of
Management and Budget approval of the
information collection request; they also
will become a matter of public record.
Signed at Washington, DC, this 20th day of
December 2017.
Kimberley Hill,
Chief, Division of Management Systems.
[FR Doc. 2017–27852 Filed 12–26–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510–24–P
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Mine Safety and Health Administration
Petitions for Modification of
Application of Existing Mandatory
Safety Standards
Mine Safety and Health
Administration, Labor.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
This notice is a summary of
petitions for modification submitted to
the Mine Safety and Health
Administration (MSHA) by the parties
listed below.
DATES: All comments on the petitions
must be received by MSHA’s Office of
Standards, Regulations, and Variances
on or before January 26, 2018.
ADDRESSES: You may submit your
comments, identified by ‘‘docket
number’’ on the subject line, by any of
the following methods:
1. Electronic Mail: zzMSHAcomments@dol.gov. Include the docket
number of the petition in the subject
line of the message.
2. Facsimile: 202–693–9441.
3. Regular Mail or Hand Delivery:
MSHA, Office of Standards,
Regulations, and Variances, 201 12th
Street South, Suite 4E401, Arlington,
Virginia 22202–5452, Attention: Sheila
McConnell, Director, Office of
Standards, Regulations, and Variances.
Persons delivering documents are
required to check in at the receptionist’s
desk in Suite 4E401. Individuals may
inspect copies of the petition and
comments during normal business
hours at the address listed above.
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
21:43 Dec 26, 2017
Jkt 244001
List form numbers
ORS Form 15–1P
ORS Form 4 PPD–4P
ORS Form 4 PPD–4PA
List form numbers
ORS Form 15–1G
ORS Form 4 PPD–4G
ORS Form 4 PPD–4GA
Name form Establishment.
Collection Forms for Private Industry.
MSHA will consider only comments
postmarked by the U.S. Postal Service or
proof of delivery from another delivery
service such as UPS or Federal Express
on or before the deadline for comments.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Barbara Barron, Office of Standards,
Regulations, and Variances at 202–693–
9447 (Voice), barron.barbara@dol.gov
(Email), or 202–693–9441 (Facsimile).
[These are not toll-free numbers.]
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section
101(c) of the Federal Mine Safety and
Health Act of 1977 and Title 30 of the
Code of Federal Regulations Part 44
govern the application, processing, and
disposition of petitions for modification.
portable battery-operated mine transits,
total station surveying equipment,
distance meters, and data loggers.
The petitioner states that:
(1) To comply with requirements for
mine ventilation maps and mine maps
in 30 CFR 75.372 and 75.1200, use of
the most practical and accurate
surveying equipment is necessary.
(2) Application of the existing
standard would result in a diminution
of safety to the miners. Underground
mining by its nature, and the size and
complexity of mine plans, require that
accurate and precise measurements be
completed in a prompt and efficient
manner. The petitioner proposes the
following as an alternative to the
existing standard:
(a) Use nonpermissible electronic
surveying equipment when equivalent
permissible electronic surveying
equipment is not available.
Nonpermissible equipment will include
portable battery-operated total station
surveying equipment, mine transits,
distance meters, and data loggers.
(b) All nonpermissible electronic
surveying equipment to be used in or
inby the last open crosscut will be
examined by surveying personnel prior
to use to ensure the equipment is being
maintained in safe operating condition.
These examinations will include:
(i) Checking the instrument for any
physical damage and the integrity of the
case.
(ii) Removing the battery and
inspecting for corrosion.
(iii) Inspecting the contact points to
ensure a secure connection to the
battery.
(iv) Reinserting the battery and
powering up and shutting down to
ensure proper connections.
(v) Checking the battery compartment
cover to ensure that it is securely
fastened.
(c) The results of such examinations
will be recorded and retained for one
year and made available to MSHA on
request.
(d) A qualified person as defined in
30 CFR 75.151 will continuously
monitor for methane immediately before
and during the use of nonpermissible
Name form Establishment.
Collection Forms for Governments.
I. Background
Section 101(c) of the Federal Mine
Safety and Health Act of 1977 (Mine
Act) allows the mine operator or
representative of miners to file a
petition to modify the application of any
mandatory safety standard to a coal or
other mine if the Secretary of Labor
(Secretary) determines that:
1. An alternative method of achieving
the result of such standard exists which
will at all times guarantee no less than
the same measure of protection afforded
the miners of such mine by such
standard; or
2. That the application of such
standard to such mine will result in a
diminution of safety to the miners in
such mine.
In addition, the regulations at 30 CFR
44.10 and 44.11 establish the
requirements and procedures for filing
petitions for modification.
II. Petitions for Modification
Docket Number: M–2017–027–C.
Petitioner: Bronco Utah Operations,
LLC, P.O. Box 527, Emery, Utah 84522.
Mine: Emery Mine, MSHA I.D. No.
42–00079, located in Emery County,
Utah.
Regulation Affected: 30 CFR 75.500(d)
(Permissible electric equipment).
Modification Request: The petitioner
requests a modification of the existing
standard to permit the use of batterypowered nonpermissible surveying
equipment in or inby the last open
crosscut, including, but not limited to,
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 247 (Wednesday, December 27, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61330-61332]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-27852]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Information Collection Activities; Comment Request
AGENCY: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Department of Labor.
ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to
reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a pre-clearance
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. 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. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is soliciting
comments concerning the proposed revision of the ``Occupational
Requirements Survey.'' A copy of the proposed information collection
request can be obtained by contacting the individual listed below in
the ADDRESSES section of this notice.
DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the
Addresses section of this notice on or before February 26, 2018.
ADDRESSES: Send comments to Nora Kincaid, BLS Clearance Officer,
Division of Management Systems, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Room 4080,
2 Massachusetts Avenue NE, Washington, DC 20212. Written comments also
may be transmitted by fax to 202-691-5111 (this is not a toll free
number).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nora Kincaid, BLS Clearance Officer,
at
[[Page 61331]]
202-691-7628 (this is not a toll free number). (See Addresses section.)
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
The Occupational Requirements Survey (ORS) is a nationwide survey
that the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is conducting at the request
of the Social Security Administration (SSA). Three years of data
collection and capture for the ORS will start in 2018 and end in mid-
2021.
Estimates produced from the data collected by the ORS will be used
by the SSA to update occupational requirements data for administering
the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental
Security Income (SSI) programs.
The ORS occupational information will allow SSA adjudicators to
clearly associate the assessment of a claimant's physical and mental
functional capacity and vocational profile with work requirements. BLS
will compute percentages of workers with various characteristics, such
as skill and strength level. SSA will use this information to provide
statistical support for the medical-vocational rules used at step 5 of
sequential evaluation regarding the number of unskilled jobs that exist
at each level of exertion in the national economy.
The Social Security Administration, Members of Congress, and
representatives of the disability community have all identified
collection of updated information on the requirements of work in
today's economy as crucial to the equitable and efficient operation of
the Social Security Disability (SSDI) program.
The ORS collects data from a sample of employers. These
requirements of work data consist of information about the duties,
responsibilities, and critical job tasks for a sample of occupations
for each sampled employer.
II. Current Action
Office of Management and Budget clearance is being sought for the
Occupational Requirements Survey.
The ORS collects data on the requirements of work, as defined by
the SSA's disability program:
(1) An indicator of ``time to proficiency,'' defined as the amount
of time required by a typical worker to learn the techniques, acquire
the information, and develop the facility needed for average job
performance, comparable to the Specific Vocational Preparation (SVP)
used in the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT).
(2) Physical Demand characteristics/factors of occupations,
measured in such a way to support SSA disability determination needs,
comparable to measures in Appendix C of the Selected Characteristics of
Occupations (SCO).
(3) Environmental Conditions, measured in such a way to support SSA
disability determination needs, comparable to measures in Appendix D of
the SCO.
(4) Data elements that describe the mental and cognitive demands of
work.
(5) Occupational task lists of occupations, defined as the critical
job function and key job tasks, to validate the reported requirements
of work, comparable to data identified in the Employment and Training
Administration's (ETA's) O*NET Program.
The ORS data will be collected using a revised sample design. This
two-stage stratified design includes new sample cell definitions and
allocations to accommodate the goal to produce estimates for as many
occupations as possible. Occupations for private industry
establishments will be selected before the sample is fielded.
Occupational selection for government units will generally occur after
establishment contact. The probability of an occupation being selected
after the sample is fielded will be proportionate to its employment
within the establishment.
BLS will disseminate the data from the ORS on the BLS public
website (www.bls.gov/ors). The new design will use a five-year rotation
with complete estimates published after the full sample has been
collected. Interim results will be produced and disseminated on an
annual basis.
ORS collection will use several forms (having unique private
industry and government collection versions). For those sampled
establishments that are in the current National Compensation Survey
(NCS), ORS will use NCS data and forms for those data elements that
overlap.
ORS data are defined to balance SSA's adjudication needs with the
ability of the respondent to provide data. With this clearance, BLS is:
Replacing questions related to the mental and cognitive demands; adding
a screening question for the presence of stooping, kneeling, crouching
or crawling; modifying the categories collected for hearing; and
eliminating ``Push/Pull--Feet Only'' collection.
III. Desired Focus of Comments
The Bureau of Labor Statistics 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.
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.
Title of Collection: Occupational Requirements Survey.
OMB Number: 1220-0189.
Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profit; not-for-profit
institutions; and State, local, and tribal government.
Total Average Burden: All figures in the table below are based on a
three-year average.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Average
Respondents responses per Total # of Average minutes Total hours
year responses
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Three-year average................................................. 11,200 1.04464 11,700 107.4205 20,947
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[[Page 61332]]
Collection Forms
------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Occupational Requirements List form numbers Name form
Survey (Private Industry ORS Form 15-1P Establishment.
sample). ORS Form 4 PPD-4P Collection Forms
ORS Form 4 PPD-4PA for Private
Industry.
Occupational Requirements List form numbers Name form
Survey (State and local ORS Form 15-1G Establishment.
government sample). ORS Form 4 PPD-4G Collection Forms
ORS Form 4 PPD-4GA for Governments.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized
and/or included in the request for Office of Management and Budget
approval of the information collection request; they also will become a
matter of public record.
Signed at Washington, DC, this 20th day of December 2017.
Kimberley Hill,
Chief, Division of Management Systems.
[FR Doc. 2017-27852 Filed 12-26-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-24-P
