Information Collection Activities; Comment Request, 61330-61332 [2017-27852]

Download as PDF daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES 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 VerDate Sep<11>2014 21:43 Dec 26, 2017 Jkt 244001 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 PO 00000 Frm 00080 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 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: E:\FR\FM\27DEN1.SGM 27DEN1 61331 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. Jkt 244001 PO 00000 Frm 00081 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\27DEN1.SGM 27DEN1 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, PO 00000 Frm 00082 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\27DEN1.SGM 27DEN1

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
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