Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Efforts To Improve Outcomes, 50475-50476 [2019-20743]
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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 186 / Wednesday, September 25, 2019 / Notices
municipio in the Commonwealth of
Puerto Rico.
Procedures for Classifying Labor
Surplus Areas
The Department of Labor (DOL) issues
the LSA list on a fiscal year basis. The
list becomes effective each October 1,
and remains in effect through the
following September 30. The reference
period used in preparing the current list
was January 2017 through December
2018. The national average
unemployment rate (including Puerto
Rico) during this period is rounded to
4.34 percent. Twenty percent higher
than the national unemployment rate
during this period is rounded to 5.21
percent. Since the calculated
unemployment rate plus 20 percent
(5.21 percent) is below the ‘‘floor’’ LSA
unemployment rate of 6 percent, a civil
jurisdiction must have a two-year
unemployment rate of 6 percent or
higher in order to be classified a LSA.
To ensure that all areas classified as
labor surplus meet the requirements,
when a city is part of a county and
meets the unemployment qualifier as a
LSA, that city is identified in the LSA
list, the balance of county, not the entire
county, will be identified as a LSA if the
balance of county also meets the LSA
unemployment criteria. The FY 2019
LSA list, statistical data on the current
and previous years’ LSAs are available
at https://www.doleta.gov/programs/
lsa.cfm.
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Petition for Exceptional Circumstance
Consideration
The classification procedures also
provide criteria for the designation of
LSAs under exceptional circumstances
criteria. These procedures permit the
regular classification criteria to be
waived when an area experiences a
significant increase in unemployment
which is not temporary or seasonal and
which was not reflected in the data for
the 2-year reference period. Under the
program’s exceptional circumstance
procedures, LSA classifications can be
made for civil jurisdictions,
Metropolitan Statistical Areas or
Combined Statistical Areas, as defined
by the U.S. Office of Management and
Budget. In order for an area to be
classified as a LSA under the
exceptional circumstance criteria, the
state workforce agency must submit a
petition requesting such classification to
the Department of Labor’s ETA. The
current criteria for an exceptional
circumstance classification are:
1. An area’s unemployment rate is at
least 6% percent for each of the three
most recent months;
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:25 Sep 24, 2019
Jkt 247001
2. A projected unemployment rate of
at least 6% percent for each of the next
12 months because of an event; and
3. Documentation that the exceptional
circumstance event has occurred. The
state workforce agency may file
petitions on behalf of civil jurisdictions,
Metropolitan Statistical Areas, or
Micropolitan Statistical Areas.
State Workforce Agencies may submit
petitions in electronic format to
wright.samuel.e@dol.gov, or in hard
copy to the U.S. Department of Labor,
Employment and Training
Administration, Office of Workforce
Investment, 200 Constitution Avenue
NW, Room C–4514, Washington, DC
20210, Attention Samuel Wright. Data
collection for the petition is approved
under OMB 1205–0207, expiration date
July 31, 2020.
Signed at Washington, DC.
John Pallasch,
Assistant Secretary for Employment and
Training Administration.
[FR Doc. 2019–20849 Filed 9–24–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510–FN–P
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training
Administration
Agency Information Collection
Activities; Comment Request; Trade
Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Efforts
To Improve Outcomes
ACTION:
Notice.
The Department of Labor’s
(DOL’s) Employment and Training
Administration (ETA) is soliciting
comments concerning a proposed
extension for the authority to conduct
the information collection request (ICR)
titled, ‘‘Trade Adjustment Assistance
(TAA) Efforts to Improve Outcomes.’’
This comment request is part of
continuing Departmental efforts to
reduce paperwork and respondent
burden in accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(PRA).
SUMMARY:
Consideration will be given to all
written comments received by October
25, 2019.
ADDRESSES: A copy of this ICR with
applicable supporting documentation,
including a description of the likely
respondents, proposed frequency of
response, and estimated total burden,
may be obtained free by contacting
Robert Hoekstra, by telephone at 202–
693–3522 (this is not a toll-free
number), TTY 1–877–889–5627 (this is
DATES:
PO 00000
Frm 00105
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
50475
not a toll-free number), or by email at
hoekstra.robert@dol.gov.
Submit written comments about, or
requests for a copy of, this ICR by mail
or courier to the U.S. Department of
Labor, Employment and Training
Administration, Office of Trade
Adjustment Assistance, 200
Constitution Avenue NW, Room N–
5428, Washington, DC 20210; by email:
taa.reports@dol.gov; or by Fax 202–693–
3584.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Robert Hoekstra by telephone at 202–
693–3522 (this is not a toll-free number)
or by email at hoekstra.robert@dol.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: DOL, as
part of continuing efforts to reduce
paperwork and respondent burden,
conducts a pre-clearance consultation
program to provide the general public
and Federal agencies an opportunity to
comment on proposed and/or
continuing collections of information
before submitting them to the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) for final
approval. This program helps to ensure
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 can be properly assessed.
On June 28, 2015, the Trade
Adjustment Assistance Reauthorization
Act of 2015 was signed into law. Under
Section 239(j)(1)(c) of Title II, Chapter 2
of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended
(19 U.S.C. 2271 et seq.), the Secretary is
required to collect ‘‘a description of
efforts made to improve outcomes for
workers . . .’’ In addition to mandatory
annual reporting, the Department
collects these descriptions on a
quarterly basis in order to track progress
of efforts to improve outcomes and
speed the identification of new state
practices.
The Office of Trade Adjustment
Assistance (OTAA) is revising the ICR
for Trade Activity Participant Report
(TAPR) (OMB control number 1205–
0392). This ICR removes the collection
requirement for the individual record
reporting that constituted the bulk of the
collection burden, but retains the
quarterly reporting requirement of
‘‘efforts made to improve outcomes’’.
Correspondingly, the collection title
will be changed to ‘‘Trade Adjustment
Assistance (TAA) Efforts to Improve
Outcomes.’’ Section 239(j)(1)(c) of Title
II, Chapter 2 of the Trade Act of 1974,
as amended (19 U.S.C. 2271 et seq.)
authorizes this information collection.
This collection is being modified
significantly as to no longer require the
submission of individual participant
E:\FR\FM\25SEN1.SGM
25SEN1
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50476
Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 186 / Wednesday, September 25, 2019 / Notices
records under the TAPR. The prior
TAPR data constituted the bulk of the
burden of this collection, reducing the
estimated total burden from 18,500
hours to 104 hours.
This information collection is subject
to the PRA. A Federal agency generally
cannot conduct or sponsor a collection
of information, and the public is
generally not required to respond to an
information collection, unless it is
approved by OMB under the PRA and
displays a currently valid OMB Control
Number. In addition, notwithstanding
any other provisions of law, no person
shall generally be subject to penalty for
failing to comply with a collection of
information that does not display a
valid Control Number. See 5 CFR
1320.5(a) and 1320.6.
Interested parties are encouraged to
provide comments to the contact shown
in the ADDRESSES section. Comments
must be written to receive
consideration, and they will be
summarized and included in the request
for OMB approval of the final ICR. In
order to help ensure appropriate
consideration, comments should
mention OMB control number 1205–
0392.
Submitted comments will also be a
matter of public record for this ICR and
posted on the internet, without
redaction. DOL encourages commenters
not to include personally identifiable
information, confidential business data,
or other sensitive statements/
information in any comments.
DOL is particularly interested in
comments that:
• Evaluate whether the proposed
collection of information is necessary
for the proper performance of the
functions of the agency, including
whether the information will have
practical utility;
• Evaluate the accuracy of the
agency’s estimate of the burden of the
proposed collection of information,
including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used;
• Enhance the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information to be
collected; and
• Minimize the burden of the
collection of information on those who
are to respond, including through the
use of appropriate automated,
electronic, mechanical, or other
technological collection techniques or
other forms of information technology,
(e.g., permitting electronic submission
of responses).
Agency: DOL–ETA.
Type of Review: Revision.
Title of Collection: Trade Adjustment
Assistance (TAA) Efforts to Improve
Outcomes.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:25 Sep 24, 2019
Jkt 247001
Form: ETA–9173.
OMB Control Number: 1205–0392.
Affected Public: State Workforce
Agencies.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
52.
Frequency: Quarterly.
Total Estimated Annual Responses:
208.
Estimated Average Time per
Response: 0.5 hours based on estimated
times provided by states who are
currently providing this more limited
collection.
Estimated Total Annual Burden
Hours: 104 hours.
Total Estimated Annual Other Cost
Burden: $0.
Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A).
John Pallasch,
Assistant Secretary for Employment and
Training, Labor.
[FR Doc. 2019–20743 Filed 9–24–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510–FN–P
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training
Administration
Federal-State Unemployment
Compensation Program: Notice of
Federal Agencies With Adequate
Safeguards and an Appropriate
Method of Payment or Reimbursement
To Satisfy the Confidentiality
Requirements of Agency Regulations
Employment and Training
Administration, Labor.
ACTION: Notice of Federal agencies with
adequate safeguards and an appropriate
method of payment or reimbursement
for costs.
AGENCY:
In this notice, the Department
of Labor (Department) recognizes that
the exchange of information between
State unemployment compensation (UC)
agencies and the Internal Revenue
Service (IRS) and the exchange of
information between State UC agencies
and the Department of Health and
Human Services (HHS) meet the
requirements of agency regulations. The
Department has determined that the
relative benefits of information received
by State UC agencies from the IRS and
the benefits of the information received
by the IRS from State UC agencies are
approximately equal. The Department
has also determined that the relative
benefits of information received by State
UC agencies from HHS and the benefits
of the information received by HHS
from State UC agencies are
approximately equal. Pursuant to this
determination, it is not necessary for
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00106
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
State UC agencies to satisfy the
agreement requirements of agency
regulations for the disclosure of
confidential UC information to these
two Federal agencies.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gay
M. Gilbert, Administrator, Office of
Unemployment Insurance, Employment
and Training Administration, (202) 693–
3029 (this is not a toll-free number) or
1–877–889–5627 (TTY), or by email at
gilbert.gay@dol.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
Employment and Training
Administration interprets Federal law
requirements pertaining to the FederalState UC program. Section 303(a)(1) of
the Social Security Act, as implemented
at 20 CFR part 603 (71 FR 56830),
generally requires States to maintain the
confidentiality of UC information. The
regulation at 20 CFR 603.10 requires
State UC agencies to enter into a
written, enforceable agreement meeting
certain requirements with any agency or
entity requesting disclosure of such
confidential UC information.
20 CFR 603.10(d) provides that the
requirements of 20 CFR 603.10 do not
apply to disclosures of confidential UC
information to a Federal agency if the
Department has determined, by notice
published in the Federal Register, that
the Federal agency has in place
safeguards adequate to satisfy the
requirements of 20 CFR 603.9 and an
appropriate method of paying or
reimbursing the State UC agency (which
may involve a reciprocal cost
arrangement) for costs involved in such
disclosures as required in 20 CFR
603.8(d).
On November 15, 2006, the
Department published notice in the
Federal Register of its determination
that the IRS has in place adequate
safeguards for purposes of tax
administration, including
administration of the Federal
unemployment tax and the Health
Coverage Tax Credit (HCTC). 71 FR
66556. Section 6103 et seq. of the
Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. 6103
et seq., provides safeguards adequate to
satisfy confidentiality requirements
consistent with the Department’s
regulation. State UC agencies and the
IRS exchange confidential UC
information for purposes of the proper
administration of the Federal
unemployment tax and the HCTC, as
well as the Questionable Employment
Tax Practices initiative. With the
current notice, the Department
recognizes that the exchange of
information between State UC agencies
and the IRS for these purposes meets the
requirements of 20 CFR 603.8(d)
E:\FR\FM\25SEN1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 186 (Wednesday, September 25, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50475-50476]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-20743]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training Administration
Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; Trade
Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Efforts To Improve Outcomes
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Department of Labor's (DOL's) Employment and Training
Administration (ETA) is soliciting comments concerning a proposed
extension for the authority to conduct the information collection
request (ICR) titled, ``Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Efforts to
Improve Outcomes.'' This comment request is part of continuing
Departmental efforts to reduce paperwork and respondent burden in
accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA).
DATES: Consideration will be given to all written comments received by
October 25, 2019.
ADDRESSES: A copy of this ICR with applicable supporting documentation,
including a description of the likely respondents, proposed frequency
of response, and estimated total burden, may be obtained free by
contacting Robert Hoekstra, by telephone at 202-693-3522 (this is not a
toll-free number), TTY 1-877-889-5627 (this is not a toll-free number),
or by email at [email protected].
Submit written comments about, or requests for a copy of, this ICR
by mail or courier to the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and
Training Administration, Office of Trade Adjustment Assistance, 200
Constitution Avenue NW, Room N-5428, Washington, DC 20210; by email:
[email protected]; or by Fax 202-693-3584.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Hoekstra by telephone at 202-
693-3522 (this is not a toll-free number) or by email at
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: DOL, as part of continuing efforts to reduce
paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a pre-clearance consultation
program to provide the general public and Federal agencies an
opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing collections of
information before submitting them to the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) for final approval. This program helps to ensure 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 can be properly
assessed.
On June 28, 2015, the Trade Adjustment Assistance Reauthorization
Act of 2015 was signed into law. Under Section 239(j)(1)(c) of Title
II, Chapter 2 of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (19 U.S.C. 2271 et
seq.), the Secretary is required to collect ``a description of efforts
made to improve outcomes for workers . . .'' In addition to mandatory
annual reporting, the Department collects these descriptions on a
quarterly basis in order to track progress of efforts to improve
outcomes and speed the identification of new state practices.
The Office of Trade Adjustment Assistance (OTAA) is revising the
ICR for Trade Activity Participant Report (TAPR) (OMB control number
1205-0392). This ICR removes the collection requirement for the
individual record reporting that constituted the bulk of the collection
burden, but retains the quarterly reporting requirement of ``efforts
made to improve outcomes''. Correspondingly, the collection title will
be changed to ``Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Efforts to Improve
Outcomes.'' Section 239(j)(1)(c) of Title II, Chapter 2 of the Trade
Act of 1974, as amended (19 U.S.C. 2271 et seq.) authorizes this
information collection. This collection is being modified significantly
as to no longer require the submission of individual participant
[[Page 50476]]
records under the TAPR. The prior TAPR data constituted the bulk of the
burden of this collection, reducing the estimated total burden from
18,500 hours to 104 hours.
This information collection is subject to the PRA. A Federal agency
generally cannot conduct or sponsor a collection of information, and
the public is generally not required to respond to an information
collection, unless it is approved by OMB under the PRA and displays a
currently valid OMB Control Number. In addition, notwithstanding any
other provisions of law, no person shall generally be subject to
penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information that
does not display a valid Control Number. See 5 CFR 1320.5(a) and
1320.6.
Interested parties are encouraged to provide comments to the
contact shown in the ADDRESSES section. Comments must be written to
receive consideration, and they will be summarized and included in the
request for OMB approval of the final ICR. In order to help ensure
appropriate consideration, comments should mention OMB control number
1205-0392.
Submitted comments will also be a matter of public record for this
ICR and posted on the internet, without redaction. DOL encourages
commenters not to include personally identifiable information,
confidential business data, or other sensitive statements/information
in any comments.
DOL is particularly interested in comments that:
Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency,
including whether the information will have practical utility;
Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the
burden of the proposed collection of information, including the
validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and
Minimize the burden of the collection of information on
those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection
techniques or other forms of information technology, (e.g., permitting
electronic submission of responses).
Agency: DOL-ETA.
Type of Review: Revision.
Title of Collection: Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Efforts to
Improve Outcomes.
Form: ETA-9173.
OMB Control Number: 1205-0392.
Affected Public: State Workforce Agencies.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 52.
Frequency: Quarterly.
Total Estimated Annual Responses: 208.
Estimated Average Time per Response: 0.5 hours based on estimated
times provided by states who are currently providing this more limited
collection.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 104 hours.
Total Estimated Annual Other Cost Burden: $0.
Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A).
John Pallasch,
Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training, Labor.
[FR Doc. 2019-20743 Filed 9-24-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-FN-P
