Information Collection Activities; Comment Request, 29749-29751 [2020-10561]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 96 / Monday, May 18, 2020 / Notices DEPARTMENT OF LABOR DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Employment and Training Administration Office of the Secretary Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; Benefit Appeals Report Notice of a Change in Status of the Extended Benefit (EB) Program for Vermont Employment and Training Administration, Labor. ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: Notice of availability; request for comments. ACTION: Vermont’s 13-week insured unemployment rate (IUR) for the week ending April 18, 2020 was 6.27 percent, which exceeds 120 percent of the corresponding rate in the prior two years. This IUR caused Vermont to be triggered ‘‘on’’ to an EB period that began May 3, 2020. The State will remain in an EB period for a minimum of 13 weeks. The trigger notice covering state eligibility for the EB program can be found at: https://oui.doleta.gov/ unemploy/claims_arch.asp. Information for Claimants The duration of benefits payable in the EB program and the terms and conditions on which they are payable are governed by the Federal-State Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 1970, as amended, and the operating instructions issued to the states by the U.S. Department of Labor. In the case of a state beginning an EB period, the State Workforce Agency will furnish a written notice of potential entitlement to each individual who has exhausted all rights to regular benefits and is potentially eligible for EB (20 CFR 615.13(c)(1)). Persons who believe they may be entitled to EB, or who wish to inquire about their rights under the program, should contact their State Workforce Agency. U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Office of Unemployment Insurance Room S– 4524, Attn: Kevin Stapleton, 200 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20210, telephone number: (202)693–3009 (this is not a toll-free number) or by email: Stapleton.Kevin@dol.gov. jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Signed in Washington, DC. John Pallasch, Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training. [FR Doc. 2020–10558 Filed 5–15–20; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4510–FW–P VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:03 May 15, 2020 Jkt 250001 The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting this Employment and Training Administration (ETA)sponsored information collection request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA). Public comments on the ICR are invited. DATES: The OMB will consider all written comments that agency receives on or before June 17, 2020. ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/ PRAMain. Find this particular information collection by selecting ‘‘Currently under 30-day Review—Open for Public Comments’’ or by using the search function. Comments are invited on: (1) Whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Department, including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) if the information will be processed and used in a timely manner; (3) the accuracy of the agency’s estimates of the burden and cost of the collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (4) ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information collection; and (5) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Crystal Rennie by telephone at 202– 693–0456, or by email at DOL_PRA_ PUBLIC@dol.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The ETA 5130, Benefit Appeals Report, contains information on the number of appeals and the resultant decisions classified by program, appeal level, cases filed and disposed of (workload flow), and decisions by level, appellant and issue. The data on this form are used to monitor the benefit appeals process in the state workforce agencies (SWAs). Data are also used for budgeting and SUMMARY: This notice announces a change in benefit payment status under the EB program for Vermont. The following change has occurred since the publication of the last notice regarding Vermont’s EB status: PO 00000 Frm 00071 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 29749 workload data. For additional substantive information about this ICR, see the related notice published in the Federal Register on October 28, 2019 (84 FR 57769). 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 the OMB approves it 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 OMB Control Number. See 5 CFR 1320.5(a) and 1320.6. DOL seeks PRA authorization for this information collection for three (3) years. OMB authorization for an ICR cannot be for more than three (3) years without renewal. The DOL notes that information collection requirements submitted to the OMB for existing ICRs receive a month-to-month extension while they undergo review. Agency: DOL–ETA. Title of Collection: Benefit Appeals Report. OMB Control Number: 1205–0172. Affected Public: State, local and Tribal Governments. Total Estimated Number of Respondents: 53. Total Estimated Number of Responses: 1,272. Total Estimated Annual Time Burden: 1,272 hours. Total Estimated Annual Other Costs Burden: $0. Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3507(a)(1)(D). Dated: May 8, 2020. Anthony May, Acting Departmental Clearance Officer. [FR Doc. 2020–10560 Filed 5–15–20; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4510–FW–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 SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\18MYN1.SGM 18MYN1 29750 Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 96 / Monday, May 18, 2020 / Notices jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES 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 ‘‘Current Population Survey (CPS).’’ A copy of the proposed information collection request (ICR) 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 July 17, 2020. ADDRESSES: Send comments to Erin Good, 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 email to BLS_PRA_ Public@bls.gov. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Erin Good, BLS Clearance Officer, 202–691– 7763 (this is not a toll-free number). (See ADDRESSES section.) SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Background The CPS has been the principal source of the official Government statistics on employment and unemployment for over 75 years. The labor force information gathered through the survey is of paramount importance in keeping track of the economic health of the Nation. The survey is the only source of monthly data on total employment and unemployment. The Employment Situation news release contains data from this survey and is designated as a Principal Federal Economic Indicator (PFEI). Moreover, the survey also yields data on the characteristics of persons not in the labor force. The CPS data are used monthly, in conjunction with data from other sources, to analyze the extent to which, and with what success, the various components of the American population are participating in the economic life of the Nation. The labor force data gathered through the CPS are provided to users in the greatest detail possible, in conjunction with the demographic information obtained in the survey. In brief, the labor force data can be broken down by sex, age, race, ethnicity, marital status, VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:03 May 15, 2020 Jkt 250001 family composition, educational level, certification and licensing status, disability status, and other characteristics. Through such breakdowns, one can focus on the employment situation of specific population groups as well as on general trends in employment and unemployment. Information of this type can be obtained only through demographically oriented surveys such as the CPS. The basic CPS data also are used as an important platform on which to base the data derived from the various supplemental questions that are administered in conjunction with the survey. By coupling the basic data from the monthly survey with the special data from the supplements, one can get valuable insights on the behavior of American workers and on the social and economic health of their families. There is wide interest in the monthly CPS data among Government policymakers, legislators, economists, the media, and the general public. While the data from the CPS are used in conjunction with data from other surveys in assessing the economic health of the Nation, they are unique in various ways. Specifically, they are the basis for much of the monthly Employment Situation report, a PFEI. They provide a monthly, nationally representative measure of total employment, including farm work, selfemployment, and unpaid family work; other surveys are generally restricted to the nonagricultural wage and salary sector, or provide less timely information. The CPS provides data on all job seekers, and on all persons outside the labor force, while payrollbased surveys cannot, by definition, cover these sectors of the population. Finally, the CPS data on employment, unemployment, and on persons not in the labor force can be linked to the demographic characteristics of the many groups that make up the Nation’s population, while the data from other surveys often have limited demographic information. Many groups, both in the government and in the private sector, are eager to analyze this wealth of demographic and labor force data. II. Current Action Office of Management and Budget clearance is being sought for a revision of the Current Population Survey (CPS). This survey is being revised to temporarily add five questions to the Current Population Survey (CPS) to collect data on the effects of novel coronavirus (COVID–19) and the attempts to constrain the spread of the illness. These questions ask about PO 00000 Frm 00072 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 responses to COVID–19 during the previous 4 weeks—specifically, whether respondents teleworked due to COVID– 19, were unable to work because an employer closed or lost business, and were paid for hours not worked. A question for people not in the labor force will ask if respondents did not look for work in the previous 4 weeks because of COVID–19. In addition, respondents will be asked whether any household members needed noncoronavirus-related medical care in the previous 4 weeks but did not get it because of the pandemic. Also, while letters are typically sent to households entering the CPS sample for the first time to inform them that they have been selected for the survey, those letters may be suspended during periods where the Census Bureau’s National Processing Center, which handles mailings, is closed to help prevent the spread of COVID–19. These data were approved for monthly collection for 180 days under Emergency OMB Clearance Package 1220–0194, which expires on October 31, 2020. The revision of 1220–0100 requests approval to extend collection of the CPS for three years, but the additional COVID–19 data are not intended to be collected for that full timeframe. A nonsubstantive change request will be submitted to remove the COVID–19 questions and the associated respondent burden from the survey when the BLS determines they are no longer relevant to this 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. E:\FR\FM\18MYN1.SGM 18MYN1 Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 96 / Monday, May 18, 2020 / Notices Title: Current Population Survey (CPS). OMB Number: 1220–0100. Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection. Affected Public: Households. Total Respondents: 49,500 per month. Frequency: Monthly. Total Responses: 594,000. Average Time per Response: 9.6 minutes. Estimated Total Burden Hours: 95,040 hours. Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0. Total Burden Cost (operating/ maintenance): $0. 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, on May 8, 2020. Mark Staniorski, Chief, Division of Management Systems. [FR Doc. 2020–10561 Filed 5–15–20; 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 three 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 June 17, 2020. 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: Roslyn B. Fontaine, Acting Director, Office of Standards, Regulations, and Variances. Persons delivering documents are required to check in at the receptionist’s jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:03 May 15, 2020 Jkt 250001 desk in Suite 4E401. Individuals may inspect copies of the petition and comments during normal business hours at the address listed above. 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: S. Aromie Noe, Office of Standards, Regulations, and Variances at 202–693– 9557 (voice), Noe.Song-Ae.A@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. 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 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. 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 for filing petitions for modification. II. Petitions for Modification Docket Number: M–2019–067–C. Petitioner: Peabody Twentymile Mining, LLC, 29515 Route County Road #27, Oak Creek, CO 80467. Mine: Foidel Creek Mine, MSHA I.D. No. 05–03836, located in Routt County, Colorado. Regulation Affected: 30 CFR 75.500(d) (Permissible electric equipment). Modification Request: The petitioner requests an amended petition for modification of the existing standard, 30 CFR 75.500(d), as it relates to the use of an alternative method of respirable dust protection at the Foidel Creek mine. The operator previously submitted a petition to use a battery powered respirable protection unit called a VersafloTM TR– 800 Intrinsically Safe Powered Air Purifying Respirator (PAPR) in or inby the last open crosscut, which was published by the Federal Register on PO 00000 Frm 00073 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 29751 January 27, 2020. The operator submitted the amended petition below to include in the previous petition the use of a powered respirable protection unit called the CleanSpace EX Powered Respirator in or inby the last open crosscut under the same conditions as was proposed for the VersafloTM TR–800 Intrinsically Safe Powered Air Purifying Respirator (PAPR) product. The petitioner states that: (a) Peabody currently uses the 3M Airstream helmet to provide miners with respirable protection against coal mine dust, a protection with long-term health benefits. (b) 3M is discontinuing the Airstream helmet by June 1, 2020 due to disruption in their component supply, but it will offer the VersafloTM TR–800 Intrinsically Safe Powered Air Purifying Respirator (PAPR). February 2020 was the last opportunity to order the Airstream components. (c) There are currently no replacement PAPRs that meet the MSHA standard for permissibility. (d) The VersafloTM TR–800 Intrinsically Safe PAPR qualifies as intrinsically safe in the US, Canada, and countries that accept the International Electrotechnical Commissions System for Certification to Standards Relating to Equipment for Use in Explosive Atmosphere (IECEx). However, it is not MSHA-approved and 3M is not pursuing MSHA approval. (e) Another type of PAPR called the CleanSpace EX Power Unit, which is manufactured by CleanSpace is also determined to be intrinsically safe under IECEx and other countries’ standards. However, the Cleanspace EX Power Unit is not approved by MSHA and CleanSpace is not pursuing MSHA approval. The petitioner proposes the following alternative method: (1) The operator is petitioning to use the VersafloTM TR–800 Intrinsically Safe PAPR and the CleanSpace EX Power Unit in or inby the last open crosscut. (2) The equipment will be examined at least weekly by a qualified person according to 30 CFR 75.512–2 and examination results will be recorded weekly and may be expunged after one year. (3) The operator will comply with 30 CFR 75.323. (4) A qualified person under 30 CFR 75.151 will monitor for methane as is required in the mine. (5) Qualified miners will receive training regarding the information in the Decision and Order before using equipment in the relevant part of the mine. A record of the training will be kept and available upon request. E:\FR\FM\18MYN1.SGM 18MYN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 96 (Monday, May 18, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29749-29751]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-10561]


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

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

[[Page 29750]]

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 
``Current Population Survey (CPS).'' A copy of the proposed information 
collection request (ICR) 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 July 17, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Erin Good, 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 email to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Erin Good, BLS Clearance Officer, 202-
691-7763 (this is not a toll-free number). (See Addresses section.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The CPS has been the principal source of the official Government 
statistics on employment and unemployment for over 75 years. The labor 
force information gathered through the survey is of paramount 
importance in keeping track of the economic health of the Nation. The 
survey is the only source of monthly data on total employment and 
unemployment. The Employment Situation news release contains data from 
this survey and is designated as a Principal Federal Economic Indicator 
(PFEI). Moreover, the survey also yields data on the characteristics of 
persons not in the labor force. The CPS data are used monthly, in 
conjunction with data from other sources, to analyze the extent to 
which, and with what success, the various components of the American 
population are participating in the economic life of the Nation.
    The labor force data gathered through the CPS are provided to users 
in the greatest detail possible, in conjunction with the demographic 
information obtained in the survey. In brief, the labor force data can 
be broken down by sex, age, race, ethnicity, marital status, family 
composition, educational level, certification and licensing status, 
disability status, and other characteristics. Through such breakdowns, 
one can focus on the employment situation of specific population groups 
as well as on general trends in employment and unemployment. 
Information of this type can be obtained only through demographically 
oriented surveys such as the CPS.
    The basic CPS data also are used as an important platform on which 
to base the data derived from the various supplemental questions that 
are administered in conjunction with the survey. By coupling the basic 
data from the monthly survey with the special data from the 
supplements, one can get valuable insights on the behavior of American 
workers and on the social and economic health of their families.
    There is wide interest in the monthly CPS data among Government 
policymakers, legislators, economists, the media, and the general 
public. While the data from the CPS are used in conjunction with data 
from other surveys in assessing the economic health of the Nation, they 
are unique in various ways. Specifically, they are the basis for much 
of the monthly Employment Situation report, a PFEI. They provide a 
monthly, nationally representative measure of total employment, 
including farm work, self-employment, and unpaid family work; other 
surveys are generally restricted to the nonagricultural wage and salary 
sector, or provide less timely information. The CPS provides data on 
all job seekers, and on all persons outside the labor force, while 
payroll-based surveys cannot, by definition, cover these sectors of the 
population. Finally, the CPS data on employment, unemployment, and on 
persons not in the labor force can be linked to the demographic 
characteristics of the many groups that make up the Nation's 
population, while the data from other surveys often have limited 
demographic information. Many groups, both in the government and in the 
private sector, are eager to analyze this wealth of demographic and 
labor force data.

II. Current Action

    Office of Management and Budget clearance is being sought for a 
revision of the Current Population Survey (CPS). This survey is being 
revised to temporarily add five questions to the Current Population 
Survey (CPS) to collect data on the effects of novel coronavirus 
(COVID-19) and the attempts to constrain the spread of the illness. 
These questions ask about responses to COVID-19 during the previous 4 
weeks--specifically, whether respondents teleworked due to COVID-19, 
were unable to work because an employer closed or lost business, and 
were paid for hours not worked. A question for people not in the labor 
force will ask if respondents did not look for work in the previous 4 
weeks because of COVID-19. In addition, respondents will be asked 
whether any household members needed non-coronavirus-related medical 
care in the previous 4 weeks but did not get it because of the 
pandemic.
    Also, while letters are typically sent to households entering the 
CPS sample for the first time to inform them that they have been 
selected for the survey, those letters may be suspended during periods 
where the Census Bureau's National Processing Center, which handles 
mailings, is closed to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
    These data were approved for monthly collection for 180 days under 
Emergency OMB Clearance Package 1220-0194, which expires on October 31, 
2020.
    The revision of 1220-0100 requests approval to extend collection of 
the CPS for three years, but the additional COVID-19 data are not 
intended to be collected for that full timeframe. A non-substantive 
change request will be submitted to remove the COVID-19 questions and 
the associated respondent burden from the survey when the BLS 
determines they are no longer relevant to this 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.

[[Page 29751]]

    Title: Current Population Survey (CPS).
    OMB Number: 1220-0100.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Affected Public: Households.
    Total Respondents: 49,500 per month.
    Frequency: Monthly.
    Total Responses: 594,000.
    Average Time per Response: 9.6 minutes.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 95,040 hours.
    Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0.
    Total Burden Cost (operating/maintenance): $0.
    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, on May 8, 2020.
Mark Staniorski,
Chief, Division of Management Systems.
[FR Doc. 2020-10561 Filed 5-15-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-24-P


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