Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Patent Examiner Employment Application, 78332-78333 [2023-25157]

Download as PDF 78332 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 219 / Wednesday, November 15, 2023 / Notices DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Patent and Trademark Office Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Patent Examiner Employment Application United States Patent and Trademark Office, Department of Commerce. ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment. AGENCY: The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, invites comments on the extension and revision of an existing information collection: 0651–0042 Patent Examiner Employment Application. The purpose of this notice is to allow 60 days for public comment preceding submission of the information collection to OMB. DATES: To ensure consideration, comments regarding this information collection must be received on or before January 16, 2024. ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments by any of the following methods. Do not submit Confidential Business Information or otherwise sensitive or protected information. • Email: InformationCollection@ uspto.gov. Include ‘‘0651–0042 comment’’ in the subject line of the message. • Federal Rulemaking Portal: https:// www.regulations.gov. • Mail: Justin Isaac, Office of the Chief Administrative Officer, United States Patent and Trademark Office, SUMMARY: P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313– 1450. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Request for additional information should be directed to Linda Majca, Chief of Workforce Employment Division— Patents, United States Patent and Trademark Office, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313–1450; by telephone at 571–272–0692; or by email at Linda.Majca@uspto.gov with ‘‘0651– 0042 comment’’ in the subject line. Additional information about this information collection is also available at https://www.reginfo.gov under ‘‘Information Collection Review.’’ SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Abstract In the current employment environment, life science and engineering graduates are in great demand. The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is in direct competition with the private industry for the same caliber of candidates with the requisite knowledge and skills to perform patent examination work. This information collection covers online applications to the USPTO for entrylevel patent examiner positions. More specifically, the collection covers the respondent data gathered from the applications. The USPTO posts the relevant positions online and collects applicant information via the USA Staffing System. The USA Staffing online application collects supplemental information to a candidate’s USAJOBS application. This information assists USPTO Human Resource Specialists and Hiring Managers in determining whether an applicant possesses the basic qualification requirements for a patent examiner position. From the information collected, the USA Staffing system creates an electronic real-time candidate inventory on applicants’ expertise and technical knowledge, which allows USPTO to immediately review applications from multiple applicants. The use of such automated online systems during recruitment allows USPTO to remain competitive, meet hiring goals, and fulfill the Agency’s Congressional commitment to reduce the pendency rate for the examination of patent applications. II. Method of Collection Items in this information collection must be submitted electronically via the USA Staffing system. III. Data OMB Control Number: 0651–0042. Forms: None. Type of Review: Extension and revision of a currently approved information collection. Affected Public: Individuals or households. Respondent’s Obligation: Required to Obtain or Retain Benefits. Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 7,226 respondents. Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 7,226 responses. Estimated Time per Response: The USPTO estimates that the responses in this information collection will take the public approximately 30 minutes (0.5 hours) to complete. This includes the time to gather the necessary information, create the document, and submit the completed request to the USPTO. Estimated Total Annual Respondent Burden Hours: 3,613 hours. Estimated Total Annual Respondent Hourly Cost Burden: $106,511. TABLE 1—TOTAL BURDEN HOURS AND HOURLY COSTS TO INDIVIDUAL OR HOUSEHOLD RESPONDENTS Item No. 1 ............... Item Estimated annual respondents Responses per respondent (a) (b) Patent Examiner Employee Application. Totals ...................... Estimated annual responses (a) × (b) = (c) Estimated time for response (hour) Estimated annual burden (hour/year) Rate 1 ($/hour) Estimated annual burden (d) (c) × (d) = (e) (f) (e) × (f) = (g) 7,226 1 7,226 0.50 (30 minutes) ....... 3,613 $29.48 $106,511 7,226 ........................ 7,226 ..................................... 3,613 ........................ 106,511 1 USPTO ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1 uses the OPM Special Rate Table 0576—Patent Examiner 07–Step 1 (the salary divided by 2,080 (the hours per year in a standard 40-hour work-week)) as an estimate for the hourly rate: https://www.opm.gov/special-rates/2023/Table057601012023.aspx. Estimated Total Annual Respondent Non-Hourly Cost Burden: $0. There are no capital start-up, maintenance costs, recordkeeping costs, filing fees, or postage costs associated with this information collection. VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:49 Nov 14, 2023 Jkt 262001 IV. Request for Comments The USPTO is soliciting public comments to: (a) Evaluate whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the PO 00000 Frm 00050 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Agency, including whether the information will have practical utility; (b) Evaluate the accuracy of the Agency’s estimate of the burden of the collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; E:\FR\FM\15NON1.SGM 15NON1 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 219 / Wednesday, November 15, 2023 / Notices (c) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) 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. All comments submitted in response to this notice are a matter of public record. USPTO will include or summarize each comment in the request to OMB to approve this information collection. Before including an address, phone number, email address, or other personally identifiable information (PII) in a comment, be aware that the entire comment—including PII—may be made publicly available at any time. While you may ask in your comment to withhold PII from public view, USPTO cannot guarantee that it will be able to do so. Justin Isaac, Information Collections Officer, Office of the Chief Administrative Officer, United States Patent and Trademark Office. [FR Doc. 2023–25157 Filed 11–14–23; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–16–P CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION [Docket No. CPSC–2010–0056] Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Extension of Approval of Information Collection; Comment Request—Safety Standard for Bicycle Helmets Consumer Product Safety Commission. ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC or Commission) requests comments on a proposed extension of approval for a collection of information relating to the Safety Standard for Bicycle Helmets. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) previously approved the collection of information under control number 3041–0127. OMB’s most recent extension of approval will expire on January 31, 2024. The Commission will consider all comments received in response to this notice before requesting an extension of approval of this collection of information from OMB. ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1 SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:49 Nov 14, 2023 Jkt 262001 Submit comments on the collection of information by January 16, 2024. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by Docket No. CPSC–2010– 0056, by any of the following methods: Electronic Submissions: Submit electronic comments to the Federal eRulemaking Portal at: https:// www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments. Do not submit through this website: confidential business information, trade secret information, or other sensitive or protected information that you do not want to be available to the public. The Commission typically does not accept comments submitted by email, except as described below. Mail/Hand Delivery/Courier/Written Submissions: CPSC encourages you to submit electronic comments by using the Federal eRulemaking Portal. You may, however, submit comments by mail/hand delivery/courier to: Office of the Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission, 4330 East West Highway, Bethesda, MD 20814; telephone (301) 504–7923. Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name and docket number for this notice. CPSC may post all comments without change, including any personal identifiers, contact information, or other personal information provided, to: https:// www.regulations.gov. If you wish to submit confidential business information, trade secret information, or other sensitive or protected information that you do not want to be available to the public, you may submit such comments by mail, hand delivery, or courier, or you may email them to cpscos@cpsc.gov. Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or comments received, go to: https:// www.regulations.gov, insert docket number CPSC–2010–0056 into the ‘‘Search’’ box, and follow the prompts. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cynthia Gillham, Consumer Product Safety Commission, 4330 East West Highway, Bethesda, MD 20814; (301) 504–7791, or by email to: pra@cpsc.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: CPSC seeks to extend the following collection of information: Title: Safety Standard for Bicycle Helmets. OMB Number: 3041–0127. Type of Review: Extension of collection. Frequency of Response: On occasion. Affected Public: Manufacturers and importers of bicycle helmets. Estimated Number of Respondents: The Commission estimates that 38 DATES: PO 00000 Frm 00051 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 78333 manufacturers and importers will issue certificates on an estimated total of 200 models annually, including both older models and new models. Estimated Time per Response: The Commission estimates that manufacturers and importers will require 4 hours per model for recordkeeping and certification activities each year. Total Estimated Annual Burden: Based on CPSC’s estimates that manufacturers and importers will conduct recordkeeping and reporting activities for a total of 200 models, and that a total of 4 hours will be required per model, CPSC estimates that the total annual burden of this collection is 800 hours. The annualized cost to respondents for the information collection is $26,944 (800 hours × $33.68/hr), as estimated from total compensation data available from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.1 General Description of Collection: In 1998, the Commission issued a safety standard for bicycle helmets (16 CFR part 1203). The standard includes requirements for labeling and instructions. The standard also requires that manufacturers and importers of bicycle helmets subject to the standard issue certificates of compliance based on a reasonable testing program. Every person issuing certificates of compliance must maintain records of their testing so the Commission can verify that the testing was conducted properly. Respondents must comply with the requirements in 16 CFR part 1203 for labeling and instructions, testing, certification, and recordkeeping. Request for Comments: The Commission solicits written comments from all interested persons about the proposed collection of information. The Commission specifically solicits information relevant to the following topics: • whether the collection of information described above is necessary for the proper performance of the Commission’s functions, including whether the information would have practical utility; • whether the estimated burden of the proposed collection of information is accurate; • whether the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected could be enhanced; and 1 Total hourly compensation for office and administrative support occupations in goodsproducing industries is estimated by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to be $33.68: Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, March 2023, Table 4: (https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ archives/ecec_06162023.pdf). E:\FR\FM\15NON1.SGM 15NON1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 219 (Wednesday, November 15, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78332-78333]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-25157]



[[Page 78332]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Patent and Trademark Office


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment 
Request; Patent Examiner Employment Application

AGENCY: United States Patent and Trademark Office, Department of 
Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.

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

SUMMARY: The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), as 
required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, invites comments on 
the extension and revision of an existing information collection: 0651-
0042 Patent Examiner Employment Application. The purpose of this notice 
is to allow 60 days for public comment preceding submission of the 
information collection to OMB.

DATES: To ensure consideration, comments regarding this information 
collection must be received on or before January 16, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments by 
any of the following methods. Do not submit Confidential Business 
Information or otherwise sensitive or protected information.
     Email: [email protected]. Include ``0651-
0042 comment'' in the subject line of the message.
     Federal Rulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov.
     Mail: Justin Isaac, Office of the Chief Administrative 
Officer, United States Patent and Trademark Office, P.O. Box 1450, 
Alexandria, VA 22313-1450.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Request for additional information 
should be directed to Linda Majca, Chief of Workforce Employment 
Division--Patents, United States Patent and Trademark Office, P.O. Box 
1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450; by telephone at 571-272-0692; or by 
email at [email protected] with ``0651-0042 comment'' in the 
subject line. Additional information about this information collection 
is also available at https://www.reginfo.gov under ``Information 
Collection Review.''

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    In the current employment environment, life science and engineering 
graduates are in great demand. The United States Patent and Trademark 
Office (USPTO) is in direct competition with the private industry for 
the same caliber of candidates with the requisite knowledge and skills 
to perform patent examination work. This information collection covers 
online applications to the USPTO for entry-level patent examiner 
positions. More specifically, the collection covers the respondent data 
gathered from the applications. The USPTO posts the relevant positions 
online and collects applicant information via the USA Staffing System.
    The USA Staffing online application collects supplemental 
information to a candidate's USAJOBS application. This information 
assists USPTO Human Resource Specialists and Hiring Managers in 
determining whether an applicant possesses the basic qualification 
requirements for a patent examiner position. From the information 
collected, the USA Staffing system creates an electronic real-time 
candidate inventory on applicants' expertise and technical knowledge, 
which allows USPTO to immediately review applications from multiple 
applicants. The use of such automated online systems during recruitment 
allows USPTO to remain competitive, meet hiring goals, and fulfill the 
Agency's Congressional commitment to reduce the pendency rate for the 
examination of patent applications.

II. Method of Collection

    Items in this information collection must be submitted 
electronically via the USA Staffing system.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0651-0042.
    Forms: None.
    Type of Review: Extension and revision of a currently approved 
information collection.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households.
    Respondent's Obligation: Required to Obtain or Retain Benefits.
    Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 7,226 respondents.
    Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 7,226 responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: The USPTO estimates that the responses 
in this information collection will take the public approximately 30 
minutes (0.5 hours) to complete. This includes the time to gather the 
necessary information, create the document, and submit the completed 
request to the USPTO.
    Estimated Total Annual Respondent Burden Hours: 3,613 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Respondent Hourly Cost Burden: $106,511.

                                   Table 1--Total Burden Hours and Hourly Costs to Individual or Household Respondents
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                   Estimated                       Estimated                                 Estimated
  Item No.          Item            annual       Responses per      annual         Estimated time  for    annual  burden   Rate \1\ ($/      Estimated
                                  respondents     respondent       responses         response (hour)        (hour/year)        hour)       annual burden
                                           (a)             (b)     (a) x (b) =  (d).....................     (c) x (d) =             (f)     (e) x (f) =
                                                                           (c)                                       (e)                             (g)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1...........  Patent Examiner            7,226               1           7,226  0.50 (30 minutes).......           3,613          $29.48        $106,511
               Employee
               Application.
                               -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Totals.........           7,226  ..............           7,226  ........................           3,613  ..............         106,511
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ USPTO uses the OPM Special Rate Table 0576--Patent Examiner 07-Step 1 (the salary divided by 2,080 (the hours per year in a standard 40-hour work-
  week)) as an estimate for the hourly rate: https://www.opm.gov/special-rates/2023/Table057601012023.aspx.

    Estimated Total Annual Respondent Non-Hourly Cost Burden: $0. There 
are no capital start-up, maintenance costs, recordkeeping costs, filing 
fees, or postage costs associated with this information collection.

IV. Request for Comments

    The USPTO is soliciting public comments to:
    (a) Evaluate whether the collection of information is necessary for 
the proper performance of the functions of the Agency, including 
whether the information will have practical utility;
    (b) Evaluate the accuracy of the Agency's estimate of the burden of 
the collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;

[[Page 78333]]

    (c) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected; and
    (d) 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.
    All comments submitted in response to this notice are a matter of 
public record. USPTO will include or summarize each comment in the 
request to OMB to approve this information collection. Before including 
an address, phone number, email address, or other personally 
identifiable information (PII) in a comment, be aware that the entire 
comment--including PII--may be made publicly available at any time. 
While you may ask in your comment to withhold PII from public view, 
USPTO cannot guarantee that it will be able to do so.

Justin Isaac,
Information Collections Officer, Office of the Chief Administrative 
Officer, United States Patent and Trademark Office.
[FR Doc. 2023-25157 Filed 11-14-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-16-P
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