80 FR 11230 - Comment Request for Information Collection for OMB 1205-0430, Resource Justification Model (RJM); Extension With Revisions

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 40 (March 2, 2015)

The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a preclearance 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 (PRA95) [44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)]. This program helps to ensure that required 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. Currently, ETA is soliciting comments concerning the proposed extension, with change on Resource Justification Model.

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 40 (Monday, March 2, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11230-11231]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-04165]



[[Page 11230]]

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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR


Comment Request for Information Collection for OMB 1205-0430, 
Resource Justification Model (RJM); Extension With Revisions

AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration (ETA), Labor.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to 
reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a preclearance 
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 (PRA95) [44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)]. This program helps to 
ensure that required 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.
    Currently, ETA is soliciting comments concerning the proposed 
extension, with change on Resource Justification Model.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
addressee section below on or before May 1, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Thomas Stengle, Office of 
Unemployment Insurance, Employment and Training Administration, U.S. 
Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20210, 
telephone number (202) 693-2991 (this is not a toll-free number). Email 
address is [email protected] and fax number is (202) 693-2874 
(this is not a toll-free number). To obtain a copy of the proposed 
information collection request (ICR), please contact the person listed 
above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    The collection of actual Unemployment Insurance (UI) administrative 
cost data from states' accounting records and projected expenditures 
for upcoming years is accomplished through the Resource Justification 
Model (RJM) data collection instrument. The data collected consists of 
program expenditures and hours worked by state staff, broken out by 
functional activity, for the most recent two years of expenditures. 
This actual cost data in combination with projected workloads is used 
by ETA's UI administrative resource allocation model to distribute to 
states UI program administration funds.
    The RJM data collection instrument had not been reviewed since it 
was implemented in 2002 and both the states and DOL felt it would be 
beneficial to determine if the process could be modified to reduce the 
burden of assembling and reviewing the information and if the 
information collected is appropriate (because, for example, the 
increasing use of technology to administer the UI program has 
significantly changed the UI business model). The DOL partnered with 
the National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA) to form a 
workgroup tasked with determining improvements to the RJM and three 
changes were agreed upon. The workgroup decided to reduce the 
categories of existing Non-Personal Services (NPS) categories from 
eight to three: Information technology (IT)/Communications, Non IT NPS, 
and Personal Service Contracts. The workgroup also decided to 
discontinue the requirement for states to submit hard copy note books 
containing the supporting documentation. Both of these changes reduce 
respondent burden. In addition, the workgroup decided to add a 
requirement for states to report separately Personal Services and 
Personal Benefits for IT expenditures, which did not exist previously.

II. Review Focus

    The Department of Labor is particularly interested in comments 
which:
     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 information collection on those 
who are to respond, including 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.

III. Current Actions

    Type of Review: Extension with revisions.
    Title: Resource Justification Model.
    OMB Number: 1205-0430.
    Affected Public: State Workforce Agencies.
    Estimated Total Annual Respondents: 53 State Workforce Agencies.
    Frequency: Annually.
    Estimated Total Responses: 53 respondents x 4 annual reports 
submitted = 212 responses.
    Average Estimated Response Time: 109.5 hours (a reduction of 13.5 
hours per response from the previously approved collection).
    Total Estimated Burden Hours: 5,592 hours (a reduction of 715 hours 
from the previously approved collection).

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                   Average time        Total
         Form/activity               Total          Frequency          Total       per response      estimated
                                  respondents                        responses        (hours)     burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Crosswalk.....................              53  Annually........              53            94.5           5,009
Account Summary...............              53  Annually........              53             4.0             212
RJM 1-6.......................              53  Annually........              53             3.0             159
IT PS/PB Expenditures.........              53  Annually........              53             8.0             424
                               ----------------                  -----------------------------------------------
    Totals....................  ..............  ................             212           109.5           5,804
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $15,000.
    Total Burden Cost (operating/maintaining): $0.
    We will summarize and/or include in the request for OMB approval of 
the ICR, the comments received in response

[[Page 11231]]

to this comment request; they will also become a matter of public 
record.

Portia Wu,
Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training, Labor.
[FR Doc. 2015-04165 Filed 2-27-15; 8:45 am]
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