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)

Page Range		11230-11231
FR Document		2015-04165

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 Issue 40 (Monday, March 2, 2015)

[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.

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

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]
BILLING CODE 4510-FW-P

11230 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 40 / Monday, March 2, 2015 / Notices

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: to report separately Personal Services
and Personal Benefits for IT
Comment Request for Information I. Background
expenditures, which did not exist
Collection for OMB 1205–0430, The collection of actual previously.
Resource Justification Model (RJM); Unemployment Insurance (UI)
Extension With Revisions administrative cost data from states’ II. Review Focus
accounting records and projected The Department of Labor is
AGENCY: Employment and Training expenditures for upcoming years is particularly interested in comments
Administration (ETA), Labor. accomplished through the Resource which:
ACTION: Notice. Justification Model (RJM) data • Evaluate whether the proposed
collection instrument. The data collection of information is necessary
SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as
collected consists of program for the proper performance of the
part of its continuing effort to reduce
expenditures and hours worked by state functions of the agency, including
paperwork and respondent burden,
staff, broken out by functional activity, whether the information will have
conducts a preclearance consultation
for the most recent two years of practical utility;
program to provide the general public
and Federal agencies with an
expenditures. This actual cost data in • Evaluate the accuracy of the
combination with projected workloads agency’s estimate of the burden of the
opportunity to comment on proposed
is used by ETA’s UI administrative proposed collection of information,
and/or continuing collections of
resource allocation model to distribute including the validity of the
information in accordance with the
to states UI program administration methodology and assumptions used;
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(PRA95) [44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)]. This
funds. • Enhance the quality, utility, and
The RJM data collection instrument clarity of the information to be
program helps to ensure that required
had not been reviewed since it was collected; and
data can be provided in the desired
format, reporting burden (time and
implemented in 2002 and both the • Minimize the burden of the
states and DOL felt it would be information collection on those who are
financial resources) is minimized,
beneficial to determine if the process to respond, including the use of
collection instruments are clearly
could be modified to reduce the burden appropriate automated, electronic,
understood, and the impact of collection
of assembling and reviewing the mechanical, or other technological
requirements on respondents can be
information and if the information collection techniques or other forms of
properly assessed.
collected is appropriate (because, for information technology, e.g., permitting
Currently, ETA is soliciting comments
example, the increasing use of electronic submissions of responses.
concerning the proposed extension,
technology to administer the UI program
with change on Resource Justification III. Current Actions
has significantly changed the UI
Model.
business model). The DOL partnered Type of Review: Extension with
DATES: Written comments must be with the National Association of State revisions.
submitted to the office listed in the Workforce Agencies (NASWA) to form a Title: Resource Justification Model.
addressee section below on or before workgroup tasked with determining OMB Number: 1205–0430.
May 1, 2015. improvements to the RJM and three Affected Public: State Workforce
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to changes were agreed upon. The Agencies.
Thomas Stengle, Office of workgroup decided to reduce the Estimated Total Annual Respondents:
Unemployment Insurance, Employment categories of existing Non-Personal 53 State Workforce Agencies.
and Training Administration, U.S. Services (NPS) categories from eight to Frequency: Annually.
Department of Labor, 200 Constitution three: Information technology (IT)/ Estimated Total Responses: 53
Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20210, Communications, Non IT NPS, and respondents × 4 annual reports
telephone number (202) 693–2991 (this Personal Service Contracts. The submitted = 212 responses.
is not a toll-free number). Email address workgroup also decided to discontinue Average Estimated Response Time:
is stengle.thomas@dol.gov and fax the requirement for states to submit 109.5 hours (a reduction of 13.5 hours
number is (202) 693–2874 (this is not a hard copy note books containing the per response from the previously
toll-free number). To obtain a copy of supporting documentation. Both of approved collection).
the proposed information collection these changes reduce respondent Total Estimated Burden Hours: 5,592
request (ICR), please contact the person burden. In addition, the workgroup hours (a reduction of 715 hours from the
listed above. decided to add a requirement for states previously approved collection).

Total
Average time
Total Total estimated
Form/activity Frequency per response
respondents responses burden
(hours) (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
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

IT PS/PB Expenditures ..................... 53 Annually ............................................ 53 8.0 424

Totals ......................................... ........................ ........................................................... 212 109.5 5,804

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

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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 40 / Monday, March 2, 2015 / Notices 11231

to this comment request; they will also 889–5627 (TTY/TDD). Fax: 202–693– legislative authority expired on
become a matter of public record. 3015. Email: vitelli.kimberly@dol.gov. December 31, 2014.
To obtain a copy of the proposed This submission includes five WOTC
Portia Wu, program forms as follows: (1) A
information collection request (ICR),
Assistant Secretary for Employment and please contact the person listed above. reporting form (ETA 9058); (2) two
Training, Labor. processing forms (ETA Forms 9061
[FR Doc. 2015–04165 Filed 2–27–15; 8:45 am] FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
(English and Spanish versions) and
BILLING CODE 4510–FW–P Carmen Ortiz, WOTC National 9062; (3) and two administrative forms
Coordinator at ortiz.carmen@dol.gov. (ETA Forms 9063 and 9065). ETA Form
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 9058 is used by SWAs to report to ETA
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR information on processing of WOTC
I. Background
certification requests. ETA Form 9061 or
Employment and Training
The Work Opportunity Tax Credit 9062 is used by employers to request
Administration
(WOTC) program was created by the certification for their new hires together
Comment Request for Information Small Business Job Protection Act of with the IRS Form 8850. The SWAs use
Collection for Work Opportunity Tax 1996 (Pub. L. 104–188) and allows the information on these two forms to
Credit (WOTC) Program (OMB No. private-for-profit businesses, and 501(c) verify target group eligibility and
1205–0371), Extension Without tax-exempt organizations that hire process the employer’s requests. SWAs
Revisions of a Currently Approved veterans, to obtain tax credits from the use ETA Form 9063 to issue the final
Collection Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for hiring certifications to eligible employers or
hard-to-employ members of nine target their representatives and ETA Form
AGENCY: Employment and Training groups. State workforce agencies 9065 in their administrative quarterly
Administration (ETA), Labor. (SWAs) process these requests and issue internal audits. The design and format
ACTION: Notice. employers the final determination that a of ETA Form 9063 and 9065 is optional
new hire is in one of the nine target for the states. SWAs are no longer
SUMMARY: The Department of Labor groups, which employers then use to required to report to ETA the results of
(Department), as part of its continuing claim the tax credit to the IRS. Other their internal audits (ETA 9065).
effort to reduce paperwork and legislation that imposes requirements on The data collected under this
respondent burden, conducts a the WOTC program include the submission is necessary for effective
preclearance consultation program to Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 (Pub. L. federal administration of the WOTC
provide the public and Federal agencies 105–34), which created the Welfare-to- program, including allowing ETA and
with an opportunity to comment on Work Tax Credit for a two-year period. IRS to oversee state administration of
proposed and/or continuing collections The WtWTC expired on December 2005 the tax credit. Uniform program
of information in accordance with the and its Long-term TANF Recipient administration procedures and forms
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 [44 group became part of the WOTC in 2006 assure that businesses, especially
U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)] (PRA). The PRA by Pub. L 109–432. Additional multistate businesses that utilize the
helps ensure that respondents can legislation includes the Tax Relief and WOTC tax credit, receive consistent
provide requested data in the desired Health Care Act (Pub. L. 109–432) treatment from state to state regarding
format with minimal reporting burden passed in 2006, the Small Business and eligibility determinations and
(time and financial resources), Work Opportunity Tax Act (Pub. L. processing of their certification requests,
collection instruments are clearly 110–28) passed in 2007, the American and that the statutory rules for receipt
understood and the impact of collection Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 of this tax credit requests are
requirements on respondents can be (Pub. L. 111–5), the VOW to Hire Heroes administered in a consistent manner by
properly assessed. Act of 2011 (Pub. L. 112–56), the the SWAs.
Currently, the Office Workforce American Taxpayer Relief of 2012 (Pub. Since Public Laws 113–295 and 112–
Investment in ETA is soliciting L. 112–240), the Tax Increase 240 did not make any changes to the
comments concerning the proposed Prevention Act of 2014 (Pub. L. 113– program or its target groups other than
request for an extension of a collection 295), and Section 51 of the Internal reauthorize the program through a
of Work Opportunity Tax Credit Revenue (IR) Code of 1986, as amended. specific period of time, the program’s
(WOTC) program forms without Since its enactment, this program has administrative, processing and reporting
changes. experienced a series of authorization forms have not been revised or
lapses and retroactive reauthorizations amended. These forms expire on June
DATES: Submit written comments to the
by Congress. 30, 2015. ETA is requesting a 3-year
office listed in the addresses section
expiration date of June 30, 2018.
below on or before May 1, 2015. On December 19, 2014, President
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Obama signed into law the Tax Increase II. Review Focus
Ms. Kimberly Vitelli, Chief Division of Prevention Act of 2014 (the Act) (Pub. The Department is particularly
National Programs Tools and Technical L. 113–295). On December 31, 2013 the interested in comments which:
Assistance (DNPTTA), Room C–4510, legislative authority of the WOTC • Evaluate whether the proposed
Employment and Training program expired, and this Act amended collection of information is necessary
Administration, U.S. Department of Sec. 51 of the IR Code by retroactively for the proper performance of the
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., reauthorizing WOTC, without any functions of the agency, including
Washington, DC 20210. Telephone amendments/changes to the program or whether the information will have
number: 202–693–3045 (this is not a the current target groups, through practical utility;
toll-free number). Individuals with December 31, 2014. This retroactive • evaluate the accuracy of the
hearing or speech impairments may extension applies to new hires who agency’s estimate of the burden of the
access the telephone number above via began to work for an employer on or proposed collection of information,
TTY by calling the toll-free Federal after January 1, 2014 and before January including the validity of the
Information Relay Service at 1–877– 1, 2015. Currently, the WOTC program’s methodology and assumptions used;

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Document Created: 2015-12-18 12:07:29
Document Modified: 2015-12-18 12:07:29

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
Action		Notice.
Dates		Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the
FR Citation		80 FR 11230