80 FR 15252 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; Demonstration and Evaluation of the Short-Time Compensation (STC) Program (STC) Grants Program

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Office of the Secretary

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 55 (March 23, 2015)

The Department of Labor (DOL), 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. A copy of the proposed Information Collection Request can be obtained by contacting the office listed below in the addressee section of this notice.

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 55 (Monday, March 23, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15252-15253]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-06494]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Office of the Secretary


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Demonstration and Evaluation of the Short-Time 
Compensation (STC) Program (STC) Grants Program

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy, Chief Evaluation 
Office, Department of Labor.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor (DOL), 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. A copy 
of the proposed Information Collection Request can be obtained by 
contacting the office listed below in the addressee section of this 
notice.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
addressee section below on or before May 22, 2015.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either one of the following 
methods: Email: [email protected]; Mail or Courier: 
Christina Yancey, Chief Evaluation Office, U.S. Department of Labor, 
Room S-2312, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20210. 
Instructions: Please submit one copy of your comments by only one 
method. All submissions received must include the agency name and OMB 
Control Number identified above for this information collection. 
Because we continue to experience delays in receiving mail in the 
Washington, DC area, commenters are strongly encouraged to transmit 
their comments electronically via email or to submit them by mail 
early. Comments, including any personal information provided, become a 
matter of public record. They will also be summarized and/or included 
in the request for OMB approval of the information collection request.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christina Yancey by email at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 was signed 
into law on February 22, 2012. Subtitle D of Title II of the Act 
contains several provisions concerning the STC program, including 
Section 2166 requiring the Secretary of Labor to submit a final report 
to Congress on the implementation of the provisions of Subtitle D no 
later than four years after the date of enactment.
    The STC program is an option within the Unemployment Insurance (UI) 
system that allows employers to reduce the hours of workers, while 
permitting workers to receive partial UI benefits for the non-worked 
hours. The objective of STC is to avoid layoffs during periods of 
reduced labor demand and thereby allow businesses to maintain their 
operations, retain valued employees, and prevent company morale from 
deteriorating. The program was first initiated California in 1978 and a 
temporary national STC program was adopted in 1982 under the Tax Equity 
and Fiscal Responsibility Act (TEFRA, P.L. 97-248). The STC program 
became permanent in Federal law in 1992, when states were permitted to 
adopt their own STC programs as part of State UI laws. Under Section 
303(a)(5) of the Social Security Act and Section 3304(a)(4) of the 
Federal Unemployment Tax Act, the Unemployment Trust Fund can pay for 
STC. Each state has an account within the Fund from which its pays UI 
benefits.
    The Employment and Training Administration's Office of Unemployment 
Insurance has oversight responsibility for the STC program. The Chief 
Evaluation Office of the Department of Labor (DOL) is conducting a 
rigorous demonstration and impact evaluation of the STC

[[Page 15253]]

programs in two states, Iowa and Oregon, to better understand the 
reasons for low take-up of STC and to evaluate the effectiveness of 
strategies to increase employer use. DOL is requesting clearance for 
two aspects of information collection: (1) To conduct in-depth 
interviews with state agency officials and employers, and (2) to survey 
employers on STC program awareness and participation. These data 
collections are essential elements of the implementation study and the 
rigorous impact evaluation of the demonstration of the STC program.

II. Desired Focus of Comments

    Currently, the Department of Labor is soliciting comments 
concerning the above data collection for the demonstration and 
evaluation of the short-term compensation program. Comments are 
requested to:
    * 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

    At this time, the Department of Labor is requesting clearance for 
data collection for the demonstration and evaluation of the short-term 
compensation program via collection of post-implementation data 
elements and fieldwork efforts.
    Type of review: New information collection request.
    OMB Control Number: 1205-0NEW.
    Affected Public: Private Sector Employers eligible for enrollment 
within the Short-Time Compensation Program; and Public Sector State 
Agency Personnel engaged in the Short-Time Compensation Program.

                                             Estimated Burden Hours
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                                 Estimated                                         Average time      Estimated
        Form/activity              total           Frequency           Total       per response    total burden
                                respondents                          responses        (hours)          hours
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State Agency Personnel                    30  Once..............              30             .67              20
 interviews.
Employer interviews.........              28  Once..............              28             .83            23.3
Employer Short-form survey..           2,000  Once..............           2,000            .034            67.7
Employer Long-form survey...             800  Once..............             800              .2             160
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    Totals..................           2,858  ..................           2,858  ..............             271
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    Comments submitted in response to this request will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for Office of Management and Budget 
approval; they will also become a matter of public record.

Mary Beth Maxwell,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, U.S. Department of 
Labor.
[FR Doc. 2015-06494 Filed 3-20-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-23-P