82_FR_55622 82 FR 55399 - Information Collection Activities; Comment Request

82 FR 55399 - Information Collection Activities; Comment Request

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Bureau of Labor Statistics

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 223 (November 21, 2017)

Page Range55399-55400
FR Document2017-25110

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 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 ``National Compensation Survey.'' A copy of the proposed information collection request can be obtained by contacting the individual listed below in the Addresses section of this notice.

Federal Register, Volume 82 Issue 223 (Tuesday, November 21, 2017)
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 223 (Tuesday, November 21, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55399-55400]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-25110]


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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 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 ``National 
Compensation Survey.'' A copy of the proposed information collection 
request 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 January 22, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Nora Kincaid, 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 fax to 202-691-5111 (this is not a toll free 
number.)

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nora Kincaid, BLS Clearance Officer, 
at 202-691-7628 (this is not a toll free number.) (See ADDRESSES 
section.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    The National Compensation Survey (NCS) is an ongoing survey of 
earnings and benefits among private firms, State, and local government. 
Data from the NCS program include estimates of wages covering broad 
groups of related occupations, and data that directly links benefit 
plan costs with detailed plan provisions. The NCS is used to produce 
the Employment Cost Trends, including the Employment Cost Index (ECI) 
and Employer Costs for Employee Compensation (ECEC), employee benefits 
data (on coverage, cost and provisions), data used by the President's 
Pay Agent and this data is used by compensation administrators and 
researchers in the private sector. Data from the NCS are used to help 
in determining monetary policy (as a Principal Federal Economic 
Indicator.)
    The integrated program's single sample produces both time-series 
indexes and cost levels for industry and occupational groups, thereby 
increasing the analytical potential of the data.
    The NCS employs probability methods for selection of occupations. 
This ensures that sampled occupations represent all occupations in the 
workforce, while minimizing the reporting burden on respondents. The 
survey collects data from a sample of employers. These data will 
consist of information about the duties, responsibilities, and 
compensation (earnings and benefits) for a sample of occupations for 
each sampled employer.
    Data will be updated on a quarterly basis. The updates will allow 
for production of data on change in earnings and total compensation.

II. Current Action

    Office of Management and Budget clearance is being sought for the 
National Compensation Survey.
    The NCS collects earnings and work level data on occupations for 
the nation. The NCS also collects information on the cost, provisions, 
and incidence of major employee benefits through its benefit cost and 
benefit provision programs and publications.
    BLS has for a number of years been using a revised approach to the 
Locality Pay Survey (LPS); this uses data from two current BLS 
programs--the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) survey and the 
ECI program. This approach uses OES data to provide wage data by 
occupation and by area, while ECI data are used to specify grade level 
effects. This approach is also being used to extend the estimation of 
pay gaps to areas that were not included in the prior Locality Pay 
Survey sample, and these data have been delivered to the Pay Agent (in 
2014, data for 92 areas were delivered.)
    The NCS has a national survey design for the ECI and the EBS. The 
NCS private industry sample is on a three-year rotational cycle, with 
one frozen sample year every ten years for the NCS private industry 
sample when a new NCS State and local government sample starts 
(approximately in 2025).
    The NCS continues to provide employee benefit provision and 
participation data. These data include estimates of how many workers 
receive the various employer-sponsored benefits. The data also include 
information about the common provisions of benefit plans.
    NCS collection will use a number of collection forms (normally 
having

[[Page 55400]]

unique private industry and government initiation and update collection 
forms and versions). For NCS update collection, the forms or screens 
give respondents their previously reported information, the dates they 
expected change to occur to these data, and space for reporting these 
changes.
    The NCS for electronic collection uses a Web-based system (Web-
Lite) that allows NCS respondents, using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) 
encryption and the establishment's schedule number, to upload data 
files to a secure BLS server and forwards those files to the assigned 
BLS field economist.
    Some benefits (called ``Other benefits'') data are collected to 
track the emergence of new or changing benefits over time. The BLS only 
asks whether sampled occupations receive these benefits and 
periodically modifies this list. With this clearance, BLS is removing 
subsidized commuting and stock options from Other benefit collection. 
BLS is adding the collection of student loan repayments and flexible 
work schedules.

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.
    Title of Collection: National Compensation Survey.
    OMB Number: 1220-0164.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profit; not-for-profit 
institutions; and State, local, and tribal government.
    Total Respondents: 15,863 (three-year average).
    All figures are based on a three-year average. The total responses 
are higher as some respondents are contacted multiple times.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                           Average
                                                        Respondents     responses per   Total number of  Average minutes    Total hours
                                                                             year          responses
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Three-year average..................................           15863           3.1579            50094         52.96685            44222
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                                                Collection Forms
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
National Compensation Survey (Private   NCS 18-1P, NCS 18-2P, NCS 18-   Establishment Form, Earnings Form,
 Industry sample).                       5P, NCS-9P, SO-1003P, E-        Benefits Form, Earning Update Form,
                                         update, IDCF.                   Benefits Update Form, E-update Screen,
                                                                         NCS IDCF Screen.
National Compensation Survey (State     NCS 18-1G, NCS 18-2G, NCS 18-   Establishment Form, Earnings Form,
 and local government sample).           5G, NCS-9G, SO-1003G, E-        Benefits Form, Earning Update Form,
                                         update, IDCF.                   Benefits Update Form, E-update Screen,
                                                                         NCS IDCF Screen.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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, this 14th day of November 2017.
Kimberley Hill,
Chief, Division of Management Systems.
[FR Doc. 2017-25110 Filed 11-20-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4510-24-P



                                                                               Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 223 / Tuesday, November 21, 2017 / Notices                                          55399

                                                    CAFTA–DR Implementation Act.’’ In                       ACTION: Notice of information collection;             determining monetary policy (as a
                                                    order to be assured consideration,                      request for comment.                                  Principal Federal Economic Indicator.)
                                                    comments should be submitted by 5                                                                               The integrated program’s single
                                                    p.m. (EDT), January 2, 2018. The                        SUMMARY:    The Department of Labor, as               sample produces both time-series
                                                    Department of Labor encourages                          part of its continuing effort to reduce               indexes and cost levels for industry and
                                                    commenters to make on-line                              paperwork and respondent burden,                      occupational groups, thereby increasing
                                                    submissions using the                                   conducts a pre-clearance consultation                 the analytical potential of the data.
                                                    www.regulations.gov Web site. When                      program to provide the general public                   The NCS employs probability
                                                    entering this site, enter ‘‘Request for                 and Federal agencies with an                          methods for selection of occupations.
                                                    Comments on Labor Capacity-Building                     opportunity to comment on proposed                    This ensures that sampled occupations
                                                    Efforts Under the Dominican Republic-                   and/or continuing collections of                      represent all occupations in the
                                                    Central America-United States Free                      information in accordance with the                    workforce, while minimizing the
                                                    Trade Agreement’’ on the home page                      Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This                 reporting burden on respondents. The
                                                    search bar and click ‘‘search.’’ The site               program helps to ensure that requested                survey collects data from a sample of
                                                    will provide a search-results page listing              data can be provided in the desired                   employers. These data will consist of
                                                    all documents associated with this                      format, reporting burden (time and                    information about the duties,
                                                    docket. Find a reference to this notice                 financial resources) is minimized,                    responsibilities, and compensation
                                                    and click on the link entitled ‘‘Comment                collection instruments are clearly                    (earnings and benefits) for a sample of
                                                    Now.’’ (For further information on using                understood, and the impact of collection              occupations for each sampled employer.
                                                    the www.regulations.gov Web site,                       requirements on respondents can be                      Data will be updated on a quarterly
                                                    please consult the resources provided                   properly assessed. The Bureau of Labor                basis. The updates will allow for
                                                    on the Web site by clicking on ‘‘How to                 Statistics (BLS) is soliciting comments               production of data on change in
                                                    Use This Site’’ (found on the bottom of                 concerning the proposed revision of the               earnings and total compensation.
                                                    the home page under ‘‘Help’’)).                         ‘‘National Compensation Survey.’’ A                   II. Current Action
                                                                                                            copy of the proposed information
                                                       The www.regulations.gov Web site                                                                              Office of Management and Budget
                                                                                                            collection request can be obtained by
                                                    allows users to provide comments by                                                                           clearance is being sought for the
                                                                                                            contacting the individual listed below
                                                    filling in a ‘‘Type Comment field,’’ or by                                                                    National Compensation Survey.
                                                                                                            in the Addresses section of this notice.
                                                    attaching a document using an ‘‘Upload                                                                           The NCS collects earnings and work
                                                    File’’ field. The USDOL prefers that                    DATES: Written comments must be                       level data on occupations for the nation.
                                                    uploaded submissions be in Microsoft                    submitted to the office listed in the                 The NCS also collects information on
                                                    Word (.doc) or Adobe Acrobat (.pdf). If                 Addresses section of this notice on or                the cost, provisions, and incidence of
                                                    the submission is in an application                     before January 22, 2018.                              major employee benefits through its
                                                    other than those two, please indicate the               ADDRESSES: Send comments to Nora                      benefit cost and benefit provision
                                                    name of the application in the ‘‘Type                   Kincaid, BLS Clearance Officer,                       programs and publications.
                                                    Comment’’ field.                                        Division of Management Systems,                          BLS has for a number of years been
                                                       Please do not attach separate cover                  Bureau of Labor Statistics, Room 4080,                using a revised approach to the Locality
                                                    letters to electronic submissions; rather,              2 Massachusetts Avenue NE.,                           Pay Survey (LPS); this uses data from
                                                    include any information that might                      Washington, DC 20212. Written                         two current BLS programs—the
                                                    appear in a cover letter in the                         comments also may be transmitted by                   Occupational Employment Statistics
                                                    submission itself. Similarly, to the                    fax to 202–691–5111 (this is not a toll               (OES) survey and the ECI program. This
                                                    extent possible, please include any                     free number.)                                         approach uses OES data to provide wage
                                                    exhibits, annexes, or other attachments                 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
                                                                                                                                                                  data by occupation and by area, while
                                                    in the same file as the submission itself               Nora Kincaid, BLS Clearance Officer, at               ECI data are used to specify grade level
                                                    and not as separate files.                              202–691–7628 (this is not a toll free                 effects. This approach is also being used
                                                                                                            number.) (See ADDRESSES section.)                     to extend the estimation of pay gaps to
                                                       As noted, USDOL strongly urges
                                                                                                                                                                  areas that were not included in the prior
                                                    submitters to file comments through the                 SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:                            Locality Pay Survey sample, and these
                                                    www.regulations.gov Web site.
                                                                                                            I. Background                                         data have been delivered to the Pay
                                                       Comments will be open to public                                                                            Agent (in 2014, data for 92 areas were
                                                    inspection. Comments may be viewed                         The National Compensation Survey                   delivered.)
                                                    on the www.regulations.gov Web site.                    (NCS) is an ongoing survey of earnings                   The NCS has a national survey design
                                                      Signed at Washington, DC, on November 9,              and benefits among private firms, State,              for the ECI and the EBS. The NCS
                                                    2017.                                                   and local government. Data from the                   private industry sample is on a three-
                                                    Martha E. Newton,                                       NCS program include estimates of                      year rotational cycle, with one frozen
                                                                                                            wages covering broad groups of related                sample year every ten years for the NCS
                                                    Deputy Undersecretary.
                                                                                                            occupations, and data that directly links             private industry sample when a new
                                                    [FR Doc. 2017–25012 Filed 11–20–17; 8:45 am]
                                                                                                            benefit plan costs with detailed plan                 NCS State and local government sample
                                                    BILLING CODE 4510–28–P
                                                                                                            provisions. The NCS is used to produce                starts (approximately in 2025).
                                                                                                            the Employment Cost Trends, including                    The NCS continues to provide
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                                                                                                            the Employment Cost Index (ECI) and                   employee benefit provision and
                                                    DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
                                                                                                            Employer Costs for Employee                           participation data. These data include
                                                    Bureau of Labor Statistics                              Compensation (ECEC), employee                         estimates of how many workers receive
                                                                                                            benefits data (on coverage, cost and                  the various employer-sponsored
                                                    Information Collection Activities;                      provisions), data used by the President’s             benefits. The data also include
                                                    Comment Request                                         Pay Agent and this data is used by                    information about the common
                                                                                                            compensation administrators and                       provisions of benefit plans.
                                                    AGENCY:Bureau of Labor Statistics,                      researchers in the private sector. Data                  NCS collection will use a number of
                                                    Department of Labor.                                    from the NCS are used to help in                      collection forms (normally having


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                                                    55400                           Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 223 / Tuesday, November 21, 2017 / Notices

                                                    unique private industry and government                             removing subsidized commuting and                       • Minimize the burden of the
                                                    initiation and update collection forms                             stock options from Other benefit                      collection of information on those who
                                                    and versions). For NCS update                                      collection. BLS is adding the collection              are to respond, including through the
                                                    collection, the forms or screens give                              of student loan repayments and flexible               use of appropriate automated,
                                                    respondents their previously reported                              work schedules.                                       electronic, mechanical, or other
                                                    information, the dates they expected                               III. Desired Focus of Comments                        technological collection techniques or
                                                    change to occur to these data, and space                                                                                 other forms of information technology,
                                                    for reporting these changes.                                          The Bureau of Labor Statistics is                  e.g., permitting electronic submissions
                                                                                                                       particularly interested in comments                   of responses.
                                                       The NCS for electronic collection uses
                                                                                                                       that:                                                   Title of Collection: National
                                                    a Web-based system (Web-Lite) that                                    • Evaluate whether the proposed
                                                    allows NCS respondents, using Secure                                                                                     Compensation Survey.
                                                                                                                       collection of information is necessary
                                                    Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption and the                                                                                     OMB Number: 1220–0164.
                                                                                                                       for the proper performance of the
                                                    establishment’s schedule number, to                                functions of the agency, including                      Type of Review: Revision of a
                                                    upload data files to a secure BLS server                           whether the information will have                     currently approved collection.
                                                    and forwards those files to the assigned                           practical utility.                                      Affected Public: Businesses or other
                                                    BLS field economist.                                                  • Evaluate the accuracy of the                     for-profit; not-for-profit institutions; and
                                                       Some benefits (called ‘‘Other                                   agency’s estimate of the burden of the                State, local, and tribal government.
                                                    benefits’’) data are collected to track the                        proposed collection of information,                     Total Respondents: 15,863 (three-year
                                                    emergence of new or changing benefits                              including the validity of the                         average).
                                                    over time. The BLS only asks whether                               methodology and assumptions used.                       All figures are based on a three-year
                                                    sampled occupations receive these                                     • Enhance the quality, utility, and                average. The total responses are higher
                                                    benefits and periodically modifies this                            clarity of the information to be                      as some respondents are contacted
                                                    list. With this clearance, BLS is                                  collected.                                            multiple times.

                                                                                                                                                            Average        Total number        Average
                                                                                                                                       Respondents         responses                                        Total hours
                                                                                                                                                                           of responses        minutes
                                                                                                                                                            per year

                                                    Three-year average .............................................................      15863             3.1579            50094            52.96685        44222


                                                                                                                                       COLLECTION FORMS
                                                    National Compensation Survey (Private                      NCS 18–1P, NCS 18–2P, NCS 18–5P,                  Establishment Form, Earnings Form, Benefits Form, Earn-
                                                      Industry sample).                                         NCS–9P,    SO–1003P,   E-update,                   ing Update Form, Benefits Update Form, E-update
                                                                                                                IDCF.                                              Screen, NCS IDCF Screen.
                                                    National Compensation Survey (State                        NCS 18–1G, NCS 18–2G, NCS 18–                     Establishment Form, Earnings Form, Benefits Form, Earn-
                                                      and local government sample).                             5G, NCS–9G, SO–1003G, E-update,                    ing Update Form, Benefits Update Form, E-update
                                                                                                                IDCF.                                              Screen, NCS IDCF Screen.



                                                      Comments submitted in response to                                Records of Congress, in accordance with               name and telephone number of
                                                    this notice will be summarized and/or                              the Federal Advisory Committee Act.                   individuals planning to attend to the
                                                    included in the request for Office of                              The committee advises NARA on the                     Center for Legislative Archives no later
                                                    Management and Budget approval of the                              full range of programs, policies, and                 than Friday, December 1, 2017. The
                                                    information collection request; they also                          plans for the Center for Legislative                  Center will provide additional
                                                    will become a matter of public record.                             Archives in the Office of Legislative                 instructions for accessing the meeting’s
                                                      Signed at Washington, DC, this 14th day of                       Archives, Presidential Libraries, and                 location.
                                                    November 2017.                                                     Museum Services (LPM).
                                                                                                                                                                             Agenda
                                                    Kimberley Hill,                                                    DATES: This meeting will be on
                                                    Chief, Division of Management Systems.                             December 6, 2017, from 10:00 a.m. to                  (1) Chair’s opening remarks—Clerk of
                                                    [FR Doc. 2017–25110 Filed 11–20–17; 8:45 am]                       11:30 a.m.                                                 the U.S. House of Representatives
                                                    BILLING CODE 4510–24–P                                             ADDRESSES: National Archives and                      (2) Recognition of co-chair—Secretary of
                                                                                                                       Records Administration, 700                                the U.S. Senate
                                                                                                                       Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Archivist’s
                                                    NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS                                      Reception Room, Room 105,                             (3) Recognition of the Archivist of the
                                                    ADMINISTRATION                                                     Washington, DC 20408.                                      United States
                                                    [NARA–2018–004]                                                    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:                      (4) Approval of the minutes of the last
                                                                                                                       Sharon Shaver, by mail at the Center for                   meeting
                                                    Advisory Committee on the Records of                               Legislative Archives (LL), National                   (5) House Archivist’s report
asabaliauskas on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with NOTICES




                                                    Congress                                                           Archives Building, 700 Pennsylvania                   (6) Senate Archivist’s report
                                                                                                                       Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20408, by
                                                    AGENCY: National Archives and Records                                                                                    (7) Center for Legislative Archives
                                                                                                                       telephone at (202) 357–5350, or by
                                                    Administration (NARA).                                                                                                        update
                                                                                                                       email at sharon.shaver@nara.gov.
                                                    ACTION: Notice of Advisory Committee
                                                                                                                       SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The                        (8) Other current issues and new
                                                    Meeting; Records of Congress.
                                                                                                                       meeting will be open to the public.                        business
                                                    SUMMARY:  We are announcing a meeting                              However, due to space limitations and
                                                    of the Advisory Committee on the                                   access procedures, you must submit the


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Document Created: 2017-11-21 00:43:08
Document Modified: 2017-11-21 00:43:08
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionNotices
ActionNotice of information collection; request for comment.
DatesWritten comments must be submitted to the office listed in the
ContactNora Kincaid, BLS Clearance Officer,
FR Citation82 FR 55399 

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