83 FR 42697 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request: H-2A Recordkeeping Requirement

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training Administration

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 164 (August 23, 2018)

The Department of Labor (DOL or Department), as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a preclearance consultation program to provide the 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 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. Currently, the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) is soliciting comments concerning its proposal to extend the approval of this information collection. Current expiration of the information collection is November 30, 2018.

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 164 (Thursday, August 23, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42697-42698]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-18211]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request: H-2A Recordkeeping Requirement

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor (DOL or Department), as part of its 
continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a 
preclearance consultation program to provide the 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 ensure that requested data can be 
provided in the desired format, reporting burden (time and financial 
resources) is minimized, collection instruments are clearly

[[Page 42698]]

understood, and the impact of collection requirements on respondents 
can be properly assessed. Currently, the Employment and Training 
Administration (ETA) is soliciting comments concerning its proposal to 
extend the approval of this information collection. Current expiration 
of the information collection is November 30, 2018.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
addresses section below on or before October 22, 2018.

ADDRESSES: A copy of this information collection request (ICR), with 
applicable supporting documentation, including a description of the 
likely respondents, proposed frequency of response, and estimated total 
burden may be obtained free of charge by contacting William W. 
Thompson, II, Administrator, Office of Foreign Labor Certification, 
telephone number: 202-513-7350 (this is not a toll-free number). 
Individuals with hearing or speech impairments may access the telephone 
number above via TTY by calling the toll-free Federal Information Relay 
Service at 1-877-889-5627 (TTY/TDD). Requests may also be made by fax 
at 202-513-7395 or by email at [email protected] subject line: H-
2A Recordkeeping Requirement.
    Submit written comments about, or requests for a copy of, this ICR 
by mail or courier to the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and 
Training Administration, Office of Foreign Labor Certification, Room 
12-200, 200 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20210; by email: 
[email protected] subject line: H-2A Recordkeeping Requirement; or 
by fax: 202-513-7395.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    Under the foreign labor certification programs administered by ETA, 
the H-2A temporary labor certification program enables employers to 
bring nonimmigrant foreign workers to the U.S. to perform agricultural 
work of a temporary or seasonal nature as defined in 8 U.S.C. 
1101(a)(15)(H)(ii)(a). The H-2A program also permits employers to 
employ foreign sheepherders and goatherders and those working in open-
range production of livestock.
    In order to meet its statutory responsibilities under the 
Immigration and Nationality Act, the Department must request 
information from employers seeking to hire and import foreign labor. 
The Department uses the information collected to determine whether 
employers engaging in sheep herding, goat herding, and open-range 
production of livestock have met their obligations under Federal law. 
This ICR pertains to program obligations for employers seeking to hire 
foreign temporary agricultural workers for job opportunities in herding 
or production of livestock on the open range. Among the issues 
addressed through this ICR are timekeeping requirements of employers. 
In order to determine eligibility for the program based on the amount 
of work performed on the range, this ICR requires employers to note 
whether employees spend days on the ranch or on the range. This ICR 
also requires employers to record the reason for the worker's absence 
where the employer chooses to prorate the required wage.

II. Review Focus

    DOL 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; and
     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.

III. This ICR May Be Summarized as Follows

    Agency: DOL-ETA.
    Action: Extension.
    Title of Collection: H-2A Recordkeeping Requirement.
    OMB Control Number: 1205-0519.
    Affected Public: Private Sector--Farms.
    Form(s): None.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 654.
    Frequency: Weekly (50 weeks).
    Total Estimated Annual Responses: 32,070.
    Average Time per Response: 6 minutes.
    Total Estimated Annual Time Burden: 3,270.
    Total Estimated Annual Other Costs Burden: $0.
    Comments submitted in response to this comment request will be 
summarized and/or included in the request for OMB approval of the ICR; 
they will also become a matter of public record. Commenters are 
encouraged not to submit sensitive information (e.g., confidential 
business information or personally identifiable information such as a 
social security number).

    Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3507(a)(1)(D).

Rosemary Lahasky,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training Administration.
[FR Doc. 2018-18211 Filed 8-22-18; 8:45 am]
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