83 FR 46521 - Labor Surplus Area Classification

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training Administration

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 178 (September 13, 2018)

Page Range		46521-46522
FR Document		2018-19905

The purpose of this notice is to announce the annual list of labor surplus areas for Fiscal Year (FY) 2019.

Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 178 (Thursday, September 13, 2018)

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 178 (Thursday, September 13, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46521-46522]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-19905]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration


Labor Surplus Area Classification

AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration, Labor.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The purpose of this notice is to announce the annual list of 
labor surplus areas for Fiscal Year (FY) 2019.

DATES: The annual list of labor surplus areas is applicable October 1, 
2018, for all states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Samuel Wright, Office of Workforce 
Investment, Employment and Training Administration, 200 Constitution 
Avenue NW, Room C-4514, Washington, DC 20210. Telephone: (202) 693-2870 
(This is not a toll-free number) or email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of Labor's regulations 
implementing Executive Orders 12073 and 10582 are set forth at 20 CFR 
part 654, subparts A and B. These regulations require the Employment 
and Training Administration (ETA) to classify jurisdictions as labor 
surplus areas pursuant to the criteria specified in the regulations, 
and to publish annually a list of labor surplus areas. Pursuant to 
those regulations, ETA is hereby publishing the annual list of labor 
surplus areas. In addition, the regulations provide exceptional 
circumstance criteria for classifying labor surplus areas when 
catastrophic events, such as natural disasters, plant closings, and 
contract cancellations are expected to have a long-term impact on

[[Page 46522]]

labor market area conditions, discounting temporary or seasonal 
factors.

Eligible Labor Surplus Areas

    A Labor Surplus Area (LSA) is a civil jurisdiction that has a 
civilian average annual unemployment rate during the previous two 
calendar years of 20 percent or more above the average annual civilian 
unemployment rate for all states during the same 24-month reference 
period. ETA uses only official unemployment estimates provided by the 
Bureau of Labor Statistics in making these classifications. The average 
unemployment rate for all states includes data for the Commonwealth of 
Puerto Rico. LSA classification criteria stipulate a civil jurisdiction 
must have a ``floor unemployment rate'' of 6.0 percent or higher to be 
classified an LSA. Any civil jurisdiction that has a ``ceiling 
unemployment rate'' of 10.0 percent or higher is classified an LSA.
    Civil jurisdictions are defined as follows:
    1. A city of at least 25,000 population on the basis of the most 
recently available estimates from the Bureau of the Census; or
    2. A town or township in the States of Michigan, New Jersey, New 
York, or Pennsylvania of 25,000 or more population and which possess 
powers and functions similar to those of cities; or
    3. All counties, except for those counties which contain any type 
of civil jurisdictions defined in ``1'' or ``2'' above; or
    4. A ``balance of county'' consisting of a county less any 
component cities and townships identified in ``1'' or ``2'' above; or
    5. A county equivalent, which is a town in the States of 
Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island, or a municipio in the 
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

Procedures for Classifying Labor Surplus Areas

    The Department of Labor (DOL) issues the LSA list on a fiscal year 
basis. The list becomes effective each October 1 and remains in effect 
through the following September 30. The reference period used in 
preparing the current list is January 2016 through December 2017. The 
national average unemployment rate (including Puerto Rico) during this 
period is rounded to 4.66 percent. Twenty percent higher than the 
national unemployment rate during this period is rounded to 5.59 
percent. Since 5.59 percent is below the ``floor unemployment rate'' of 
6.0 percent, a civil jurisdiction must have a two-year unemployment 
rate of 6.0 percent in order to be classified an LSA. Therefore, areas 
included on the FY 2019 LSA list had an unemployment rate for the 
reference period of 6.0 percent or higher. To ensure that all areas 
classified as labor surplus meet the requirements, when a city is part 
of a county and meets the unemployment qualifier as an LSA, that city 
is identified in the LSA list; the balance of county, not the entire 
county, will be identified as an LSA if the balance of county also 
meets the LSA unemployment criteria. The FY 2019 LSA list and 
statistical data on the current and prior year's LSAs are available at 
ETA's LSA website at http://www.doleta.gov/programs/lsa.cfm.

Petition for Exceptional Circumstance Consideration

    The classification procedures also provide criteria for the 
designation of LSAs under exceptional circumstances criteria. These 
procedures permit the regular classification criteria to be waived when 
an area experiences a significant increase in unemployment that is not 
temporary or seasonal and that was not reflected in the data for the 
two-year reference period. Under the program's exceptional circumstance 
procedures, LSA classifications can be made for civil jurisdictions, 
Metropolitan Statistical Areas, or Combined Statistical Areas, as 
defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget. In order for an 
area to be classified as an LSA under the exceptional circumstance 
criteria, the state workforce agency must submit a petition requesting 
such classification to the Department of Labor's ETA. The current 
criteria for an exceptional circumstance classification are:
    (1) An area's unemployment rate is at least 6.0 percent for each of 
the three most recent months;
    (2) a projected unemployment rate of at least 6.0 percent for each 
of the next 12 months because of an event; and
    (3) documentation that the exceptional circumstance event has 
occurred. The state workforce agency may file petitions on behalf of 
civil jurisdictions, Metropolitan Statistical Areas, or Micropolitan 
Statistical Areas.
    State Workforce Agencies may submit petitions in electronic format 
to [email protected], or in hard copy to the U.S. Department of 
Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Office of Workforce 
Investment, 200 Constitution Avenue NW, Room C-4514, Washington, DC 
20210, Attention Samuel Wright. Data collection for the petition is 
approved under OMB 1205-0207, expiration date July 31, 2020.

    Signed at Washington, DC.
Rosemary Lahasky,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training.
[FR Doc. 2018-19905 Filed 9-12-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4510-FN-P

Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 178 / Thursday, September 13, 2018 / Notices 46521

Management Division, Policy and —Evaluate the accuracy of the agency’s Indian tribes seeking assumption of
Planning Staff, Two Constitution estimate of the burden of the concurrent criminal jurisdiction by the
Square, 145 N Street NE, 3E.405A, proposed collection of information, United States to provide certain
Washington, DC 20530. including the validity of the information relating to public safety
Dated: September 10, 2018. methodology and assumptions used; within the Indian country of the tribe.
—Evaluate whether and if so how the If additional information is required
Melody Braswell,
quality, utility, and clarity of the please contact: Melody Braswell,
Department Clearance Officer, PRA, U.S.
Department of Justice.
information to be collected can be Department Clearance Officer, United
enhanced; and States Department of Justice, Justice
[FR Doc. 2018–19917 Filed 9–12–18; 8:45 am]
—Minimize the burden of the collection Management Division, Policy and
BILLING CODE 4410–FX–P
of information on those who are to Planning Staff, Two Constitution
respond, including through the use of Square, 145 N Street NE, Suite 3E.405B,
appropriate automated, electronic, Washington, DC 20530
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
mechanical, or other technological Dated: September 10, 2018.
[OMB Number 1105–0091] collection techniques or other forms
Melody Braswell,
of information technology, e.g.,
Agency Information Collection permitting electronic submission of Department Clearance Officer for PRA, U.S.
Activities; Proposed eCollection Department of Justice.
responses.
eComments Requested; Extension [FR Doc. 2018–19899 Filed 9–12–18; 8:45 am]
Without Change, of a Previously Overview of This Information BILLING CODE 4410–A5–P
Approved Collection; Assumption of Collection
Concurrent Federal Criminal 1. Type of Information Collection:
Jurisdiction in Certain Areas of Indian Extension of a currently approved DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Country collection.
2. The Title of the Form/Collection: Employment and Training
AGENCY: Office of Tribal Justice,
Request to the Attorney General for Administration
Department of Justice.
Assumption of Concurrent Federal
ACTION: 30-day notice. Labor Surplus Area Classification
Criminal Jurisdiction.
SUMMARY: The Department of Justice, 3. The agency form number, if any, AGENCY: Employment and Training
Office of Tribal Justice, will be and the applicable component of the Administration, Labor.
submitting the following information Department sponsoring the collection:
ACTION: Notice.
collection request to the Office of No form. The applicable component
Management and Budget (OMB) for within the Department of Justice is the SUMMARY: The purpose of this notice is
review and approval in accordance with Office of Tribal Justice. to announce the annual list of labor
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. 4. Affected public who will be asked surplus areas for Fiscal Year (FY) 2019.
The proposed information collection or required to respond, as well as a brief DATES: The annual list of labor surplus
was previously published in the Federal abstract: The Department of Justice areas is applicable October 1, 2018, for
Register allowing for a 60-day comment published a rule to establish the all states, the District of Columbia, and
period. procedures for an Indian tribe whose Puerto Rico.
Indian country is subject to State
DATES: Comments are encouraged and FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
criminal jurisdiction under Public Law
will be accepted for 30 days until Samuel Wright, Office of Workforce
280 (18 U.S.C. 1162(a)) to request that
October 15, 2018. Investment, Employment and Training
the United States accept concurrent
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If Administration, 200 Constitution
criminal jurisdiction within the tribe’s
you have additional comments Avenue NW, Room C–4514,
Indian country, and for the Attorney
especially on the estimated public Washington, DC 20210. Telephone:
General to decide whether to consent to
burden or associated response time, (202) 693–2870 (This is not a toll-free
such a request. The purpose of the
suggestions, or need a copy of the number) or email wright.samuel.e@
collection is to provide information
proposed information collection dol.gov.
from the requesting tribe sufficient for
instrument with instructions or the Attorney General to make a decision SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
additional information, please contact whether to consent to the request. Department of Labor’s regulations
please contact Mr. Tracy Toulou, 5. An estimate of the total number of implementing Executive Orders 12073
Director, Office of Tribal Justice, respondents and the amount of time and 10582 are set forth at 20 CFR part
Department of Justice, 950 Pennsylvania estimated for an average respondent to 654, subparts A and B. These
Avenue NW, Room 2310, Washington, respond: Fewer than 350 respondents; regulations require the Employment and
DC 20530 (phone: 202–514–8812). 80 hours. Training Administration (ETA) to
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Written 6. An estimate of the total public classify jurisdictions as labor surplus
comments and suggestions from the burden (in hours) associated with the areas pursuant to the criteria specified
public and affected agencies concerning collection: There are an estimated in the regulations, and to publish
the proposed collection of information maximum 28,000 annual total burden annually a list of labor surplus areas.
are encouraged. Your comments should hours associated with this collection (up Pursuant to those regulations, ETA is
address one or more of the following to 350 respondents × 80 hours = 28,000 hereby publishing the annual list of
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES

four points: hours). Fewer than 350 Indian tribes are labor surplus areas. In addition, the
—Evaluate whether the proposed eligible for the assumption of regulations provide exceptional
collection of information is necessary concurrent criminal jurisdiction by the circumstance criteria for classifying
for the proper performance of the United States. The Department of Justice labor surplus areas when catastrophic
functions of the Office of Tribal does not know how many eligible tribes events, such as natural disasters, plant
Justice, including whether the will, in fact, make such a request. The closings, and contract cancellations are
information will have practical utility; information collection will require expected to have a long-term impact on

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Document Created: 2018-09-13 01:02:18
Document Modified: 2018-09-13 01:02:18

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		The annual list of labor surplus areas is applicable October 1, 2018, for all states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
Contact		Samuel Wright, Office of Workforce Investment, Employment and Training Administration, 200 Constitution Avenue NW, Room C-4514, Washington, DC 20210. Telephone: (202) 693-2870 (This is not a toll-free number) or email [email protected]
FR Citation		83 FR 46521

83 FR 46521 - Labor Surplus Area Classification

DEPARTMENT OF LABOREmployment and Training Administration

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 178 (September 13, 2018)

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training Administration