83 FR 62385 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; H-2A Sheepherder Recordkeeping Requirement

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Office of the Secretary

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 232 (December 3, 2018)

The Department of Labor (DOL or Department) is submitting the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) sponsored information collection request (ICR) titled, ``H-2A Sheepherder Recordkeeping Requirement,'' to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval for continued use, without change, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995. Public comments on the ICR are invited.

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 232 (Monday, December 3, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62385-62386]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-26110]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Office of the Secretary


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

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor (DOL or Department) is submitting the 
Employment and Training Administration (ETA) sponsored information 
collection request (ICR) titled, ``H-2A Sheepherder Recordkeeping 
Requirement,'' to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review 
and approval for continued use, without change, in accordance with the 
Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995. Public comments on the ICR are 
invited.

DATES: OMB will consider all written comments that the agency receives 
on or before January 2, 2019.

ADDRESSES: A copy of this 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 
from the RegInfo.gov website at http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAViewICR?ref_nbr=201811-1205-002 (this link will only become active 
on the day following publication of this notice) or by contacting 
Michel Smyth by telephone at 202-693-4129, TTY 202-693-8064, (these are 
not toll-free numbers) or sending an email to [email protected].
    Submit comments about this request by mail to the Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attn: OMB Desk Officer for DOL-ETA, 
Office of Management and Budget, Room 10235, 725 17th Street NW, 
Washington, DC 20503; by Fax: 202-395-5806 (this is not a toll-free 
number); or by email: [email protected]. Commenters are 
encouraged, but not required, to send a courtesy copy of any comments 
by mail or courier to the U.S. Department of Labor--OASAM, Office of 
the Chief Information Officer, Attn: Departmental Information 
Compliance Management Program, Room N1301, 200 Constitution Avenue NW, 
Washington, DC 20210; or by email: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michel Smyth by telephone at 202-693-
4129, TTY 202-693-8064, (these are not toll-free numbers) or sending an 
email to [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This ICR seeks to extend PRA authority for 
the H-2A Sheepherder Recordkeeping Requirement information collection. 
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, or 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.
    This information collection is subject to the PRA. A Federal agency 
generally cannot conduct or sponsor a collection of information, and 
the public is generally not required to respond to an information 
collection, unless it is approved by OMB under the PRA and displays a 
currently valid OMB Control Number. In addition, notwithstanding any 
other provisions of law, no person shall generally be subject to 
penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information that 
does not display a valid Control Number. See 5 CFR 1320.5(a) and 
1320.6. DOL obtains OMB approval for this information collection under 
Control Number 1205-0519. The current approval is scheduled to expire 
on November 30, 2018; however, DOL notes that existing information 
collection requirements submitted to OMB receive a month-to-month 
extension while they undergo review. New requirements would only take 
effect upon OMB approval. For

[[Page 62386]]

additional substantive information about this ICR, see the related 
notice published in the Federal Register on August 23, 2018 (83 FR 
42697).
    Interested parties are encouraged to send comments to the OMB, 
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs at the address shown in 
the ADDRESSES section within thirty (30) days of publication of this 
notice in the Federal Register. In order to help ensure appropriate 
consideration, comments should mention OMB Control Number 1205-0519. 
OMB 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.
    Agency: DOL-ETA.
    Title of Collection: H-2A Sheepherder Recordkeeping Requirement.
    OMB Control Number: 1205-0519.
    Affected Public: Private Sector--Farms.
    Total Estimated Number of Respondents: 654.
    Total Estimated Number of Responses: 34,008.
    Total Estimated Annual Time Burden: 3,401 hours.
    Total Estimated Annual Other Costs Burden: $0.

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

    Dated: November 26, 2018.
Michel Smyth,
Departmental Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2018-26110 Filed 11-30-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4510-FP-P