SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

The Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974 (“VEVRAA”), 38 U.S.C. 4212(d), requires Federal contractors and subcontractors subject to the Act's affirmative action provisions in 38 U.S.C. 4212(a) to track and report annually to the Secretary of Labor the number of employees in their workforces, by job category and hiring location, who belong to the specified categories of protected veterans. VETS maintains regulations to implement the reporting requirements under VEVRAA, and uses the VETS-4212 form for providing the required information on the employment of covered veterans.

The regulations in 41 CFR part 61-300 require contractors and subcontractors with a covered Federal contract entered into or modified in the amount of $150,000 or more to use the Federal Contractor Veterans' Employment Report VETS-4212 form for reporting information on their employment of covered veterans under VEVRAA.

The VETS-4212 Report is currently approved under OMB No. 1293-0005.

II. Desired Focus of Comments

Currently VETS is soliciting comments concerning a request to extend the currently approved information collection request. The Department of Labor is particularly interested in comments which:

• 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 submissions of responses.

III. Current Actions

The Department of Labor seeks approval of the extension of the currently approved information collection request in order to carry out its responsibilities to administer and enforce compliance with the contractor reporting requirements under VEVRAA, as amended by the JVA. In preparation of that request, the Department seeks public comments on the information collection requirements.

Type of Review: Extension.

Agency: Veterans' Employment and Training Service.

Title: Federal Contractor Veterans' Employment Report VETS-4212.

OMB Number: 1293-0005.

Affected Public: Private Sector—businesses or other for profits and not-for-profit institutions.

Total Respondents: 21,000.

Average responses per Respondent: 18.

Total Annual Responses: 378,000.

Average Time per Response:

• Electronic Submission—20 minutes.
• Paper Submission—40 minutes.

Total Burden Hours: 129,200.

Frequency: Annually.

Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0.

Total Burden Cost (operating/maintaining): $735,000.

Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized and included in the request for Office of Management and Budget approval of the information collection request; they will also become a matter of public record.

88 FR 83161