SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

The National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 (NLSY79) is a representative national sample of persons who were born in the years 1957 to 1964 and lived in the U.S. in 1978. These respondents were ages 14 to 22 when the first round of interviews began in 1979; they were ages 61 to 68 as of December 31, 2025. The NLSY79 was conducted annually from 1979 to 1994 and has been conducted biennially since 1994. The interim survey interviews will occur from April 2027 to July 2027. The primary objective of the survey is to collect timely data that will ( printed page 61459) capture key characteristics affecting respondents' labor market activities at a critical point in their lives, to permit the study of long-term effects on labor market outcomes. The longitudinal focus of this survey requires information to be collected from the same individuals over many years in order to trace their education, training, work experience, fertility, income, and program participation.

One of the goals of the Department of Labor (DOL) is to produce and disseminate timely, accurate, and relevant information about the U.S. labor force. The BLS contributes to this goal by gathering information about the labor force and labor market and disseminating it to policymakers and the public so that participants in those markets can make more informed, and thus more efficient, choices. Research based on the NLSY79 contributes to the formation of national policy in the areas of education, training, work experience, fertility, income, and program participation. In addition to the reports that the BLS produces based on data from the NLSY79, members of the academic community publish articles and reports based on NLSY79 data for the DOL and other funding agencies. To date, over 3,000 articles examining NLSY79 data have been published in scholarly journals. The survey design provides data gathered from the same respondents over time to form the only dataset that contains this type of information for this important population group. Without the collection of these data, an accurate longitudinal dataset could not be provided to researchers and policymakers, thus adversely affecting the DOL's ability to perform its policy- and report-making activities.

II. Current Action

Office of Management and Budget clearance is being sought to conduct interim survey interviews between rounds 31 and 32 of the NLSY79. Respondents of the NLSY79 will undergo an interview of approximately 17 minutes on average during which they will answer questions about labor market experiences, AI usage, health, and income.

During the fielding period for the interim survey interviews, no more than 2 percent of respondents will be asked to participate in a brief validation interview a few weeks after the initial interview. The purpose of the validation interview is to verify that the initial interview took place as the interviewer reported and to assess the data quality of selected questionnaire items.

The interim supplemental survey will be conducted by internet and by telephone. BLS anticipates that approximately one-third of the interviews will be self-administered by internet, with the remaining interviews being interviewer-administered by telephone.

The interim supplemental survey will consist of approximately 51 questions. Similar questions have appeared in previous rounds of the NLSY79, the Current Population Survey, Federal Reserve Board's Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking (SHED), RAND American Life's AI questionnaire, AmeriSpeak, AARP's Artificial Intelligence Survey, KFF's tracking poll on Health Information and Trust, or the Census Household Pulse survey. The content covers alternative use of time, AI usage, health, mental health, income, and earnings.

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 Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979.

OMB Number: 1220-0109.

Type of Review: Revision.

Affected Public: Individuals or households.

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.

91 FR 61458