02-1110. Proposed Collection; Comment Request

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a preclearance consultation program to provide the general 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 (PRA95) (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). This program helps to 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 Standards Administration is soliciting comments concerning the following information collection: Housing Occupancy Certificate—Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act.

DATES:

Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the addressee section below within March 18, 2002.

ADDRESSES:

Ms. Patricia A. Forkel, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Ave., NW, Room S-3201, Washington, DC 20210, telephone [phone] (this is not a toll-free number), fax [phone], EMail [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Section 203(b)(1) of the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act (MSPA), and § 500.135(b) of Regulations, 29 CFR part 500, provide that any person who owns or controls a facility or real property to be used for housing migrant agricultural workers must obtain and post on site, a certificate of occupancy from the State, local, or Federal agency which conducted the housing safety and health inspection. The WH-520 is a form used to gather information to determine whether or not the facility meets the applicable safety and health standards, and also serves as the certificate of occupancy.

II. Review Focus

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 for the extension of this information collection in order to inspect and certify a migrant housing facility as meeting applicable safety and health standards under the law.

Type of Review: Extension.

Agency: Employment Standards Administration.

Title: Housing Occupancy Certificate—Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act.

OMB Number: 1215-0158.

Agency Number: WH-520.

Affected Public: Individuals or households; Businesses or other for-profit; Farms.

Frequency: On occasion.

Total Respondents/Responses: 60.

Time per Response 3 minutes(Reporting): 1 minute (Recordkeeping and Posting).

Estimated Total Burden Hours: 4.

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

Total Burden Cost (operating/maintenance): $0.

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 will also become a matter of public record.

Dated: January 10, 2002.

Margaret J. Sherrill,

Chief, Branch of Management, Review, and Internal Control, Chief, Division of Financial Management, Office of Management, Administration and Planning, Employment Standards Administration.