2013-27060. Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; American Time Use Survey

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) sponsored information collection request (ICR) revision titled, “American Time Use Survey,” to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval for use in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.

DATES:

Submit comments on or before December 13, 2013.

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 Web site at http://www.reginfo.gov/​public/​do/​PRAViewICR?​ref_​nbr=​201307-1220-001 (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 (this is not a toll-free number) or sending an email to [e-mail].

Submit comments about this request to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attn: OMB Desk Officer for DOL-BLS, Office of Management and Budget, Room 10235, 725 17th Street NW., Washington, DC 20503, Fax: [phone] (this is not a toll-free number), email: [e-mail]. Commenters are encouraged, but not required, to send a courtesy copy of any comments to the U.S. Department of Labor, OASAM, Office of the Chief Information Officer, Attn: Information Policy and Assessment Program, Room N1301, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20210, email: [e-mail].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Michel Smyth by telephone at 202-693-4129 (this is not a toll-free number) or by email at [e-mail].

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

This ICR seeks to extend PRA authority to conduct the American Time Use Survey (ATUS), the first Federally administered continuous national survey on time use in the U.S. The ATUS measures, for example, time spent with children, working, sleeping, or doing leisure activities. In the U.S., several existing Federal surveys collect income and wage data for individuals and families, and analysts often use such measures of material prosperity as proxies for quality of life. Time-use data substantially augment these quality-of-life measures. The data also can be used in conjunction with wage data to evaluate the contribution of non-market work to national economies. This enables comparisons of production between nations that have different mixes of market and non-market activities. While there are no proposed material changes to the ATUS, this ICR is considered to be a revision because of how an agency must account for burden changes under the PRA. Specifically, this ICR includes discretionary burden decreases to offset corresponding discretionary burden increases that will be reflected under other Control Numbers. More specifically, the DOL will now seek OMB approval to conduct 5-minute ATUS modules separately from the full ATUS ICR.

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 the 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. The DOL obtains OMB approval for this information collection under Control Number 1220-0175. The current approval for this collection is scheduled to expire on December 31, 2013; however, it should be noted that existing information collection requirements submitted to the OMB receive a month-to-month extension while they undergo review. New requirements would only take effect upon OMB approval. For additional substantive information about this ICR, see the related notice published in the Federal Register on July 19, 2013 (78 FR 43227).

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 30 days of publication of this notice in the Federal Register. In order to help ensure appropriate consideration, comments should mention OMB Control Number 1220-0175. The 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—BLS.

Title of Collection: American Time Use Survey.

OMB Control Number: 1220-0175.

Affected Public: Individuals or Households.

Total Estimated Number of Respondents: 13,200.

Total Estimated Number of Responses: 13,200.

Total Estimated Annual Burden Hours: 3,520.

Total Estimated Annual Other Costs Burden: $0.

Dated: November 5, 2013.

Michel Smyth,

Departmental Clearance Officer.