[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 33 (Thursday, February 19, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8480-8481]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-4194]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Proposed Collection; Comment Request
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to
reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a pre-clearance
consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies
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 Bureau of Labor
Statistics (BLS) is soliciting comments concerning the proposed
revision of the Employment, Wages, and Contributions Report (ES-202
Program).
A copy of the proposed information collection request (ICR) can be
obtained by contacting the individual listed below in the addressee
section of this notice.
DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the
addressee section below on or before April 20, 1998.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics 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,
[[Page 8481]]
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic
submissions of responses.
ADDRESSES: Send comments to Kairn G. Kurz, BLS Clearance Officer,
Division of Management Systems, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Room 3255,
2 Massachusetts Avenue, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20212. Ms. Kurz can be
reached on 202-606-7628 (this is not a toll free number).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
The ES-202 program, a Federal/State cooperative effort, produces
monthly employment and quarterly wage information. It is a by-product
of quarterly reports submitted to State Employment Security Agencies
(SESAs) by employers subject to State Unemployment Insurance (UI) laws.
The collection of these data is authorized by 29 U.S.C. 1, 2. The ES-
202 data, which are compiled for each calendar quarter, provide a
comprehensive business name and address file with employment and wage
information for employers subject to State UI laws. Similar data for
Federal Government employees covered by the Unemployment Compensation
for Federal Employees program are also included. These data are
submitted to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) by all 50 States, the
District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. BLS
summarizes these data to produce totals for all counties, Metropolitan
Statistical Areas, the States, and the nation. The ES-202 program
provides a virtual census of nonagricultural employees and their wages,
with about 47 percent of the workers in agriculture covered as well.
The ES-202 program is a comprehensive and accurate source of data
on the number of establishments, monthly employment, and quarterly
wages, by industry, at the four-digit Standard Industrial
Classification (SIC) level, and the national, State, Metropolitan
Statistical Area, and county levels. The North American Industry
Classification System (NAICS), which will replace the SIC coding
system, is scheduled to be implemented in the ES-202 program with data
for the first quarter of 2000. The ES-202 series has broad economic
significance in measuring labor trends and major industry developments,
in time series analyses and industry comparisons, and in special
studies such as analyses of establishments, employment, and wages by
size of establishment.
II. Current Actions
BLS is requesting a revision of the current Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) approval of the Employment, Wages, and Contributions
Report (ES-202 Program).
Type of Review: Revision.
Agency: Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Title: Employment, Wages, and Contributions Report (ES-202
Program).
OMB Number: 1220-0012.
Affected Public: State, Local, or Tribal Government.
Total Respondents: 53.
Frequency: Quarterly.
Total Responses: 212.
Average Time Per Response: 4,464 hours.
Estimated Total Burden Hours: 846,400 hours.
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 also will become a
matter of public record.
Signed at Washington, D.C., this 12th day of February, 1998.
W. Stuart Rust, Jr.,
Chief, Division of Management Systems, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
[FR Doc. 98-4194 Filed 2-18-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-24-M
