[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 126 (Tuesday, July 1, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35529-35530]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-17189]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Office of the Secretary
Submission for OMB Emergency Review; Comment Request
June 20, 1997.
The Department of Labor has submitted the following information
collection request (ICR), utilizing emergency review procedures, to the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance in
accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (P.L. 104-13, 44
U.S.C. Chapter 35). OMB approval has been requested by July 8, 1997. A
copy of the ICR, with applicable supporting documentation, may be
obtained by calling the Department of Labor Departmental Clearance
Officer, Theresa M. O'Malley ((202) 219-5096, extension 143).
Comments and questions about the ICR listed below should be
forwarded to the Office of the Information and Regulatory Affairs,
Attention: OMB Desk Officer for the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Office
of Management and Budget, Room 1035, Washington, D.C. 20503 ((202) 395-
7316).
The Office of Management and Budget 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.
Agency: Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Title: Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) Forms.
OMB Number: 1220-0032 (revision).
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Total Total
Agency form number respondents Frequency responses Average time per response Estimated total burden
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BLS 3023-VS......................... 5,984,250 Every 3 Yrs................. 1,994,750 .083 Hour................... 165,564 Hurs.
BLS 3023-VM......................... 114,590 Every 3 Yrs................. 38,197 .75 Hour.................... 28,647 Hours.
BLS 3023-CA......................... 53,000 Annually.................... 53,000 .167 Hour................... 8,851 Hours.
BLS 3023-P.......................... Every 5 Yrs................. ..........................
Totals.......................... .......................... 2,085,947 .......................... 203,062 Hours.
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Total Burden Coast (capital/startup): $0.
Total Burden Cost (operating/maintaining): $0.
Description: The ES-202 Report, produced for each calendar quarter,
is a summary of employment, wage, and contribution data submitted to
State Employment Security Agencies (SESAs) by employers subject to
State Unemployment Insurance (UI) laws.
Also included in each State report are similar data for Federal
Government employees covered by the Unemployment Compensation for
Federal Employees Program. These data are submitted by all 50 States,
the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands and then
summarized for the nation by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
The ES-202 program is a comprehensive and accurate source of
monthly employment and quarterly wage data, by industry, at the
National, State, and county levels. It provides a virtual census on
nonagricultural employees and their wages. In addition, about 47
percent of the workers in agriculture are covered. As the most complete
universe of monthly employment and quarterly wage information by
industry, county, and State, the ES-202 series has broad economic
significance in evaluating labor trends and major industry
developments, in time series analysis and industry comparisons, and in
special studies such as analysis of wages by size of firm.
The program provides data necessary to both the Employment and
Training Administration (ETA) and the SESAs in administering the
employment security program. These data accurately reflect the extent
of coverage of the State Unemployment Insurance laws and are used to
measure UI revenues and disbursements; National, State, and local area
employment; and total and taxable wage trends. Further, the information
is used in actuarial studies; it is used in determination of experience
ratings, maximum benefit levels, and areas needing Federal assistance;
and it helps ensure the solvency of Unemployment Insurance funds.
The ES-202 data also are used by a variety of BLS programs. They
serve, for example, as the basic source of benchmark information for
employment by industry and by size of unit in the Current Employment
Statistics (BLS-790) Program and the Occupational Employment Statistics
(OES) Survey Program. They are used as the basic source of place-of-
work employment data for non-metropolitan areas in the Local Area
Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) Program. The Quarterly Unemployment
Insurance Name and Address File, developed in conjunction with the ES-
202 Report, serves as a national sampling frame for many BLS
establishment surveys. The Bureau of Economic Analysis of the
Department of Commerce uses ES-202 wage data as a base for estimating a
large portion of the wage and salary component of national personal
income and gross national product. These estimates are
[[Page 35530]]
instrumental in determining Federal allocation of revenue-sharing funds
to State and local governments. Finally, the ES-202 is one of the best
sources of detailed employment and wage statistics used by business and
public and private research organizations. To assure the continued
accuracy of these published economic statistics in terms of industrial
classification, the information supplied by the employers must be
periodically reviewed and updated during the Annual Refiling Survey
(ARS). For this purpose, the Industry Verification Statement (both
Single and Multiple Worksite) forms, and the Industry Classification
Statement (both All Industry and Public Administration) forms are used
in conjunction with the Unemployment Insurance tax reporting system in
each State. The information collected on these forms is used to review
the current Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code assigned to
each establishment. The SIC codes for establishments whose business
activity has changed since the last review are updated to reflect the
change. As a result of these updates, the industry detail data that BLS
and State agencies publish reflect changes that occur in the industrial
composition of the economy.
If the industrial coding review process were not performed, the
reliability of estimates for industrial and occupational employment,
hours and earnings, producer prices, productivity, and industry wage
data would be considerably reduced. All of these programs and their
uses (as well as others) are dependent on accurate industrial coding in
the design and maintenance of their samples. Inaccurate industrial
coding also can adversely affect payments that businesses and/or
employees received from contracts that use industrial earnings data for
estimating escalating labor costs.
In addition to obtaining industry data from employers, the Industry
Verification Statement forms and the Industry Classification Statement
forms are designed to obtain information on the type of ownership
(private industry or Federal, State, or local government) and
geographic location. The ownership data are of greater importance since
current coding procedures classify establishments engaged in similar
activities into the same industry code regardless of ownership. The
geographic information is used to assign or verify the location of the
establishment. Both ownership and geographic data must be reviewed
periodically, and updated if necessary, to provide a complete and
current industry/area database by ownership. We plan to continue the
review of employers' SIC, ownership and geographic codes on a three-
year cycle for the entire Unemployment Insurance (UI) universe of
accounts, presently numbering approximately 7.2 million units. Each
year approximately on-third of these reporting units, and every five
years all accounts classified in public administration, will be
reviewed. Data for the ES-202 Program and Unemployment Insurance Name
and Address Files are classified according to industry categories
listed in the SIC Manual (SICM).
Theresa M. O'Malley,
Departmental Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 97-17189 Filed 6-30-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-24-M
