[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 140 (Friday, July 19, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37769-37770]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-18381]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Proposed Collection; Comment Request; 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 Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is soliciting comments
concerning the proposed new collection of the ``Movers Survey'' as a
supplement to the Current Population Survey (CPS).
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 September 17, 1996.
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, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection
techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting
electronic submissions of responses.
ADDRESS: Send comments to Karin 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 National Commission on Employment and Unemployment Statistics,
better known as the Levitan Commission, recommended a variety of
changes to the Current Population Survey (CPS) in its 1979 report. For
the most part, these recommendations have been incorporated into the
CPS, most notably in the complete revision to the survey implemented in
January 1994.
In one area, a recommendation of the Levitan Commission has not
been implemented. ``Gross flows'' data show the number of people making
transitions from one labor force state (employed, unemployed, not in
the labor force) to another from month to month. The Commission
recommended that improvements be made to increase the usefulness of the
CPS as a longitudinal data set, including improvements to the gross
flows data so they can be published on a monthly basis. Because only a
subset of CPS data was matchable from month to month, the month-to-
month changes in the stocks of people in each labor force state did not
match the sum of the flows into and out of each state. While the new
survey's improved ability to match respondents between months reduced
problems in the gross flows data, there are still problems which
prevent monthly publication. In particular, respondents who move out of
CPS housing units are not followed in CPS at present and are excluded
from the gross flows estimates.
[[Page 37770]]
Because moving is often associated with a change in labor force
status, movers may be an important source of discrepancies between the
stock and the flows data. The proposed movers survey will improve the
ability of BLS to understand and use CPS flows data.
II. Current Actions
The CPS has been the principal source of the official Government
statistics on employment and unemployment for over 50 years. The labor
force information gathered through the survey is of paramount
importance in keeping track of the economic health of the Nation. The
CPS data are used monthly, in conjunction with data from other sources,
to analyze the extent to which the various components of the United
States population are participating in the economic life of the Nation
and with what success. At present, CPS gross flows data are not
included in these uses. Data from the movers survey will be tabulated
to examine the labor force characteristics of movers and their impact
on gross flows estimates. Results will be used to develop adjustment
factors for the flows data. They also will improve understanding of
seasonal variations in the gross flows data.
Type of Review: New collection.
Agency: Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Title: CPS Movers Survey.
OMB Number: None.
Affected Public: Individuals or households.
Total Respondents: 800.
Frequency: Monthly.
Total Responses: 9600.
Average Time Per Response: 3.75 Minutes.
Estimated Total Burden Hours: 600 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, DC, this 15th day of July, 1995.
Peter T. Spolarich,
Chief, Division of Management Systems, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
[FR Doc. 96-18381 Filed 7-18-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-24-M
