Information Collection Activities; Comment Request
| Published date | 03 February 2021 |
| Citation | 86 FR 8037 |
| Record Number | 2021-02208 |
| Section | Notices |
| Court | Labor Department,Labor Statistics Bureau |
Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 21 (Wednesday, February 3, 2021)
[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 21 (Wednesday, February 3, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8037-8038]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-02208]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Information Collection Activities; Comment Request
AGENCY: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Department of Labor.
ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.
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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
with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing
collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction
Act of 1995. 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. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is soliciting
comments concerning the proposed new information collection of the
``QCEW Business Supplement.'' A copy of the proposed information
collection request (ICR) can be obtained by contacting the individual
listed below in the ADDRESSES section of this notice.
DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the
ADDRESSES section of this notice on or before April 5, 2021.
ADDRESSES: Send comments to Carol Rowan, BLS Clearance Officer,
Division of Management Systems, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Room 4080,
2 Massachusetts Avenue NE, Washington, DC 20212. Written comments also
may be transmitted by email to [email protected].
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carol Rowan, BLS Clearance Officer, at
202-691-7628 (this is not a toll free number). (See Addresses section.)
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) intends to implement a new
collection for a QCEW Business Supplement (QBS). Through the QBS, the
BLS will be able to capture information on the US economy in a more
efficient and timely manner than is currently possible. The QBS is
intended to be a versatile collection instrument that will allow BLS to
quickly collect and publish information so that stakeholders and data
users can understand the impact of specific events on the US economy as
they occur, improving the relevancy of the data.
The QBS is designed to incorporate new questionnaires as the need
arises based on topics of relevance. BLS initially published a notice
requesting comments on this collection in 85 FR
[[Page 8038]]
3426, on January 21, 2020, but the collection was postponed so the BLS
could collect the Business Response Survey (BRS). The initial
collection under the QBS will be a follow-up to the BRS, conducted in
2020, which captured information about changes to businesses
operations, employment and workforce flexibilities, and benefits that
occurred as a result of the onset of the Coronavirus pandemic. The BRS
was a one-time collection which provided critical information on the
U.S. business response to the Coronavirus pandemic to help provide
policy makers and data users with additional information to help inform
decisions. This follow-up survey to the BRS, under the QBS collection,
will collect information on how establishments are coping with the
transition from the height of the pandemic into a period of economic
recovery.
II. Method of Collection
The BLS will use the Annual Refiling Survey (ARS) as a platform for
conducting the QBS. Each year, the BLS Quarterly Census of Employment
and Wages (QCEW) Program conducts the ARS by reaching out to
approximately 1.2 million establishments requesting verification of
their main business activity, and their mailing and physical location
addresses. The fully web-based ARS allows for an accelerated timeframe
for collection and provides a low-cost platform for conducting the
quick, short surveys of the QBS. The QBSs accompanying the ARS will
have little data collection overhead, leveraging the respondent contact
process undertaken as part of the production ARS. QBS Respondents
already logged into the ARS secure website will be directed to a QBS
and asked to answer a limited number of additional survey questions
after completing the ARS.
II. Current Action
Office of Management and Budget clearance is being sought for the
QCEW Business Supplement (QBS).
The QBS, based on the ARS data collection platform, will allow BLS
to leverage the multitude of information already known about the sample
units to allow for targeted sampling. It also will permit BLS to target
only the units meeting the specific set of characteristics desired
allowing BLS to delve into specific areas of economic interest without
burdening establishments which do not meet the specific targeted
features.
The QBS is designed to encourage a fast response and minimize
respondent burden on the public by limiting the number of questions on
each survey and by asking questions that respondents should be able to
answer without research or referring to records. In this manner, BLS
can provide information that is needed quickly and is not collected
elsewhere.
The QBS is designed to incorporate new questionnaires as the need
for data arises, as frequently as twice a year. The BLS plans to
conduct multiple small surveys under the QBS clearance. The initial
survey will focus on how establishments are coping with the current
status of the Coronavirus pandemic and the transition period that they
are currently experiencing. Questions will cover a range of
establishment topics including changes in telework, paid sick leave,
demand for products and services, changes in products or services
ordered, rehiring activities, recruitment activities, mandated
closures, and government assistance.
III. Desired Focus of Comments
The Bureau of Labor Statistics 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.
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.
Title of Collection: QCEW Business Supplement.
OMB Number: 1220-NEW.
Type of Review: New Collection.
Agency: Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profit institutions, not-
for-profit institutions, and farms.
Total Respondents: 150,000.
Frequency: One time.
Total Responses: 150,000.
Average Time per Response: 10 minutes.
Estimated Total Burden Hours: 25,000 hours.
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, January 28, 2021.
Mark Staniorski,
Chief, Division of Management Systems.
[FR Doc. 2021-02208 Filed 2-2-21; 8:45 am]
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