Agency Information Collection Activities: Extension of Existing Collection; Comment Request

AGENCY:

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

ACTION:

Notice of information collection under review; state and local government information (EEO-4).

SUMMARY:

In accordance with section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announces that it intends to submit to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request for an extension of the existing information collection listed below.

DATES:

Written comments on this notice must be submitted on or before May 1, 2000.

ADDRESSES:

Comments should be submitted to Frances M. Hart, Executive Officer, Executive Secretariat, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 10th Floor, 1801 L Street NW, Washington, DC 20507. As a convenience to commentators, the Executive Secretariat will accept comments transmitted by facsimile (“FAX”) machine. The telephone number of the FAX receiver is (202) 663-4114. (This is not a toll-free number.) Only comments of six or fewer pages will be accepted via FAX transmittal. This limitation is necessary to assure access to the equipment. Receipt of FAX transmittals will not be acknowledged, except that the sender may request confirmation of receipt by calling the Executive Secretariat staff at (202) 663-4078 (voice) or (202) 663-4074 (TDD). (These are not toll-free telephone numbers.) Copies of comments submitted by the public will be available to review at the Commission's library, Room 6502, 1801 L Street NW, Washington, DC 20507 between the hours of 9:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Joachim Neckere, Director, Program Research and Surveys Division, 1801 L Street, NW, Room 9222, Washington, DC 20507, (202) 663-4958 (voice) or (202) 663-7063 (TTD).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Commission solicits public comment to enable it to:

(1) Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the Commission's functions, including whether the information will have practical utility;

(2) Evaluate the accuracy of the Commission's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;

(3) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and

(4) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including 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.

Overview of This Information Collection

Collection Title: State and Local Government Information (ERO-4).

OMB Number: 3046-0008.

Frequency of Report: Biennial.

Type of Respondent: State and local government jurisdictions with 100 or more full-time employees.

Description of Affected Public: State and local governments excluding elementary and secondary public school districts.

Responses: 10,000.

Reporting Hours: 40,000.

Number of Forms: 1.

Federal Cost: $47,000.

Abstract: Section 709(c) of Title VII of the civil rights Act of 964, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 2000e-8(c), requires employers to make and keep records relevant to a determination of whether unlawful employment practices have or are being committed and to make reports therefrom as required by the EEOC. Accordingly, the EEOC has issued regulations which set forth the reporting requirement for various kinds of employers. State and local governments with 100 or more full-time employees have been required to submit EEO-4 reports to the EEOC since 1973 (biennially in odd-numbered years since 1993). The individual reports are confidential.

EEO-4 data are used by the EEOC to investigate charges of discrimination against state and local governments. In addition, the data are used to support EEOC decisions and conciliations, and for research. The data are shared with several other Federal government agencies. Pursuant to section 709(d) of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, EEO-4 data are also shared with 86 State and Local Fair Employment Practices Agencies (FEPAs). Aggregated data are used by researchers and the general public.

Burden Statement: The estimated number of respondents included in the EEO-4 survey is 5,000 state and local governments. The estimated number of responses per respondent is approximately 2 EEO-4 reports and the reporting burden averages between 1 and 5 hours per response, including the time needed to review instructions, search existing data sources, gather and maintain the data, and complete and review the collection of information. The total number of responses is thus 10,000 reports while the total burden is estimated to be 40,000 hours, including recordkeeping burden. In order to help reduce burden, respondents are encouraged to report data on electronic media such as magnetic tapes and interactive diskettes.