Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; ETA Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Performance Accountability, Information, and Reporting System

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Employment and Training Administration sponsored information collection request (ICR) proposal titled, “ETA Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Performance Accountability, Information, and Reporting System,” to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval for use in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). Public comments on the ICR are invited.

DATES:

The OMB will consider all written comments that agency receives on or before May 27, 2016.

ADDRESSES:

A copy of this ICR with applicable supporting documentation; including a description of the likely respondents, proposed frequency of response, and estimated total burden may be obtained free of charge from the RegInfo.gov Web site at http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAViewICR?ref_nbr=201604-1205-003 (this link will only become active on the day following publication of this notice) or by contacting Michel Smyth by telephone at 202-693-4129 (this is not a toll-free number) or by email at DOL_PRA_PUBLIC@dol.gov.

Submit comments about this request by mail or courier to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attn: OMB Desk Officer for DOL-ETA, Office of Management and Budget, Room 10235, 725 17th Street NW., Washington, DC 20503; by Fax: 202-395-5806 (this is not a toll-free number); or by email: OIRA_submission@omb.eop.gov. Commenters are encouraged, but not required, to send a courtesy copy of any comments by mail or courier to the U.S. Department of Labor—OASAM, Office of the Chief Information Officer, Attn: Departmental Information Compliance Management Program, Room N1301, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20210; or by email: DOL_PRA_PUBLIC@dol.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Michel Smyth by telephone at 202-693-4129 (this is not a toll-free number) or by email at DOL_PRA_PUBLIC@dol.gov.

Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3507(a)(1)(D).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

This ICR seeks PRA authority for the ETA Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Performance Accountability, Information, and Reporting System information collection. The following programs will be required to report through this system: WIOA Adult, Dislocated Worker and Youth, Wagner Peyser Employment Service, National Farmworker Jobs, Trade Adjustment Assistance, YouthBuild, Indian and Native American, Job Corps, and Jobs for Veterans' State Grants. Requiring these programs to use a standard set of data elements, definitions, and specifications at all levels of the workforce system helps improve the quality of the performance information that is received by the DOL. While H1-B grants, the Reintegration of Ex-Offenders program, and the Trade Adjustment Assistance program are not authorized under the WIOA, these programs will be utilizing the data element definitions and reporting templates proposed in this ICR. The accuracy, reliability, and comparability of program reports submitted by states and grantees using Federal funds are fundamental elements of good public administration, and are necessary tools for maintaining and demonstrating system integrity. This ICR includes several information collection instruments—Program Performance Report, WIOA Pay-for-Performance Report, Participant Individual Record Layout, WIOA Data Element Specifications, and Job Openings Report. WIOA section 185 authorizes this information collection. See 29 U.S.C. 3245.

This proposed information collection is subject to the PRA. A Federal agency generally cannot conduct or sponsor a collection of information, and the public is generally not required to respond to an information collection, unless it is approved by the OMB under the PRA and displays a currently valid OMB Control Number. In addition, notwithstanding any other provisions of law, no person shall generally be subject to penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information if the collection of information does not display a valid Control Number. See 5 CFR 1320.5(a) and 1320.6. For additional information, see the related notices published in the Federal Register on April 16, 2015 (80 FR 20573), and September 1, 2015 (80 FR 52798).

Interested parties are encouraged to send comments to the OMB, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs at the address shown in the ADDRESSES section within thirty (30) days of publication of this notice in the Federal Register. In order to help ensure appropriate consideration, comments should mention OMB ICR Reference Number 201604-1205-003. The OMB 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; 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 submission of responses.

Agency: DOL-ETA.

Title of Collection: ETA Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Performance Accountability, Information, and Reporting System.

OMB ICR Reference Number: 201604-1205-003.

Affected Public: State, Local, and Tribal Governments; Private Sector.

Total Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,801.

Total Estimated Number of Responses: 17,261,469.

Total Estimated Annual Time Burden: 4,471,044 hours.

Total Estimated Annual Other Costs Burden: $6,791,395.