Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; Work Opportunity Tax Credit

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

On November 30, 2016, the Department of Labor (DOL) will submit the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) sponsored information collection request (ICR) revision titled, “Work Opportunity Tax Credit,” 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 December 30, 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=201611-1205-003 (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, TTY 202-693-8064, (these are not toll-free numbers) or sending an email to 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:

Contact Michel Smyth by telephone at 202-693-4129, TTY 202-693-8064, (these are not toll-free numbers) or sending an email to DOL_PRA_PUBLIC@dol.gov.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

This ICR seeks approval under the PRA for revisions to the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) information collection. The WOTC is a Federal tax credit available to employers for hiring individuals from certain target groups who have consistently faced significant barriers to employment. The data collected under this submission are necessary for effective Federal administration of the WOTC program, including allowing the ETA and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to oversee state administration of the tax credit. This ICR covers six WOTC processing and administrative program forms: (1) Form ETA-9058, Report 1—Certification Workload and Characteristics of Certified Individuals; (2) Form ETA 9061, Individual Characteristics; (3) Form ETA-9062, Conditional Certification; (4) Form ETA-9063, Employer Certification; (5) Form ETA-9065, Agency Declaration of Verification Results Worksheet; and (6) Form ETA-9175, Long-term Unemployment Recipient Self-Attestation. This information collection has been classified as a revision, because the ETA has modified two of the forms. Form ETA-9160 changes would combine certain questions, clarify instructions by referencing a recent IRS Notice, and update Empowerment Zone information. Form ETA-9175 updates would remove questions related to date of birth and Federal Employer Identification Number. Internal Revenue Code sections 51 and 3111(e) authorize the WOTC program. See 26 U.S.C. 51 and 3111(e).

This 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 that does not display a valid Control Number. See 5 CFR 1320.5(a) and 1320.6. The DOL obtains OMB approval for this information collection under Control Number 1205-0371. The current approval is scheduled to expire on November 30, 2016; however, the DOL notes that existing information collection requirements submitted to the OMB receive a month-to-month extension while they undergo review. New requirements would only take effect upon OMB approval. For additional substantive information about this ICR, see the related notice published in the Federal Register on August 4, 2016 (81 FR 51497).

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 Control Number 1205-0371. 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: Work Opportunity Tax Credit.

OMB Control Number: 1205-0371.

Affected Public: State, Local, and Tribal Governments; Individuals or Households; and Private Sector—businesses or other for-profits, farms, and not-for-profit institutions.

Total Estimated Number of Respondents: 2,010,874.

Total Estimated Number of Responses: 5,840,620.

Total Estimated Annual Time Burden: 1,960,777 hours.

Total Estimated Annual Other Costs Burden: $0.