Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Common Performance Reporting

ACTION:

Notice of availability; request for comments.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting this ETA-sponsored information collection request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA). Public comments on the ICR are invited.

DATES:

The OMB will consider all written comments that agency receives on or before March 19, 2021.

ADDRESSES:

Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular information collection by selecting “Currently under 30-day Review—Open for Public Comments” or by using the search function.

Comments are invited on: (1) Whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Department, including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) if the information will be processed and used in a timely manner; (3) the accuracy of the agency's estimates of the burden and cost of the collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (4) ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information collection; and (5) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mara Blumenthal by telephone at 202-693-8538, or by email at DOL_PRA_PUBLIC@dol.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Section 116(d)(1) of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) mandates that the Secretaries of Labor and Education develop a template for performance reports to be used by States, local boards, and ETPs for reporting on outcomes achieved by participants in the six core programs.

Corresponding joint regulations for these data collection requirements, including which primary performance indicators apply for each core program, have been issued by the Departments. See 81 FR 55792 (Aug. 19, 2016). The final regulations became effective on October 18, 2016. These joint performance regulations can be found at: (1) 20 CFR part 677 (which covers the Adult and Dislocated Worker programs (20 CFR part 680), the Youth program (20 CFR part 681), and the Wagner-Peyser Act program (20 CFR part 652)); (2) 34 CFR part 463, subpart I (which covers the AEFLA program); and (3) 34 CFR part 361, subpart E (which covers the VR program). For additional substantive information about this ICR, see the related notice published in the Federal Register on July 9, 2020 (85 FR 41245).

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 the OMB approves it 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 OMB Control Number. See 5 CFR 1320.5(a) and 1320.6.

DOL seeks PRA authorization for this information collection for three (3) years. OMB authorization for an ICR cannot be for more than three (3) years without renewal. The DOL notes that information collection requirements submitted to the OMB for existing ICRs receive a month-to-month extension while they undergo review.

Agency: DOL-ETA.

Title of Collection: Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Common Performance Reporting.

OMB Control Number: 1205-0526.

Affected Public: State, Local, and Tribal Governments and Individuals or Households.

Total Estimated Number of Respondents: 19,114,129.

Total Estimated Number of Responses: 38,216,054.

Total Estimated Annual Time Burden: 9,863,057 hours.

Total Estimated Annual Other Costs Burden: $34,594,532.

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