Information Collection Activities; Comment Request

AGENCY:

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Department of Labor.

ACTION:

Notice of information collection; request for comment.

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 extension of the “BLS Data Sharing Program.” A copy of the proposed information collection request 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 January 31, 2022.

ADDRESSES:

Send comments to Erin Good, 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 BLS_PRA_Public@bls.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Erin Good, BLS Clearance Officer, at 202-691-7628 (this is not a toll-free number). (See Addresses section.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

An important aspect of the mission of the BLS is to disseminate to the public the maximum amount of information possible. Not all data are publicly available because of the importance of maintaining the confidentiality of BLS data. However, the BLS has opportunities available on a limited basis for eligible researchers to access confidential data for purposes of conducting valid statistical analyses that further the mission of the BLS as permitted in the Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act (CIPSEA).

The BLS makes confidential data available to eligible researchers through three major programs:

1. The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI), as part of the BLS occupational safety and health statistics program, compiles a count of all fatal work injuries occurring in the U.S. in each calendar year. Multiple sources are used in order to provide as complete and accurate information concerning workplace fatalities as possible. A research file containing CFOI data is made available offsite to eligible researchers.

2. The National Longitudinal Surveys of Youth (NLSY) is designed to document the transition from school to work and into adulthood. The NLSY collects extensive information about youths' labor market behavior and educational experiences over time. The NLSY includes three different cohorts: The National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 (NLSY79), the NLSY79 Young Adult Survey, and the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 (NLSY97). NLSY data beyond the public use data are made available in greater detail through an offsite program to eligible researchers.

3. The BLS makes available data from several employment, compensation, prices, and working conditions surveys to eligible researchers for onsite use. Eligible visiting researchers can access these data in researcher rooms at the BLS national office in Washington, DC or at a Federal Statistical Research Data Center (FSRDC).

II. Current Action

Office of Management and Budget clearance is being sought for the BLS Data Sharing Program. In order to provide access to confidential data, the BLS must determine that the researcher's project will be exclusively statistical in nature and that the researcher is eligible based on guidelines set out in CIPSEA, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) implementation guidance on CIPSEA, and BLS policy. This information collection provides the vehicle through which the BLS will obtain the necessary details to ensure all researchers and projects comply with appropriate laws and policies.

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: BLS Data Sharing Program.

OMB Number: 1220-0180.

Type of Review: Extension.

Affected Public: Individuals.

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.