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[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 247 (Thursday, December 27, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66757-66758]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-28044]

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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Office of the Secretary

Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Programs 
Accrediting Entity Information

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Employment and 
Training Administration (ETA) sponsored information collection request 
(ICR) proposal titled, ``Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Programs 
Accrediting Entity Information,'' to the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) for review and approval for use in accordance with the 
Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995. Public comments on the ICR are 
invited.

DATES: The OMB will consider all written comments that agency receives 
on or before January 28, 2019.

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 website at http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAViewICR?ref_nbr=201812-1205-001 (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 [email protected].
    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: 202-395-6881 (this is not a toll-free 
number); or by email: [email protected]. 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:

[[Page 66758]]

Departmental Information Compliance Management Program, Room N1301, 200 
Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20210; or by email: 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michel Smyth by telephone at 202-693-
4129, TTY 202-693-8064, (these are not toll-free numbers) or sending an 
email to [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This ICR seeks approval under the PRA for 
the Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Programs Accrediting Entity 
Information information collection. This ICR will enable ETA to collect 
essential data under Training and Employment Notice (TEN) No. 3-18 
titled, ``Creating Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Programs to 
Expand Opportunity in America,'' established under the statutory 
authority of the National Apprenticeship Act (29 U.S.C. 50), concerning 
the operational characteristics of certain industry-recognized 
apprenticeship programs. According to the TEN, these new industry-
recognized apprenticeship programs will be reviewed and recognized by 
qualified accrediting entities; the accrediting entities, in turn, may 
request a determination from the Department concerning their 
qualifications. The TEN, pending a rulemaking to amend 29 CFR part 29, 
provides interim information and guidance to accreditors on the process 
for obtaining a determination from the Department on whether that 
entity's standards meet the criteria outlined in TEN No. 3-18. To 
obtain a favorable determination from the Department, the accrediting 
entity should, among other things, demonstrate that it has received 
broad sector-wide input and consensus in the setting of industry-wide 
quality standards. The accrediting entity should also demonstrate that 
their program accreditation process ensures that the industry programs 
will operate in a manner consistent with DOL-identified hallmarks of 
high-quality apprenticeship programs. To collect the information 
necessary for the Department to determine whether the entity 
accrediting these industry-recognized apprenticeship programs has 
satisfied the foregoing criteria, the Department proposes the 
development of a form titled, ``Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship 
Programs Accrediting Entity Information'' intended for completion by 
the accrediting entity, that will enable the Department to determine 
whether that entity's standards meet the criteria outlined in the TEN. 
The National Apprenticeship Act of 1937 authorizes this information 
collection. See 29 U.S.C. 50.
    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 
substantive information about this ICR, see the related notice 
published in the Federal Register* on September 20, 2018 (83 FR 47643).
    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 201812-1205-
001. 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: Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Programs 
Accrediting Entity Information.
    OMB ICR Reference Number: 201812-1205-001.
    Affected Public: Private Sector--businesses or other for-profits 
and not-for-profit institutions.
    Total Estimated Number of Respondents: 300.
    Total Estimated Number of Responses: 308.
    Total Estimated Annual Time Burden: 10,030 hours.
    Total Estimated Annual Other Costs Burden: $0.

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

    Dated: December 20, 2018.
Michel Smyth,
Departmental Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2018-28044 Filed 12-26-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4510-FR-P
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