[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 97 (Thursday, May 18, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31608-31609]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-12506]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment Standards Administration


Proposed Collection; Comment Request

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to 
reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a preclearance 
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 (PRA95) [44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)]. 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. 
Currently, the Employment Standards Administration is soliciting 
comments concerning the proposed extension collection of the following: 
(1) Rehabilitation Maintenance Certificate (OWCP-17); and Application 
to Employ Homeworkers (WH-46), Piece Rate Measurements, and Homeworker 
Handbook (WH-75). Copies of the proposed information collection 
requests can be obtained by contacting the office listed below in the 
ADDRESSES section of this Notice.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
addresses section below on or before July 17, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Ms. Patricia A. Forkel, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 
Constitution Ave., NW, Room S-3201, Washington, DC 20210, telephone 
(202) 693-0339 (this is not a toll-free number), fax (202) 693-1451.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Rehabilitation Maintenance Certificate (OWCP-17)

I. Background

    The Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP) administers the 
Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act and the Federal 
Employees' Compensation Act. These Acts provide employment 
rehabilitation benefits to eligible injured workers. The OWCP-17 is a 
form which is submitted, signed, and dated by an injured worker 
receiving rehabilitation services to request reimbursement from OWCP 
for expenses incurred as a result of participation in an approved 
rehabilitation effort. The form requires the signature of a facility 
official to verify that the employee is in attendance at the program.

II. Review Focus

    The Department of Labor is particularly interested in comments 
which:
    <bullet> 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;
    <bullet> 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;
    <bullet> Enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
    <bullet> 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.

III. Current Actions

    The Department of Labor seeks the extension of approval to collect 
this information in order to carry out its responsibility to provide 
vocational rehabilitation services to injured workers currently 
unemployed as a result of their injury, to enhance their employment 
potential.
    Type of Review: Extension.
    Agency: Employment Standards Administration.
    Title: Rehabilitation Maintenance Certificate.
    OMB Number: 1215-0161.
    Agency Number: OWCP-17.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households, Businesses or other 
for-profit; Not-for-profit institutions.
    Total Respondents: 1,300.
    Frequency: Monthly.
    Total Responses: 15,600.
    Average Time per Response: 10 minutes.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 2,605.
    Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0.

[[Page 31609]]

    Total Burden Cost (operating/maintenance): $0.

Application to Employ Homeworkers, (WH-46), Piece Rate 
Measurements, and Homeworker Handbook (WH-75)

I. Background

    Section 11(d) of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) authorizes the 
Secretary of Labor to regulate, restrict, or prohibit industrial 
homework as necessary to prevent evasion of the minimum requirements of 
the Act. Restrictions exist on seven homework industries, (knitted 
outerwear, women's apparel, jewelry manufacturing, gloves and mittens, 
button and buckle manufacturing, handkerchief manufacturing, and 
embroideries). Homework in these industries is permitted only in 
certain hardship cases. Homework is permitted under the FLSA in all 
other industries, provided the employer maintains homeworker handbooks 
for such employees which record hours of work and certain other 
required payroll information. Further, employers of homeworkers in 
certain restricted industries must first obtain a certification from 
the Department of Labor authorizing the employment of such workers. 
Employers in the restricted industries under the certification program 
who pay workers based on piece rates must maintain documentation of the 
work measurements used to establish such piece rates and the 
circumstances under which measurements were conducted.

II. Review Focus

    The Department of Labor is particularly interested in comments 
which:
    <bullet> 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;
    <bullet> 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;
    <bullet> Enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
    <bullet> 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.

III. Current Actions

    The Department of Labor seeks the extension of approval to collect 
this information in order assure compliance with the FLSA in homework 
employment.
    Type of Review: Extension.
    Agency: Employment Standards Administration.
    Title: Application to Employ Homeworkers.
    OMB Number: 1215-0013.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit; Individuals or 
households; Not-for-profit institutions.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Reporting Burden:

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                                                                                      Average time
                   Title                     Agency No.      No. of        No. of          per      Burden hours
                                                           respondents    responses     response
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Application To Employ Homeworkers.........        WH-46         71             36         30 min.         18
Homeworker Handbooks......................        WH-75      4,684         18,736         30 min.      9,368
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    Recordkeeping Burden:

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                                                          No. of        No. of       Average time
                        Title                         recordkeepers     records      per response   Burden hours
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Piece Rate Measurement..............................         71            213       60\1/2\ min.           215
Homeworker Handbook.................................      1,171         18,736         \1/2\ min.           156
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    Total Respondents (Recordkeeping and Reporting): 4,755.
    Total Annual Responses (Recordkeeping and Reporting): 18,772.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours (Recordkeeping and Reporting): 9,757.
    Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0.
    Total Burden Cost (operating/maintenance): $0.
    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 will also become a 
matter of public record.

    Dated: May 12, 2000.
Margaret J. Sherrill,
Chief, Branch of Management Review and Internal Control, Division of 
Financial Management, Office of Management, Administration and 
Planning, Employment Standards Administration.
[FR Doc. 00-12506 Filed 5-17-00; 8:45 am]
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