Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 127 / Monday, July 2, 2018 / Notices 30977 

Primary: Individuals (supervisors, 

peers, subordinates). 

Abstract: This form will primarily be 

used to collect applicant reference 

information. Reference checking is an 

objective evaluation of an applicant’s 

past job performance based on 

information collected from key 

individuals (e.g., supervisors, peers, 

subordinates) who have known and 

worked with the applicant. Reference 

checking is a necessary supplement to 

the evaluation of resumes and other 

descriptions of training and experience, 

and allows the selecting official to hire 

applicants with a strong history of 

performance. The questions on this form 

have been developed following the 

OPM, MSPB, and DOJ ‘‘Best Practice’’ 

guidelines for reference checking. 

(5) An estimate of the total number of 

respondents and the amount of time 

estimated for an average respondent to 

respond: An estimated 1,500 

respondents will respond to the form, 

and it will take approximately 15–20 

minutes to record their responses on the 

form. 

(6) An estimate of the total public 

burden (in hours) associated with the 

collection: The estimated annual public 

burden associated with this collection is 

500 hours, which is equal to 1,500 (total 

# of annual responses) * 20 minutes. 

If additional information is required 

contact: Melody Braswell, Department 

Clearance Officer, United States 

Department of Justice, Justice 

Management Division, Policy and 

Planning Staff, Two Constitution 

Square, 145 N Street NE, 3E.405A, 

Washington, DC 20530. 

Dated: June 25, 2018. 

Melody Braswell, 

Department Clearance Officer for PRA, U.S. 

Department of Justice. 

[FR Doc. 2018–13905 Filed 6–29–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4410–04–P 

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR 

Employment and Training 

Administration 

Assignment and Processing of Labor 

Certification Applications for the 

Temporary Employment of Aliens in 

Non-Agricultural Employment in the 

United States 

AGENCY: Employment and Training 

Administration, Department of Labor. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Department of Labor’s 

Office of Foreign Labor Certification 

(OFLC) is making this announcement to 

inform employers and other interested 

stakeholders how H–2B Applications for 

Temporary Employment Certification, 

Form ETA–9142B, filed by employers 

on or after July 3, 2018, will be assigned 

to staff. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

William W. Thompson, II, 

Administrator, Office of Foreign Labor 

Certification, Employment & Training 

Administration, U.S. Department of 

Labor, Room 12–200, 200 Constitution 

Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20210. 

Telephone number: 202–513–7350 (this 

is not a toll-free number). Individuals 

with hearing or speech impairments 

may access the telephone number above 

via TTY by calling the toll-free Federal 

Information Relay Service at 1–877– 

889–5627. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background 

OFLC continues to experience 

significant increases in the number of 

H–2B applications requesting temporary 

labor certification, and those 

submissions are generally received on 

the earliest day employers, seeking to 

obtain visas for their workers under the 

semi-annual allotments, are permitted 

by regulation to file (i.e., 75 to 90 days 

before the start date of work). For 

example, in the past several second-half 

semi-annual filing cycles, the 

overwhelming majority of H–2B 

applications were received on January 1, 

which is the earliest date on which an 

H–2B application may be filed for a 

period of need beginning on April 1. 

Because of the intense competition for 

H–2B visas in recent years, the semiannual visa allocation, and the 

regulatory timeframes for filing a 

request for temporary labor certification, 

stakeholders have also raised questions 

regarding the earliest time of day on 

which an application can be submitted 

to OFLC. In order to process the 

significant surge of applications that 

OFLC expects to receive in a short 

period of time during the semi-annual 

visa allotment periods in a more 

equitable manner and to clarify the time 

at which an application is received, 

OFLC will be implementing the 

following procedures. 

II. Process Announcement 

For H–2B applications filed on or 

after July 3, 2018, OFLC will 

sequentially assign H–2B applications to 

analysts based on the calendar date and 

time on which the applications are 

received (i.e., receipt date and time). 

Receipt time will be measured to the 

millisecond, e.g., 12:00:00.000 a.m. 

OFLC’s technology servers are located 

in the Eastern Time Zone; therefore, the 

time an application is received and 

assigned to analysts is based on Eastern 

Time (ET). Applications submitted from 

other time zones may be filed as early 

as 12:00:00.000 a.m. ET, as discussed 

below. 

Once assigned, the analysts will 

initiate review of each H–2B application 

in the order of receipt date and time, 

and in accordance with 20 CFR 655.30. 

Based on the analyst’s review, the 

Certifying Officer (CO) will authorize 

issuance of either a Notice of 

Acceptance (NOA) under 20 CFR 655.33 

or a Notice of Deficiency (NOD) under 

20 CFR 655.31. Following issuance of 

NOAs and/or NODs, the applications 

will be processed as each successive 

stage in the process is completed. 

Employers receiving NOAs may proceed 

to meet the additional regulatory 

requirements, including recruitment of 

U.S. workers and submission of 

recruitment reports. Employers 

receiving NODs must correct any 

deficiencies and then receive a NOA 

before proceeding to meet the additional 

regulatory requirements. As a result, for 

each application, analysts’ review of 

NOD responses and recruitment reports, 

and issuance of final decisions 

(certifications and denials) will follow 

in the order in which each sequential 

step required by the regulations is 

concluded, irrespective of the receipt 

time of the application. 

As required, OFLC will grant 

temporary labor certification only after 

the employer’s H–2B application has 

met all the requirements for approving 

labor certification under 20 CFR 655.50 

and the subpart. In accordance with 

regulatory requirements, OFLC will 

send all certified H–2B applications to 

the applicant by means normally 

assuring next day delivery. OFLC will 

issue rejections, withdrawals, and 

denials of labor certification 

applications as each determination is 

made by the CO. 

III. Instructive Examples Related to 

Time Zones 

Applicants wishing to file their H–2B 

applications at the earliest possible time 

may begin filing at 12:00:00.000 a.m. ET 

on the appropriate calendar day. As 

noted above, application receipt time is 

based upon ET. Receipt time is not 

based on the time zone covering the 

geographic location in which the 

applicant is filing, nor is it based on the 

time zone covering the geographic 

location in which the job is located. For 

example, applicants seeking to file an 

H–2B application from a location 

outside the Eastern Time Zone at the 

earliest possible filing time for the firsthalf semi-annual filing cycle of FY 2019 


daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES
30978 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 127 / Monday, July 2, 2018 / Notices 

should file at 12:00:00.000 a.m. ET on 

July 3, 2018; not 12:00:00.000 a.m. in 

any other time zone in which that 

person is located on July 3, 2018. 

As noted above, receipt time will be 

measured to the millisecond. The 

following examples help illustrate how 

the receipt date and time will be 

recorded on H–2B applications filed 

with OFLC: 

• An H–2B application filed and 

received on July 3, 2018 at 12:00:00.000 

a.m. ET will be stamped with a receipt 

date and time of July 3, 2018 at 

12:00:00.000 a.m. ET; 

• An H–2B application filed and 

received on July 3, 2018 at 12:00:00.000 

a.m. Pacific Time (PT) will be stamped 

with a receipt date and time of July 3, 

2018 at 3:00:00.000 a.m. ET; 

• An H–2B application filed and 

received on July 2, 2018 at 9:00:00.000 

p.m. PT will be stamped with a receipt 

date and time of July 3, 2018 at 

12:00:00.000 a.m. ET; 

• An H–2B application filed and 

received on January 1, 2019 at 

12:00:00.000 a.m. Central Time (CT) 

will be stamped with a receipt date and 

time of January 1, 2019 at 1:00:00.000 

a.m. ET; and 

• An H–2B application filed and 

received on December 31, 2018 at 

11:00:00.000 p.m. CT will be stamped 

with a receipt date and time of January 

1, 2019 at 12:00:00.000 a.m. ET. 

Dated: June 27, 2018. 

Nancy Rooney, 

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Employment 

and Training, Labor. 

[FR Doc. 2018–14207 Filed 6–29–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4510–FP–P 

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR 

Office of the Secretary 

Agency Information Collection 

Activities; Submission for OMB 

Review; Comment Request; 

Telecommunications Standard 

ACTION: Notice of availability; request 

for comments. 

SUMMARY: On June 29, 2018, the 

Department of Labor will submit the 

Occupational Safety and Health 

Administration (OSHA) sponsored 

information collection request (ICR) 

titled, ‘‘Telecommunications Standard,’’ 

to the Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB) for review and approval for 

continued use, without change, 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 August 1, 2018. 

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=201804-1218-002 

(this link will only become active as of 

June 30, 2018) or by contacting Michel 

Smyth by telephone at 202–693–4129, 

TTY 202–693–8064, (these are not tollfree numbers) or by email at DOL_PRA_

PUBLIC@dol.gov. 

Submit comments about this request 

by mail to the Office of Information and 

Regulatory Affairs, Attn: OMB Desk 

Officer for DOL–OSHA, 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: 

Michel Smyth by telephone at 202–693– 

4129, TTY 202–693–8064, (these are not 

toll-free numbers) or by email at DOL_

PRA_PUBLIC@dol.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This ICR 

seeks to extend PRA authority for the 

Telecommunications Standard 

information collection. Regulations 29 

CFR 1910.268(c) establishes the 

information collection requirements of 

the Telecommunications Standard and 

makes it mandatory for an employer to 

generate and maintain training 

certification records for all workers 

covered by the Standard. Occupational 

Safety and Health Act of 1970 sections 

2(b)(9) and 8(c) authorize this 

information collection. See 29 U.S.C. 

651(b)(9), 657(c). 

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 1218–0225. 

The DOL seeks to extend PRA 

authorization for this information 

collection for three (3) more years, 

without any change to existing 

requirements. The DOL notes that 

existing information collection 

requirements submitted to the OMB 

receive a month-to-month extension 

while they undergo review. For 

additional substantive information 

about this ICR, see the related notice 

published in the Federal Register on 

January 12, 2018 (83 FR 1632). 

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 

1218–0225. 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–OSHA. 

Title of Collection: 

Telecommunications Standard. 

OMB Control Number: 1218–0225. 

Affected Public: Private Sector— 

businesses or other for-profits. 

Total Estimated Number of 

Respondents: 35,742. 

Total Estimated Number of 

Responses: 252,888. 

Total Estimated Annual Time Burden: 

5,349 hours. 

Total Estimated Annual Other Costs 

Burden: $0. 

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


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