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###### Department of Labor

###### Office of the Secretary

# ACTION:

Notice.

# SUMMARY:

The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) sponsored information collection request (ICR) revision titled, “Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey,” (JOLTS) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval for use in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

      ( print page 16266)    

# DATES:

Submit comments on or before April 19, 2012.

# 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 from the RegInfo.gov Web site,                         *http://www.reginfo.gov/​public/​do/​PRAMain,*                         on the day following publication of this notice or by contacting Michel Smyth by telephone at (202) 693-4129 (this is not a toll-free number) or sending an email to                         *DOL_PRA_PUBLIC@dol.gov.*

                        Submit comments about this request to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attn: OMB Desk Officer for the DOL-BLS, Office of Management and Budget, Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503, Telephone: (202) 395-6929/Fax: (202) 395-6881 (these are not toll-free numbers), email:                         *OIRA_submission@omb.eop.gov.*

# FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

                        Contact Michel Smyth by telephone at (202) 693-4129 (this is not a toll-free number) or by email at                         *DOL_PRA_PUBLIC@dol.gov.*

# SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The JOLTS collects data on job vacancies, labor hires, and labor separations. The data can be used as demand-side indicators of labor shortages. These indicators of labor shortages at the national level greatly enhance policy makers' understanding of imbalances between the demand and supply of labor. Presently there is no other economic indicator of labor demand with which to assess the presence of labor shortages in the U.S. labor market. The availability of unfilled jobs is an important measure of job market tightness, symmetrical to unemployment measures. This submission has been characterized as a revision, because of minor edits to some of the cover letters, the addition of two new postcard reminders (email and fax), an update to the BLS confidentiality pledge, and the discontinuation of information collected in order to perform response analysis for two industries. This research has been performed. The JOLTS program plans to perform response analysis again sometime in the future and will seek an appropriate burden increase at that time.

                    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 if the collection of information does not display a valid OMB Control Number.                     *See*5 CFR 1320.5(a) and 1320.6. The DOL obtains OMB approval for this information collection under OMB Control Number 1220-0170. The current OMB approval is scheduled to expire on March 31, 2012; however, it should be noted that existing information collection requirements submitted to the OMB receive a month-to-month extension while they undergo review. For additional information, see the related notice published in the                     **Federal Register**                     on November 10, 2011 (76 FR 70165).                

                    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 30 days of publication of this notice in the                     **Federal Register.**                     In order to help ensure appropriate consideration, comments should reference OMB Control Number 1220-0170. 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-BLS.                

*Title of Collection:*                     Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS).                

*OMB Control Number:*                     1220-0170.                

*Affected Public:*                     Private Sector—Businesses or Other For-Profits and Nor-For-Profit Institutions; Federal Government; and State, Local, and Tribal Governments.                

*Total Estimated Number of Respondents:*                     10,825.                

*Total Estimated Number of Responses:*                     129,900.                

*Total Estimated Annual Burden Hours:*                     21,650.                

*Total Estimated Annual Other Costs Burden:*                     $0.                

Dated: March 14, 2012.

Michel Smyth,

Departmental Clearance Officer.

[FR Doc. 2012-6711 Filed 3-19-12; 8:45 am]

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