[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 239 (Thursday, December 14, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 86681-86683]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-27433]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Bureau of Labor Statistics


Information Collection Activities; Comment Request

AGENCY: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Department of Labor.

ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.

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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

[[Page 86682]]

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 revision of the 
``Annual Refiling Survey.'' 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 February 12, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Carol Rowan, BLS Clearance Officer, 
Division of Management Systems, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Room G225, 
2 Massachusetts Avenue NE, Washington, DC 20212. Written comments also 
may be transmitted by email to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#2b696778747b796a747b5e494742486b494758054c445d"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="4f0d031c101f1d0e101f3a2d23262c0f2d233c61282039">[email protected]</span></a>.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carol Rowan, BLS Clearance Officer, at 
202-691-7628 (this is not a toll free number). (See ADDRESSES section.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) program is a 
federal/state cooperative effort which compiles monthly employment 
data, quarterly wages data, and business identification information 
from employers subject to state Unemployment Insurance (UI) laws. These 
data are collected from state Quarterly Contribution Reports (QCRs) 
submitted to State Workforce Agencies (SWAs). The states send micro-
level employment and wages data, supplemented with the names, 
addresses, and business identification information of these employers, 
to the BLS. The state data are used to create the BLS sampling frame, 
known as the longitudinal QCEW data.
    To ensure the continued accuracy of these data, the information 
supplied by employers must be periodically verified and updated. For 
this purpose, the Annual Refiling Survey (ARS) is used in conjunction 
with the UI tax reporting system in each state. The information 
collected by the ARS is used to review the existing industry code 
assigned to each establishment as well as the physical location of the 
business establishment. As a result, changes in the industrial and 
geographical compositions of our economy are captured in a timely 
manner and reflected in the BLS statistical programs.
    The ARS also asks employers to identify new locations in the state. 
If these employers meet QCEW program reporting criteria, then a 
Multiple Worksite Report (MWR) is sent to the employer requesting 
employment and wages for each worksite each quarter. Thus, the ARS is 
also used to identify new potential MWR-eligible employers.

II. Current Action

    Office of Management and Budget clearance is being sought for a 
revision of the ARS. Once every three years, the SWAs survey employers 
that are covered by the state's UI laws to ensure that state records 
correctly reflect the business activities and locations of those 
employers. States survey approximately one-third of businesses with 
employment greater than three each year and largely take care of the 
entire universe of covered businesses over a three-year cycle. The 
selection criterion for surveying establishments is based on the nine-
digit Federal Employer Identification Number of the respondent. BLS 
constantly pursues a growing number of automated reporting options to 
reduce employer burden and costs and to take advantage of more 
efficient methods and procedures. Even given such actions, mailing 
remains an important part of the survey. The BLS developed a one-page 
letter rather than mailing forms for ARS solicitation. This letter 
explains the purpose of the ARS and provides respondents with a unique 
Web ID and password. Respondents are directed to the BLS online web 
collection system to verify or to update their geographic and industry 
information.
    Additionally, BLS staff review selected, large multi-worksite 
national employers rather than surveying these employers with 
traditional ARS letters. This central review reduces postage costs 
incurred by the states in sending letters.
    BLS continues to use a private contractor to handle various 
administrative aspects of the survey to reduce the costs associated 
with the ARS. This initiative is called the Centralized Annual Refiling 
Survey (CARS). Under CARS, BLS effectively utilizes the commercial 
advantages related to printing and mailing large volumes of survey 
letters.
    Finally, BLS continues to make use of email addresses collected 
from the ARS and from the state UI agencies for solicitation purposes. 
Use of email for solicitation reduces the overall cost of data 
collection. BLS will also continue to make use of email solicitation of 
small establishments that had been excluded from the ARS for budgetary 
reasons. Since collection costs for email solicitation are minimal, 
these respondents can continue to be added back to the ARS at little 
cost to the government.

III. Desired Focus of Comments

    The Bureau of Labor Statistics is particularly interested in 
comments that:
    <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.
    <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.
    Title of Collection: Annual Refiling Survey.
    OMB Number: 1220-0032.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit, not-for-profit 
institutions, and farms.

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                                                                                     Estimated       Estimated
  ARS collection instrument      Number of         Frequency           Total      average burden   total burden
                                respondents                          responses        (hours)         (hours)
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BLS NVS Non-mandatory.......         277,900  once..............         277,900           0.083          23,066
BLS NVS Mandatory...........         310,800  once..............         310,800           0.083          25,797

[[Page 86683]]

 
BLS NVM Non-mandatory.......          15,400  once..............          15,400            0.25           3,850
BLS NVM Mandatory...........          16,800  once..............          16,800            0.25           4,200
BLS NCA Non-mandatory.......          22,750  once..............          22,750           0.167           3,800
BLS NCA Mandatory...........          30,000  once..............          30,000           0.167           5,010
Small Units Non-Mandatory...          43,000  once..............          43,000           0.083           3,569
Small Units Mandatory.......          57,000  once..............          57,000           0.083           4,731
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    Totals:.................         773,650  ..................         773,650  ..............          74,023
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    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.

    Signed at Washington, DC, on December 8, 2023.
Eric Molina,
Chief, Division of Management Systems, Branch of Policy Analysis.
[FR Doc. 2023-27433 Filed 12-13-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-24-P


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