[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 83 (Thursday, April 30, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23796-23798]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-11493]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training 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 and Training Administration is soliciting 
comments concerning the proposed new collection of the ``Welfare to 
Work Monitoring

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Guide''. A copy of the proposed information collection request (ICR) 
can be obtained by contacting the office listed below in the addressee 
section of this notice.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
ADDRESSES section below on or before June 29, 1998.
    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.

ADDRESSES: U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training 
Administration, Office of Welfare to Work, ATTENTION: Alicia Fernandez-
Mott, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Room C-4524, Washington, D.C. 
20210; telephone: 202-208-7185 x183 (this is not a toll free number) 
and, fax: 202-219-0376.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    On August 22, 1996, President Clinton signed the Personal 
Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA), a 
comprehensive welfare reform bill, under which the Temporary Assistance 
for Needy Families (TANF) program was established to supersede the Aid 
to Families With Dependent Children (AFDC) welfare program, the Job 
Opportunities and Basic Skills (JOBS) training program and the 
Emergency Assistance (EA) program. The TANF program section 401(a) of 
the Social Security Act (Act) established the following objectives:
    <bullet> Provide assistance to needy families so that children may 
be cared for in their own homes or in the homes of relatives;
    <bullet> End the dependence of needy parents on government benefits 
by promoting job preparation, work, and marriage;
    <bullet> Prevent and reduce the incidence of out-of-wedlock 
pregnancies and establish annual numerical goals for preventing and 
reducing the incidence of these pregnancies; and
    <bullet> Encourage the formation and maintenance of two-parent 
families.
    The TANF provisions substantially changed the nation's welfare 
system from one in which cash assistance was provided on an entitlement 
basis to a system in which the primary focus is on moving welfare 
recipients to work and promoting family responsibility, accountability 
and self-sufficiency. In general, adult welfare recipients are expected 
to become self-sufficient within a 60-month period of time. In support 
of this ``work-first'' objective, the TANF provisions established an 
overall work participation rate for all households and a work 
participation rate for two-parent families that must be met by each 
State starting in fiscal year (FY) 97 and in each fiscal year 
thereafter through FY 2002. States that do not meet the TANF-
established work participation rates face significant financial 
penalties.
    On August 5, 1997, the President signed the Balanced Budget Act of 
1997. This legislation amended certain TANF provisions of the Act and 
authorized the Secretary of Labor to provide Welfare-to-Work (WtW) 
grants to States and local communities for transitional employment 
assistance to move the hard-to-employ TANF welfare recipients into 
unsubsidized jobs and economic self-sufficiency.
    Approximately 75 percent of WtW funds will be distributed to the 
States as formula grants in each fiscal year. The States will pass 
through at least 85 percent of their grant funds to local service 
delivery areas (SDAs) in their State, to be administered by the Private 
Industry Council (PIC) or an alternate administrative entity upon 
approval by the Secretary of Labor.
    Approximately 25 percent of the WtW funds shall be distributed 
through competitive grants to PICs or private entities applying in 
conjunction with the PIC or political subdivision in a State. A second 
Solicitation for Grant Application (SGA), was published in the Federal 
Register on April 15, 1998. This provides notice of the availability of 
WtW grant funds under the competitive process; which includes all 
necessary information and forms to apply for these funds.
    Interim Final Rules, 20 CFR Part 645, were published in the Federal 
Register on November 18, 1997, and provide direction for the 
implementation of WtW Formula and Competitive grants. Oversight and 
monitoring responsibilities for all WtW grants are as prescribed in the 
Interim Final Rules:


Sec. 645.245  Who is responsible for oversight and monitoring of 
Welfare-to-Work grants?

    (a) The Secretary may monitor all recipients and subrecipients 
of all grants awarded and funds expended under WtW. Federal 
oversight will be conducted primarily at the State level for formula 
grants and at the recipient level for competitive grants.
    (b) The Governor shall monitor PICs (or other administrative 
entities as approved) funded under the State's formula allocated 
grants on a periodic basis for compliance with the applicable laws 
and regulations. The Governor shall develop and make available for 
review a State monitoring plan.

II. Current Actions

    This Notice submits for public review and comment a proposed WtW 
Monitoring and Oversight Guide. The Guide is solely an instrument to 
assist the Department of Labor in meeting the responsibilities of the 
Secretary for oversight and monitoring of WtW Formula and Competitive 
grants.
    The current draft was developed by the WtW Task Force and has 
undergone an initial internal review by ETA program and administrative 
staff. Secondly, it was reviewed by ETA Regional offices, the Office of 
the Inspector General, and by the Department of Health and Human 
Services. This initial and extensive review and editing process has 
resulted in a comprehensive draft, focused on WtW program performance, 
quality of service to TANF recipients, and WtW work-first strategies.
    Type of Review: New.
    Agency: Employment and Training Administration.
    Title: Welfare to Work Monitoring Guide.
    OMB Number: 1205-0New.
    Affected Public: State Agencies, public or private, profit and non-
profit entities.
    Total Respondents: 54 states and territories plus approximately 120 
entities (competitive grants). This total includes, as respondents, all 
eligible States, however, it is possible that not all eligible States 
will apply for WtW funds. A revised information collection worksheet 
may be provided to reduce the burden hours.
    Frequency: Annually.
    Total Responses: 174.
    Average Time Per Response: 4 hours.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 696 hours.
    Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): 0.
    Total Burden Cost (operating/maintaining): 0.

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    Comments submitted in response to this request will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for Office of Management and Budget 
approval of this information collection request; and will also become a 
matter of public record.

    Dated: April 24, 1998.
Dennis Lieberman,
Acting Director, Office of Welfare to Work.
[FR Doc. 98-11493 Filed 4-29-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-30-P