[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 117 (Monday, June 18, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36328-36329]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-14726]
[[Page 36328]]
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OFFICE OF SPECIAL COUNSEL
Agency Information Collection Activities; Request for Comment
AGENCY: Office of Special Counsel.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44
U.S.C. Chapter 35), and implementing regulations at 5 CFR part 1320,
the U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) is requesting approval from
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to use four previously
approved information collections consisting of three forms for filing
complaints and disclosures of information, and an electronic survey
form. These collections are listed below. The current OMB approval for
Forms OSC-11, OSC-12, OSC-13, and the OSC Survey expires 9/30/12. We
are submitting all three forms and the electronic survey for renewal.
This will be a reinstatement of the forms, with changes to the Privacy
Act Statement for the three forms for filing complaints and disclosures
of information and the Consent Statement for Form OSC-12. Current and
former Federal employees, employee representatives, other Federal
agencies, state and local government employees, and the general public
are invited to comment on these information collections for the final
time. Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper performance of OSC functions,
including whether the information will have practical utility; (b) the
accuracy of OSC's estimate of the burden of the proposed collections of
information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of
the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of
the collection of information on respondents, including through the use
of automated collection techniques or other forms of information
technology.
Notice and request for public comment on these forms was published
in the Federal Register on April 16, 2012 at 77 FR 22614 and on May 15,
2012 at 77 FR 28638.
DATES: Comments should be received on or before July 26, 2012.
ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to the Office of Information and
Regulatory Affairs at the Office of Management and Budget, 725
Seventeenth Street NW., Attention: Desk Officer for U.S. Office of
Special Counsel, Washington, DC 20503. A copy of any comments should be
sent to Karl Kammann, Director of Finance, U.S. Office of Special
Counsel, 1730 M Street NW., Suite 218, Washington, DC 20036-4505.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karl Kammann, Director of Finance,
either at the address shown above, or by facsimile at (202) 254-3711.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: OSC is an independent agency responsible
for, among other things, (1) the investigation and prosecution of
allegations of prohibited personnel practices defined by law at 5
U.S.C. 2302(b), including protection of whistleblowers, and certain
other illegal employment practices under titles 5 and 38 of the U.S.
Code affecting current or former Federal employees or applicants for
employment, and covered state and local government employees; (2)
providing a safe and secure channel for considering whistleblower
disclosures; and (3) the interpretation and enforcement of Hatch Act
provisions on political activity in chapters 15 and 73 of title 5 of
the U.S. Code. OSC is also required to conduct an annual survey of
individuals who seek its assistance. Section 13 of Public Law 103-424
(1994), codified at 5 U.S.C. 1212 note, states, in part: ``[T]he survey
shall--(1) determine if the individual seeking assistance was fully
apprised of their rights; (2) determine whether the individual was
successful either at the Office of Special Counsel or the Merit Systems
Protection Board; and (3) determine if the individual, whether
successful or not, was satisfied with the treatment received from the
Office of Special Counsel.'' The same section also provides that survey
results are to be published in OSC's annual report to Congress. Copies
of prior years' annual reports are available on OSC's Web site, at
http://www.osc.gov/RR_AnnualReportsToCongress.htm, or by calling OSC
at (202) 254-3600.
Copies of the OSC Forms 11, 12, and 13 can be found at: http://www.osc.gov/RR_OSCFORMS.htm The survey form for the collection of
information is available for review by writing to the point of contact
at OSC listed above.
Title of Collections: (1) Form OSC-11 (Complaint of Possible
Prohibited Personnel Practice of Other Prohibited Activity) OMB control
number 3255-0002; (2) Form OSC-12 (Information about filing a
Whistleblower Disclosure with the Office of Special Counsel), OMB
control number 3255-0002; (3) Form OSC-13 (Complaint of Possible
Prohibited Political Activity (Violation of the Hatch Act)), OMB
control number 3255-0002; (4) Office of Special Counsel (OSC) Annual
Survey; OMB control number 3255-0003; all four with expiration date of
09/30/12.
Summary of the Collection of Information. OSC is seeking approval
of its annual electronic survey, and its three previously approved
forms for filing complaints and disclosures of information, that expire
on September 30, 2012, with revision of the Privacy Act System of
Records Notice applicable to Forms OSC-11, OSC-12 and OSC-13, to
reflect new and revised routine uses. See Federal Register Notice at 78
FR 24242 (April 23, 2012). The Consent Statement for Form OSC-12 is
also revised.
Brief Description of Need for Information and Proposed Use. The OSC
forms are used to enable our agency to: (1) Investigate allegations of
prohibited personnel practices, (2) provide a safe, secure channel for
whistleblower disclosures, and (3) enforce the Hatch Act. The survey is
used by government employees and complainants whose cases with OSC were
closed during the fiscal year and wish to give us feedback on the
quality of our service.
Description of likely respondents, including estimated number of
likely respondents and proposed frequency of response. Forms OSC-11 and
OSC-12 are used by current and former Federal employees and applicants
for Federal employment to submit allegations of possible prohibited
personnel practices and whistleblower disclosures respectively. Form
OSC-13 is used for the submission of Hatch Act complaints. The
frequency of the use of the three forms, OSC-11, OSC-12, and OSC-13, is
daily. The estimated number of respondents is 4,000. The survey form is
voluntary and anonymous, and it is used to survey current and former
Federal employees and applicants for Federal employment who have
submitted allegations of possible prohibited personnel practices. The
survey form also surveys complainants alleging Hatch Act violations,
whose matter has been closed or otherwise resolved during the prior
fiscal year, on their experience at OSC. Specifically, the survey asks
questions relating to whether the respondent was: (1) Apprised of his
or her rights; (2) successful at the OSC or at the Merit Systems
Protection Board; and (3) satisfied with the treatment received at the
OSC. The frequency of the use of this survey is annual, and the
estimated number of respondents is 320 per year.
Estimate of total annual reporting and recordkeeping burden. The
estimated average amount of time for a person to respond using the OSC
forms is 55 minutes; the estimated annual burden for using the OSC
forms is 3,666 hours. The estimated average amount of time
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for a person to respond using the electronic survey is 12 minutes. The
estimated annual survey burden is 64 hours.
Dated: June 12, 2012.
Mark Cohen,
Deputy Special Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2012-14726 Filed 6-15-12; 8:45 am]
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