[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 228 (Wednesday, November 26, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70567-70568]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-27971]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration


Comment Request for Information Collection for Labor Standards 
for the Registration of Apprenticeship Programs, Extension With Minor 
Definition Addition

AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration (ETA), Labor.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor (Department), as part of its 
continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a 
preclearance consultation program to provide the 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 [44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)] (PRA). The PRA helps ensure that 
respondents can provide requested data in the desired format with 
minimal reporting burden (time and financial resources), collection 
instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of collection 
requirements on respondents can be properly assessed.
    Currently, ETA is soliciting comments concerning the collection of 
data in

[[Page 70568]]

accordance with Title 20 CFR part 29, the Labor Standards for 
Apprenticeship Programs Registration, currently expiring April 30, 
2015.

DATES: Submit written comments to the office listed in the addresses 
section below on or before January 26, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Michael Qualter, Chief, Division of 
Program Administration and Management Services, Office of 
Apprenticeship, Room N-5311, Employment and Training Administration, 
U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 
20210. Telephone number: 202- 693-3812 (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 (TTY/TDD). Fax: 202-693-
3799. Email: [email protected]. To obtain a copy of the proposed 
information collection request (ICR), please contact the person listed 
above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The National Apprenticeship Act of 1937, Section 50 (29 U.S.C. 50), 
authorizes and directs the Secretary of Labor ``to formulate and 
promote the furtherance of labor standards necessary to safeguard the 
welfare of apprentices, to extend the application of such standards by 
encouraging the inclusion thereof in contracts of apprenticeship, to 
bring together employers and labor for the formulation of programs of 
apprenticeship, to cooperate with State agencies engaged in the 
formulation and promotion of standards of apprenticeship, and to 
cooperate with the Secretary of Education in accordance with Section 17 
of Title 20.'' Section 50a of the Act authorizes the Secretary of Labor 
to ``publish information relating to existing and proposed labor 
standards of apprenticeship,'' and to ``appoint national advisory 
committees . . .'' (29 U.S.C. 50a). The form approved by the Office of 
Management and Budget used to collect labor standards information is 
ETA 617, Program Registration, Section I, and Apprentice Registration, 
Section II. Both sections of ETA 671 are available electronically to 
facilitate the registration of programs and apprentices. ETA is 
requesting a regular three-year extension with a minor change to the 
current information collection. The proposed change to ETA 671 is under 
Program Definitions and/or Instructions, Part A, 7b. In the 
instructions, the definition of Direct Entry has been modified to 
include pre-apprenticeship training programs that meet the requirements 
outlined in Training and Employment Notice 13-12: ``Defining a Quality 
Pre-Apprenticeship Program.''

II. Review Focus

    The Department is particularly interested in comments which:
     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 submissions of responses.

III. Current Actions

    Type of Review: Extension with minor addition to definition 
section.
    Title: Labor Standards for the Registration of Apprenticeship 
Programs.
    OMB Number: 1205-0223.
    Affected Public: individuals/households, state/local/tribal 
governments, Federal government, private sector (businesses or other 
for-profits, and, not-for-profit institutions)
    Estimated Total Annual Respondents: 141,779.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 141,779.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 14,775.
    Total Estimated Annual Other Costs Burden: 0.
    We will summarize and include in the request for OMB approval of 
the ICR, the comments received in response to this comment request; 
they will also become a matter of public record.

Portia Wu,
Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training, Labor.
[FR Doc. 2014-27971 Filed 11-25-14; 8:45 am]
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