[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 246 (Friday, December 20, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 67350]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-32365]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Bureau of Labor Statistics


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 assessed properly. 
Currently, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is soliciting comment 
concerning the proposed reinstatement of the ``Work Schedules 
Supplement to the Current Population Survey.''
    A copy of the proposed information collection request (ICR) can be 
obtained by contacting the individual listed below in the addressee 
section of this notice.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
addressee section below on or before February 18, 1997.
    The Bureau of Labor Statistics 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.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Karin G. Kurz, BLS Clearance Officer, 
Division of Management Systems, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Room 3255, 
2 Massachusetts Avenue, N.E., Washington, DC 20212. Ms. Kurz can be 
reached on (202) 606-7628 (this is not a toll free number).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

I. Background

    The Current Population Survey (CPS) has been the principal source 
of the official Government statistics on employment and unemployment 
for over 50 years. Over the past several decades, the economy of the 
United Stats has been undergoing a fundamental restructuring. Advances 
in computer and communications technology increasingly have enabled 
some workers to perform part or all of their work at home. The growth 
of this phenomenon represents an important development in this 
country's labor markets. This supplement will provide a comprehensive 
and objective set of data about telecommuting, work at home, and work 
in home-based businesses, as well as valuable new information on work 
schedules. The work schedules supplement will provide information on 
the work schedules of employed persons, that is, the beginning and 
ending times of work, type of shift worked, and calendar days worked. 
It also will provide information about employed persons who work at 
home.

II. Current Actions

    Work schedule supplements have been conducted since the 1970s. 
Questions on home-based work were included in May 1985 and again in May 
1991. Due to changes in the questionnaire, however, work at home data 
for 1991 were not comparable to data from the 1985 survey. While the 
1991 supplement has provided a valuable source of data on work 
schedules and work at home, it furnishes no information on trends in 
work at home. A key purpose of the May 19976 collection is to provide a 
point of comparison. This will enable the BLS and other researchers to 
examine the changes in work schedules and work at home that are taking 
place over time.
    Type of Review: Reinstatement, with change, of a previously 
approved collection for which approval has expired.
    Agency: Bureau of Labor Statistics.
    Title: May 1997 Work Schedules Supplement to CPS.
    OMB Number: 1220-0119.
    Affected Public: Individuals.
    Total Respondents: 48,000 households.
    Frequency: Monthly.
    Total Responses: 48,000 households.
    Average Time Per Response: 4.5 Minutes.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 3,600 Hours.
    Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0
    Total Burden Cost (operating/maintenance): $0.
    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, D.C., this 16th day of December, 1996.
W. Stuart Rust, Jr.,
Acting Chief, Division of Management Systems, Bureau of Labor 
Statistics.
[FR Doc. 96-32365 Filed 12-19-96; 8:45 am]
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