Federal Register: June 14, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 113)

DOCID: FR Doc 04-13261

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Labor Statistics Bureau

NOTICE: NOTICES

DOCUMENT ACTION: Notice.

SUBJECT CATEGORY:

Proposed Collection, Comment Request

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the ADDRESSES section of this notice on or before August 13, 2004.

DOCUMENT 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. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is soliciting comments concerning the proposed revision of the ``National Compensation Survey.'' A copy of the proposed information collection request (ICR) can be obtained by contacting the individual listed below in the ADDRESSES section of this notice.

SUMMARY:

Agency information collection activities; proposals, submissions, and approvals,

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

I. Background

The National Compensation Survey (NCS) is an ongoing survey of earnings and benefits among private firms, State, and local government. The NCS resulted from the merger of three surveys: The NCS earnings and work level data (formerly the Occupational Compensation Survey Program), the Employment Cost Index (ECI), and the Employee Benefits Survey (EBS). Data from these surveys are critical for setting Federal whitecollar salaries, determining monetary policy (as a Principal Federal Economic Indicator), and for compensation administrators and researchers in the private sector.

The survey will collect data from a sample of employers. These data will consist of information about the duties, responsibilities, and compensation (earnings and benefits) for a sample of occupations for each sampled employer.

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Data will be updated on either an annual or quarterly basis. The updates will allow for production of data on change in earnings and total compensation.

II. Desired Focus of Comments

The Bureau of Labor Statistics is particularly interested in comments that:

  • 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 Action

    Office of Management and Budget clearance is being sought for the National Compensation Survey.

    The NCS collects earnings and work level data on occupations for the nation and selected localities. The NCS also collects information on the cost, provisions, and incidence of all the major employee benefits through its benefit cost (ECI) and benefit provision (EBS) programs. The NCS is currently phasing out any nonintegrating data collection. This change to the NCS sample has helped to lower total respondent burden and increase the number of possible ways the BLS can provide data.

    The NCS data on benefit costs will continue to be used to produce the ECI and Employer Expenditures for Employee Compensation Series. The data provided will be the same, and the series will be continuous.

    The NCS will continue to provide all of the benefit provision and participation data now collected. These data include estimates of how many workers receive the various employersponsored benefits. The data also will include information about the common provisions of benefit plans.

    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.

    Agency: Bureau of Labor Statistics.

    Title: National Compensation Survey.

    OMB Number: 12200164.

    Affected Public: Businesses or other forprofit; notforprofit institutions; and State, local, and tribal government.

    Total Respondents: 41,776 (threeyear average).

    Frequency: Quarterly, annually.

    Total Responses: 75,207 (threeyear average).

    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 57,934.

    All figures in the table below are based on a threeyear average. The total respondents and total responses in the table are greater than the figures shown above because many respondents are asked to provide information relating to more than one form.

    Collection forms can have multiple uses. The table below shows the average collection times for the predominant uses of the forms. Record checks (for quality assurance and measurement) are done on a subsample of respondents verifying responses for preselected sections of the forms. The collection times for the NCS governmentonly forms are zero for FY 2005 and FY 2006 because they are for initiation of new government sample units and the current NCS governments sample is frozen. A new government sample will be initiated in FY 2007. Table 1.Annual Respondent Burden by Form [Average of FY 2005, FY 2006, and FY 2007] Average Total Total minutes for Estimated Form respondents Frequency responses the total for forms for forms predominant burden form use hours Government Establishment Collection Form (NCS 1533 Annually or Quarterly............................... 1533 19 486 Form 041G).
    Private Establishment Collection Form (NCS Form 4148 Annually or Quarterly............................... 4148 19 1314 041P).
    Government Earning Form (NCS Form 042G)........ 1533 Annually or Quarterly............................... 1533 20 511 Private Earning Form (NCS Form 042P)........... 4148 Annually or Quarterly............................... 4148 20 1383 Computer Generated Earnings Update Form......... 29465 Annually or Quarterly............................... 62896 20 20965 Government Work Level Form (NCS Form 043G)..... 1533 Annually or Quarterly............................... 1533 25 639 Private Work Level Form (NCS FORM 043P)........ 4148 Annually or Quarterly............................... 4148 25 1728 Government Work Schedule Form (NCS 044G)....... 1533 Annually or Quarterly............................... 1533 10 256 Private Work Schedule Form (NCS 044P).......... 4148 Annually or Quarterly............................... 4148 10 691 Government Benefits Collection Form (NCS 045G). 660 Annually or Quarterly............................... 660 180 1980 Private Benefits Collection Form (NCS 045P).... 2150 Annually or Quarterly............................... 2150 180 6450 Summary of Benefits (Benefit update form SO 14808 Quarterly........................................... 47510 1520 15661 1003) is computer generated.
    Collection not tied to a specific form (testing, 8777 Unknown............................................. 8777 560 5780 QA/QM, etc.).

    Totals...................................... 77,856 .................................................... 144,717 ........... 57,934

    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.

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    Signed at Washington, DC, this 3rd day of June, 2004. Jes[uacute]s Salinas,
    Acting Chief, Division of Management Systems, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
    [FR Doc. 0413261 Filed 61004; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 451024P

    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT

    Amy A. Hobby, BLS Clearance Officer, telephone number 2026917628. (See ADDRESSES section.)

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