Proposed Collection; Comment Request

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:

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: 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:

Provide assistance to needy families so that children may

be cared for in their own homes or in the homes of relatives;

End the dependence of needy parents on government benefits

by promoting job preparation, work, and marriage;

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

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]

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