Annual Survey of Government Employment

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of the Census

Annual Survey of Government Employment

ACTION: Proposed collection; comment request.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort

to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public

and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on

[[Page 37318]]

proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C.

3506(c)(2)(A)).

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before September 8,

1998.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Linda Engelmeier,

Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room

5327, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or

copies of the information collection instrument(s) and instructions

should be directed to Alan Stevens, U.S. Bureau of the Census,

Governments Division, Washington, DC 20233-6800, (301) 457-1550.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

The Annual Survey of Government Employment collects data on the

employment, payrolls, and hours worked by part-time employees of state

and local governments for one pay period in March. Data are collected

from all agencies, departments, and institutions of the fifty state

governments and from a sample of all local governments (counties,

cities, townships, school districts, and special districts).

This is a mail canvass survey with an initial mailing and one

follow-up mailing. Telephone follow-up is used to contact non-

respondents and, as necessary, to correct apparent errors and

incomplete responses. These forms and procedures are similar to those

used in the previous annual survey conducted in March 1998.

Results from this survey are used directly in a variety of Federal

programs: By the Bureau of Economic Analysis to develop the public

sector components of the National Income and Product Accounts and to

develop personal income statistics; by the Department of Housing and

Urban Development for the allocation of operating subsidies to local

housing authorities; and by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to bench

mark the government component in their monthly employment and earnings

statistics program. Other users include state and local government

executives and legislators, policy makers, economists, researchers, and

the general public.

II. Method of Collection

Data collection is primarily accomplished through the use of mail

canvass questionnaires that are tailored to the type of government,

agency or institution being surveyed. Mail canvass replies are screened

for completeness, electronically recorded for processing, and

electronically edited. Special data reporting arrangements exist with

many state governments and some local governments to facilitate data

reporting in ways that help minimize reporting burden (e.g. central

reporting of data for all agencies and institutions of individual state

governments, electronic reporting of data by some state and local

governments, central reporting of school systems data by a number of

state education agencies, etc.).

III. Data

OMB Number: 0607-0452.

Form Number: E-1, E-2, E-3, E-4, E-6, E-7, E-9.

Type of Review: Regular.

Affected Public: State, local or tribal government.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 20,244.

Estimated Time Per Response: 1.06.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 21,437.

Estimated Total Cost: The estimated cost to respondents for the

employment survey is $326,277. The budgeted cost to the Federal

government for all phases of this survey is $1.1 million.

Legal Authority: This survey is authorized by Title 13, United

States Code, Section 161.

Respondents' Obligation: This is a voluntary survey.

IV. Request for Comments

Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of

information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of

the agency, including whether the information shall have practical

utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden

(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection 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 the use of

automated collection techniques or other forms of information

technology.

Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized

and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information

collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

Dated: July 6, 1998.

Linda Engelmeier,

Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Office of Management and

Organization.

[FR Doc. 98-18335 Filed 7-9-98; 8:45 a.m.]

BILLING CODE 3510-07-P