Proposed collection; comment request

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment Standards Administration

Proposed collection; comment request

ACTION: Notice.

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

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 Standards Administration is soliciting

comments concerning the proposed extension collections of: (1) Notice

of Final Payment or Suspension of Compensation Benefits (Longshore and

Harbor Workers' Compensation Act); and (2) Work Experience and Career

Exploration Programs, Regulations 29 CFR Part 570.35a (Fair Labor

Standards Act). A copy of the proposed information collection requests

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

addressee section below on or before January 18, 2000.

ADDRESSEE: Ms. Patricia A. Forkel, U. S. Department of Labor, 200

Constitution Ave., N.W., Room S-3201, Washington, D.C. 20210, telephone

(202) 693-0339 (this is not a toll-free number), fax (202) 693-1451.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Notice of Final Payment or Suspension of Compensation Benefits

I. Background

The Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP) administers the

Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act. The Act provides

benefits to workers injured in maritime employment on the navigable

waters of the United States or in an adjoining area customarily used by

an employee in loading, unloading, repairing, or building a vessel.

Under Section 14(g) of the Act, the employer or its insurance carrier

must file a report of the compensation paid to a claimant at the time

final payment is made. Filing of the report is mandatory and failure to

do so is subject to a civil penalty. This form is used to notify OWCP

that payment of compensation benefits has been stopped or suspended in

a case.

II. Review Focus

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.

III. Current Actions: The Department of Labor seeks the extension

of approval to collect this information in order to carry out its

responsibility to manage the case file and verify that the injured

worker has received all benefits that he/she is entitled to receive

under the Act.

Type of Review: Extension.

[[Page 62222]]

Agency: Employment Standards Administration.

Title: Notice of Final Payment or Suspension of Compensation

Benefits.

OMB Number: 1215-0024.

Agency Number: LS-208.

Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profit.

Total Respondents: 500.

Frequency: On occasion.

Total Responses: 19,350.

Average Time per Response: 15 minutes.

Estimated Total Burden Hours: 4,838.

Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0.

Total Burden Cost (operating/maintenance): $10,070.

Work Experience and Career Exploration Program (WECEP)

I. Background

Section (3)(1) of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) establishes a

minimum age of 16 for most nonagricultural employment, but allows the

employment of 14 and 15 year olds in occupations other than

manufacturing and mining if the Secretary of Labor determines such

employment is confined to periods which will not interfere with their

schooling and to conditions which will not interfere with their health

and well-being. Subpart C of Regulations, 29 CFR Part 570, Child Labor

Regulations, Orders and Statements of Interpretation, sets forth the

employment standards for 14 and 15 year olds (Child Labor Reg. 3).

Section 570.35a of these regulations permits employment of 14 and 15

year olds under conditions otherwise prohibited by child Labor Reg. 3

pursuant to a school-supervised and school-administered Work Experience

and Career Exploration Program (WECEP) which meets the stated

requirements. In order to utilize the WECEP provisions of Child Labor

Reg. 3, section 570.35 of the regulations require a State Educational

Agency to file an application for approval of a State WECEP program as

one not interfering with schooling or with the health and well-being of

the minors involved and therefore not constituting oppressive child

labor. Section 570.35a(b)(3)(vi) of the regulations requires each

student participating in a WECEP to execute a written training

agreement signed by the teacher-coordinator, the employer and the

student and signed or otherwise consented to by the student's parent or

guardian.

II. Review Focus

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.

III. Current Actions

State educational agencies are required to file applications for

approval of WECEP which provide exceptions to the child labor

regulations issued under the Fair Labor Standards Act. State

educational agencies are also required to maintain certain records with

respect to approved WECEP programs. The Department of Labor seeks the

extension of the collection of information in order to carry out its

responsibility to determine that regulatory tests for approval of the

program have been met, and to document the validity of the WECEP

program as one which is structured to provide training for the student.

Type of Review: Extension.

Agency: Employment Standards Administration.

Title: Work Experience and Career Exploration Programs (WECEP), 29

CFR Part 570.35A.

OMB Number: 1215-0121.

Affected Public: State, Local or Tribal Government, Individuals or

households.

Total Respondents: 14,014.

Frequency: Recordkeeping; Biennial Reporting.

Total Responses: 14,0140.

Average Time per Response

Reporting, WECEP Application--2 hours.

Reporting, Written Training Agreement--1 hour.

Recordkeeping, WECEP Program Information,--1 hour.

Recordkeeping, Filing of WECEP Record and Training Agreement--\1/2\

minute.

Estimated Total Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping Burden: 7,145

hours.

Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0.

Total Burden Cost (operating/maintenance): $2.52.

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 will also become a

matter of public record.

Dated: November 9, 1999.

Margaret J. Sherrill

Chief, Branch of Management Review and Internal Control, Division of

Financial Management, Office of Management, Administration and Planning

Employment Standards Administration.

[FR Doc. 99-29847 Filed 11-15-99; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4510-27-P