Submission for OMB Review: Comment Request

The Department of Labor (DOL) hereby announces the submission of the following public information collection request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. chapter 35). A copy of this ICR, with applicable supporting documentation; including among other things a description of the likely respondents, proposed frequency of response, and estimated total burden may be obtained from the RegInfo.gov Web site at http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain or by contacting Darrin King on 202-693-4129 (this is not a toll-free number)/e-mail: DOL_PRA_PUBLIC@dol.gov.

Interested parties are encouraged to send comments to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attn: OMB Desk Officer for the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Office of Management and Budget, Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503, Telephone: 202-395-7316/Fax: 202-395-6974 (these are not toll-free numbers), E-mail: OIRA_submission@omb.eop.gov within 30 days from the date of this publication in the Federal Register. In order to ensure the appropriate consideration, comments should reference the OMB Control Number (see below).

The OMB 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 submission of responses.

Agency: Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Type of Review: Extension without change of an existing OMB Control Number.

Title of Collection: Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS).

OMB Control Number: 1220-0170.

Affected Public: Private Sector (Business and other for-profits and Not-for-profit institutions); State, Local, or Tribal Governments; and Federal Government.

Total Estimated Number of Respondents: 11,138.

Total Estimated Annual Burden Hours: 22,176.

Total Estimated Annual Costs Burden: $0.

Description: The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) collects data on job vacancies, labor hires, and labor separations. The data can be used as demand-side indicators of labor shortages. These indicators of labor shortages at the national level greatly enhance policy makers' understanding of imbalances between the demand and supply of labor. Presently there is no other economic indicator of labor demand with which to assess the presence of labor shortages in the U.S. labor market. The availability of unfilled jobs is an important measure of tightness of job markets, symmetrical to unemployment measures. For additional information, see related notice published at Vol. 73 FR. 62325 on October 20, 2008.