Notices. Notice

796 words·~4 min read·/register/2005/05/04/05-8845

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BILLING CODE 4510-CK-P 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 collection: Employee Polygraph Protection Act. A copy of the proposed information collection request can be obtained by contacting the office listed below in the ADDRESSES section of this Notice.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the addresses section below on or before July 5, 2005. ADDRESSES: Ms. Hazel M. Bell, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Ave., NW., Room S-3201, Washington, DC 20210, telephone

(202)693-0418, fax

(202)693-1451, e-mail *bell.hazel@dol.gov* . Please use only one method of transmission for comments (mail, fax, or e-mail). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Background The Wage and Hour Division

(WHD)of the Department of Labor

(DOL)administers the Employee Polygraph Protection Act of 1988 (EPPA), 29 U.S.C. 2001 *et seq.* The EPPA prohibits most private employers from using any lie detector tests either for pre-employment screening or during the course of employment. The Act contains an exemption applicable to Federal, State and local government employers. The EPPA also contains several limited exemptions authorizing polygraph tests under certain conditions, including testing:

(1)By the Federal Government of experts, consultants or employees of Federal contractors engaged in national security intelligence or counterintelligence functions;

(2)of employees the employer reasonably suspects of involvement in a workplace incident resulting in economic loss or injury to the employer's business;

(3)of some prospective employees of private armored cars, security alarm and security guard firms; and

(4)of some current and prospective employees of certain firms authorized to manufacture, distribute or dispense controlled substances. The WHD may assess civil money penalties of up to $10,000 against employers who violate any EPPA provision. DOL currently has no printed public use forms associated with this information collection that consists of third-party disclosures and recordkeeping requirements. Appendix A of Regulations, 29 CFR part 801, contains a written statement setting forth both the examinee's and employer's legal rights, for use in satisfying the EPPA section 8(b)(2)(d) disclosure requirement. DOL proposes to make the information in Appendix A available on an optional public use form that will be available through the Departmental Internet Web site in PDF format. This information collection is currently approved for use through October 31, 2005. 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 DOL seeks an approval for the extension of this information collection that requires the keeping of records by examiners and employers as necessary or appropriate for the administration of the Act and the provision of certain notices to polygraph examiners and examinees. *Type of Review:* Extension. *Agency:* Employment Standards Administration. *Title:* Employee Polygraph Protection Act. *OMB Number:* 1215-0170. *Agency Number:* Notice to Examinee Employer Polygraph Protection Act (WH-1481). *Affected Public:* Business or other for-profit, Not-for-profit institutions, Farms. *Total Respondents:* 328,000. *Total Responses:* 328,000. *Time per Response:* Varies from 1 minute to 30 minutes, depending on the notice. *Frequency:* On Occasion (Recordkeeping, Reporting, Third-party Disclosure). *Estimated Total Burden Hours:* 82,406. *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 will also become a matter of public record. Dated: April 27, 2005. Bruce Bohanon, Chief, Branch of Management Review and Internal Control, Division of Financial Management, Office of Management, Administration and Planning, Employment Standards Administration. [FR Doc. 05-8845 Filed 5-3-05; 8:45 am]