[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 163 (Friday, August 21, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51758-51759]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-18358]
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OFFICE OF SPECIAL COUNSEL
OSC Annual Survey
AGENCY: U.S. Office of Special Counsel.
ACTION: Notice for public comment; information collection.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC), seeks approval from
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for use of a survey that
differs only slightly from previously approved information collections.
OSC is requesting emergency approval for the annual survey, which by
statute must be completed by the end of FY2020. Following a one-year
pilot-project survey in 2019, OSC now resumes its annual survey to
collect feedback from those who have contacted OSC for assistance,
either by filing complaints and/or disclosures with OSC, or by seeking
Hatch Act Advisory Opinions. This OSC annual survey consists of four
electronic questionnaires (one for each type of assistance an
individual can seek from OSC), each asking between five and ten
questions. OSC invites comments on: The accuracy of OSC's estimate of
the burden of the proposed collections of information; ways to enhance
the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected;
and ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on
respondents.
DATES: Written comments should be received on or before September 21,
2020. However, pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.13, OSC is requesting OMB's
emergency approval by August 26, 2020.
[[Page 51759]]
Therefore, comments are best assured of having full effect if received
by OMB within 5 days of this notice's publication in the Federal
Register.
ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by mail to: Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget,
Attention: Desk Officer for OSC, New Executive Office Building, Room
10235, Washington, DC 20503; or by email via:
oira_submission@omb.eop.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amy Beckett, Senior Litigation
Counsel, by telephone at (202) 804-7000, or by email at
frliaison@osc.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: OSC is a permanent independent federal
investigative and prosecutorial agency. OSC's basic authorities come
from four federal statutes: The Civil Service Reform Act, the
Whistleblower Protection Act, the Hatch Act, and the Uniformed Services
Employment & Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA). OSC's primary mission is
to safeguard the merit system by protecting federal employees and
applicants from prohibited personnel practices, especially reprisal for
whistleblowing, and to serve as a safe channel for allegations of
wrongdoing. OSC is required to conduct an annual survey of individuals
who seek its assistance. OSC conducts an annual survey pursuant to
Section 13 of Public Law 103-424 (1994), codified at 5 U.S.C. 1212
note, which states, in part: ``[T]he survey shall--(1) determine if the
individual seeking assistance was fully apprised of their rights; (2)
determine whether the individual was successful either at the Office of
Special Counsel or the Merit Systems Protection Board; and (3)
determine if the individual, whether successful or not, was satisfied
with the treatment received from the Office of Special Counsel.'' The
statute requires OSC to publish the survey's results in OSC's annual
report to Congress. Copies of prior years' annual reports are available
on OSC's website, at https://osc.gov/Pages/Resources-ReportsAndInfo.aspx or by calling OSC at (202) 804-7000. The prior OSC
Annual Survey, OMB Control Number 3255-0003, expired on October 31,
2017. The 2019 Pilot Project Survey, OMB Control Number 3255-0007,
expired on March 31, 2020.
OSC will use the questionnaires to survey all persons who contacted
OSC for assistance during the relevant time period.
OSC is requesting emergency approval of this modified collection of
information, because by statute OSC must complete and review the annual
survey by the end of FY2020, less than 45 days from the date of this
Notice, well before the normal expiration periods; because obtaining
the survey responses is essential to OSC's mission and must also be
provided to Congress in OSC's annual report; and because OSC faced an
unanticipated event with office disruptions due to the Coronavirus
pandemic preventing earlier publication.
The survey questionnaires are available for review on line at
https://osc.gov/Resources/Pages/Reports.aspx#tabGroup07 or by calling
OSC at (202) 804-7000.
Type of Information Collection Request: The survey seeks to
determine whether individuals seeking assistance were fully apprised of
their rights; were successful either at OSC or the MSPB; and whether
successful or not, were satisfied with the treatment they received from
OSC.
Affected public: Individuals (or their representatives) who sought
OSC services through: (1) Submitting complaints alleging prohibited
personnel practice, USERRA violations, or Hatch Act violations; (2)
disclosures of information alleging violation of law, rule, or
regulation, gross mismanagement or waste of funds, abuse of authority,
substantial and specific danger to public health and/or safety, or
censorship related to scientific research; or (3) seeking Hatch Act
advisory opinions.
Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
Estimated Annual Number of Survey Form Respondents: 600.
Frequency of Survey form use: One-time.
Estimated Average Amount of Time for a Person to Respond to survey:
5.5 minutes.
Estimated Annual Survey Burden: 55 hours.
Dated: August 17, 2020.
Travis Millsaps,
Deputy Special Counsel for Public Policy.
[FR Doc. 2020-18358 Filed 8-20-20; 8:45 am]
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