Note to Reviewer

April 2, 2009

Memorandum for: Reviewer of 1220-0090

Subject: Mass Layoff Statistics (MLS)

The Mass Layoff Statistics (MLS) program collects reports on mass layoff actions that result in workers being separated from their jobs. Recently, the MLS program submitted an OMB clearance request for an extension without change of the current approved collection. That request was approved in a Notice of Action dated February 27^th; however, the total respondent burden listed in the notice was incorrect as a result of a data entry error.

Total respondent burden for the current OMB inventory was listed as 67,547 hours in the Notice of Action. The actual respondent burden requested for approval was 69,574, a difference of 2,027 hours. Instead of requesting a simple correction, however, the MLS program would like to request approval for 74,213 total burden hours.

The burden hours requested by the MLS program (69,574) was slightly less than the burden hours from the previous OMB inventory (69,753 hours). The difference resulted from an estimated decrease in employer respondents, largely due to an improvement in the general economic climate resulting in lower layoff activity during the period of 2006-2008. The MLS program generally uses a historical three-year average of respondents to calculate annual burden. The burden estimate of 69,574 was based on the most current three-year respondent average from 2006-2008. Given the current economic climate, however, it is unlikely that the number of respondents, and resulting burden hours, would be less than in the previous OMB inventory. In light of this, the MLS program has decided to use the data solely from 2008 in order to estimate future burden.

Thus, this note to reviewer reflects an increase in burden hours to 74,213.

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