Current Employment Statistics Customer Service Survey Justification

OMB Approval No. 1225-0059

CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SURVEY AND CONFERENCE EVALUATION CLEARANCE FORM

A. SUPPLEMENTAL SUPPORTING STATEMENT

A.1. Title:	CES Spreadsheet Reporter User Survey
A.2. Compliance with 5 CFR 1320.5: Yes _X___ No _____				A.3. Assurances of confidentiality: No pledge of confidentiality will be given.
A.4. Federal cost: $870 (10 hours of BLS employees’ work)				A.5. Requested expiration date (Month/Year): 4/2014
A.6. Burden Hour estimates: a. Number of Respondents: 257 a.1. % Received Electronically 100% b. Frequency: one-time c. Average Response Time: 5 min d. Total Annual Burden Hours: 21.4				A7. Does the collection of information employ statistical methods? ____X___ No _______ Yes (Complete Section B and attach BLS review sheet).
A.8. Abstract: Each month the Current Employment Statistics (CES) program surveys about 145,000 businesses and government agencies, representing approximately 557,000 individual worksites, in order to provide detailed industry data on employment, hours, and earnings of workers on nonfarm payrolls. The CES program produces nonfarm employment series for all employees, production and nonsupervisory employees, and women employees. The CES is a multimode survey using CATI, Web, TDE, EDI, and spreadsheet reporting. As of November 2013, we have 257 active spreadsheet reporters. These reporters supply 1.3% of sample employment. The spreadsheet report form consists of a series of monthly tabs and a tab of instructions. The respondent completes the spreadsheet, uploads it using https://cesdata.bls.gov, and receives reminder emails if the spreadsheet has not been received. Users of this method have specifically requested the option of sending a spreadsheet each month. Preparation and distribution of the spreadsheets is time intensive and a redesigned spreadsheet will create increased distribution and processing efficiencies. We would like to introduce a less complex spreadsheet that would be sent monthly and contains embedded edits to identify common data entry errors. Prior to developing the prototype sheet and implementing a proof of concept test, we would like to conduct an outreach survey to learn more about respondent receptivity to edits, version of spreadsheet software used by the firm, and other issues. Specifically, we are asking the following: Which version of MS Excel do you use to open and edit the file that we send you? Do you have local or network security settings that prevent you from receiving MS Excel files with embedded macros? If we changed the form such that pop-up messages alerted you that information was entered incorrectly or skipped, would that be OK? What changes, if any, would make entering data in the forms easier for you? Do you have any other comments or suggestions about the data collection process? We will contact potential survey respondents by an emailed survey invitation to a list of 257 active reporters and will allow four weeks for the data collection (from survey invitation to the closing of the survey). All of our responses will be collected via web (using SurveyMonkey). Based on our testing, we assume that it will take respondents an average of 5 minutes to complete the survey. Due to the length of the survey and the nature of the questions, we expect a high response rate. We are assuming a 95% response rate, based on the number of reports received in the last two months (247 reports out of 257). We are using the results of this survey internally for planning purposes. We are not employing statistical methods because we don’t have a sample frame of all potential spreadsheet reporters. A copy of the survey is attached. https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Z8BM9QJ
Program Official Bryan Beverly, DOL/BLS/OEUS Louis Harrell, DOL/BLS/OEUS		Date 11/26/13	Departmental Clearance Officer		Date

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