Response to AILA

MEMORANDUM FOR: Reviewer of 1220-0042

FROM: Jeff Holt

Bureau of Labor Statistics

Office of Occupational Statistics and Employment Projections

Division of Occupational Employment Statistics

SUBJECT: Response to Comments Received from the American Immigration Lawyers Association

Thank you for your comment to the Department of Labor’s (DOL) “Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; Report on Occupational Employment and Wages” (OMB Control No: 1220-0042). In regards to the comment “DOL would greatly improve the accuracy of the data received by providing employers with a more flexible way to provide it,” the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) program provides many data submission options for respondents. Employers are informed that OES collects data via email, phone, fax, paper form, and through BLS’s electronic data collection tool, Weblite. Weblite provides the option for respondents to enter their data online, or to upload data in an electronic format. The test mentioned in this FRN specifically seeks to determine the most efficient contact mode sequence to balance costs and response rates.  The other changes proposed in the FRN are steps towards maintaining and improving the quality of the OES data for all uses, including as an input to prevailing wages for Foreign Labor Certification (FLC).  Expanding the OES sample size or making the other methodological changes suggested in your comment could enable OES to enhance or expand the data produced. However, we are unable to make those changes based on current resources.  In addition, OES does not administer the FLC program or determine the specific methodology used to calculate FLC prevailing wage rates.