The Annual Refiling Survey (ARS) is
used in conjunction with the Unemployment Insurance tax reporting
system in each State. The primary purpose of the ARS is to verify
or to correct the North American Industry Classification System
(NAICS) code assigned to establishments as well as to obtain
accurate mailing and physical location addresses of establishments.
As a result, changes in the industrial and geographical
compositions of the economy are captured in a timely manner and
reflected in the BLS statistical programs. Federal, State, and
local government officials as well as private researchers depend on
accurate geographical and industrial coding based on the 2017 North
American Industry Classification System Manual. BLS routinely
shares NAICS codes with the Census Bureau to improve consistency,
reduce costs and burden, and improve the accuracy of their
products.
The increase in total hours
requested, from 100,296 to 109,881, is due to increased efforts to
collect information from more establishments that are in NAICS Code
999999. These are unclassified establishments (NCA) for which there
is no information currently available about their industrial
activities. Online collection has made it easier to pursue data
from unclassified establishments and more NCA contacts are
attempted than in past years. Thus, the combined number of NVS,
NVM, and NCA responses and total burden hours requested have
increased.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.