COVID-19 Documentation for Prospective New Employees - Letter

Federal Communications Commission
Washington, D.C. 20554

May 26, 2022
VIA ELECTRONIC MAIL
Ms. Sharon Block
Acting Administrator, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs
Office of Management and Budget
725 17th Street NW
Washington, DC 20503

Dear Ms. Block:
The Federal Communications Commission (Commission or FCC) requests Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) approval to submit the information collection described herein
under the “emergency processing” provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, 5
CFR 1320.13. The Commission is requesting clearance for a new information collection entitled
3060-[XXXX], Vaccination Documentation for Prospective New Employees. For the reasons
explained below, we respectfully request OMB approval for this new information collection at
the earliest possible time.
Background
The information collection requirements to be reported under this new collection were
originally the result of requirements imposed by an Executive Order issued by President Biden
regarding mandatory COVID-19 vaccination among Federal employees.
On September 9, 2021, President Biden issued Executive Order 14043 to protect the
health and safety of the Federal workforce and to promote the efficiency of the civil service.
Pursuant to the Executive Order and implementing guidance, the Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) informed its workforce that, other than in limited circumstances where a
reasonable accommodation is legally required, all employees needed to be fully vaccinated
against COVID-19 by November 22, 2021, regardless of where they are working. Although the
vaccination requirement issued pursuant to E.O. 14043 was previously subject to a nationwide
injunction and continues to be litigated, the FCC will nevertheless continue to develop and
implement health and safety protocols to ensure and maintain the safety of all occupants during
standard operations and public health emergencies or similar health and safety incidents, such as
the current pandemic, and will continue to request that workers report on their vaccination status.
For some special categories of individuals, such as potential future employees, the FCC is

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required to obtain OMB approval prior to collecting such information. That is the subject of this
request for emergency processing.
Request for Emergency Processing
Through this proposed collection, the FCC plans to require prospective future employees
to submit documentation showing proof of COVID-19 vaccination after a tentative job offer has
been extended and while a background security check of the individual is being performed.
Accordingly, as provided under 5 CFR § 1320.13, Emergency Processing, the FCC is
requesting emergency processing for this new collection of information as specified in the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and its implementing regulations. Specifically, the FCC
cannot reasonably comply with normal clearance procedures because the use of normal clearance
procedures is unlikely to be complete in time to allow the collection of COVID-19 vaccine
documentation for a large number of prospective future employees for whom a tentative offer
has been extended during the spring and early summer, and is thus likely to impact the health and
safety of its existing workforce.
Due to the emergency nature of this request, the Commission is also requesting a waiver
of the requirement to publish notice in the Federal Register.
The Commission’s staff is ready to work with your PRA Desk Officer to immediately
provide any additional information needed to facilitate OMB’s approval of this emergency
request for this new information collection. Please have your PRA desk officer contact Nicole
Ongele at (202) 418-2991, or [email protected], if there are any questions or any additional
information that may be needed.

Sincerely,
Mark
Stephens

Digitally signed by
Mark Stephens
Date: 2022.05.26
16:32:02 -04'00'

Mark Stephens
Managing Director

Enclosure

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