Aug 2 -- The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting this Chief Evaluation Office (CEO)-sponsored Older Workers Implementation and Descriptive Study. Public comments on the ICR are invited. The OMB will consider all written comments that the agency receives on or before September 1, 2022.
The US Department of Labor (DOL) Chief Evaluation Office, in collaboration with the Employment Training Administration, has funded the Urban Institute and its partner Capital Research Corporation to conduct the Older Workers Implementation and Descriptive Study (2021-2024). The purpose of this study is to examine the implementation of the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) and other DOL workforce programs serving older workers to inform the continuous improvement of SCSEP and develop options for potential future research studies that would address gaps in the evidence base related to employment services for older workers.
The overall project is comprised of three phases:
(1) Knowledge development activities that identify the evidence base and inform the project about promising approaches for serving and measuring outcomes for older workers or other target populations that share characteristics with this group. Information sources include literature review, grantee documents, program data, clarification calls with grantees, as needed, and grantee “listening sessions” to gain perspectives on topics of interest.
(2) A rigorous Implementation Study to identify program typologies and models whose approaches, components, and service delivery could best serve older workers or populations with similar employment barriers, including innovations in implementing paid work components, outreach to the target population, supports for participants, and strategies developed during the COVID-19 pandemic and considering strategies for expanding equity. An Early Implementation component of the study will focus in a subset of grantees' experiences during and post-pandemic. Data sources include a web survey of grantees/subgrantee service providers, site visits to a subset of grantees to interview staff, community service agencies, and employer partners, and interviews with participants.
(3) An evaluability assessment to develop options for potential future research and evaluation studies that address gaps in the evidence base related to employment services for older workers. Data sources include information gathered for other phases and additional clarification calls with grantees, as needed.
This Federal Register Notice provides the opportunity to comment on nine proposed data collection instruments that will be used in the study: SCSEP subgrantee survey; SCSEP subgrantee staff interview protocol; SCSEP grantee staff interview protocol; SCSEP host agency interview protocol; SCSEP employer partner interview protocol; SCSEP American Job Center partner interview protocol; SCSEP community organization partner interview protocol; SCSEP participant focus group protocol; and SCSEP participant interview guide.
1. SCSEP subgrantee survey. Includes all subgrantees (including local affiliates of national grantees) of 19 national grantees. The survey does not include the state grantees.
2. SCSEP subgrantee staff interview protocol. Virtual interviews with 5 subgrantee staff in each of 20 local sites of the national grantees.
3. SCSEP host agency interview protocol. Virtual interviews with 2 grantee staff for 15 national grantees overseeing the 20 local sites
4. SCSEP grantee staff interview protocol. Virtual interviews with 2 host agency staff (one leadership and one supervisory) staff person for each of 20 local sites
5. SCSEP employer partner interview protocol. Virtual interviews with 1 staff with employers in each of 20 local sites
6. SCSEP American Job Center partner interview protocol. Virtual interviews with 2 staff at American Job Centers in each of 20 local sites
7. SCSEP community organization partner interview protocol. Virtual interviews with 2 staff at community organization partners in each of 20 local sites
8. SCSEP participant focus group protocol. Includes focus groups with 7 SCSEP participants in each of the 8 local sites
9. SCSEP participant interview guide. Virtual interviews with 3 SCSEP participants in each of the 12 local sites.
SCSEP webpage:
https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/seniors
Submission to OMB:
https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAViewICR?ref_nbr=202207-1290-001 Click on IC List for collection instruments, View Supporting Statement for technical documentation. Submit comments through this site.
FR notice inviting public comment:
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2022-16498
For AEA members wishing to submit comments, "A Primer on How to Respond to Calls for Comment on Federal Data Collections" is available at
https://www.aeaweb.org/content/file?id=5806