US Department of Labor releases 6 high-value datasets surpassing 1st open government target

Agency also launches transparency Web site 2 weeks early

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today made six high-value datasets publicly available – twice the number designated as the first target in the Obama Administration's Open Government Initiative. The datasets released today include information from the department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which will make it possible for anyone in the public to better track health and safety conditions in the American workplace. Earlier this month – two weeks ahead of schedule – the Labor Department launched its own transparency Web page (http://www.dol.gov/open). The page tracks the department's efforts to comply with the administration's Open Government Directive.

"This administration's efforts to transform the federal government into a transparent institution are unprecedented and a testament to our president's commitment to promote and facilitate the involvement of Americans in their government," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "I am proud of the important steps that my department already has taken to improve transparency, and I look forward to building on them."

Aside from the six datasets released today, the Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics previously released dozens of datasets highlighting employment projections, trends, surveys and statistics, and OSHA made available a dataset to report weekly fatalities and catastrophes as reported by its area offices.

In accordance with the administration's Open Government Directive issued in December 2009, the Department of Labor uploaded the information released today to Data.gov. The administration's directive established a new standard for government agencies, insisting that by specific dates they achieve key milestones in transparency, collaboration and participation.

The six datasets released today by the Department of Labor are listed below:

OSHA Data Initiative – Establishment Specific Injury and Illness Rateshttp://www.data.gov/details/1461 Each year, OSHA collects work-related injury and illness data from employers within specific industry and employment size specifications. This data collection is known as the OSHA Data Initiative or ODI. The data are used by OSHA to calculate establishment specific injury and illness incidence rates. Data from 1996 to 2007 are searchable online.

Department of Labor Research and Evaluation Inventoryhttp://www.data.gov/details/1376 This inventory is the first phase in the development of a single repository of all completed and planned research and evaluation projects that have or will be conducted by the Labor Department during the upcoming calendar year.

This dataset includes: a title and description of each project; the date the project began; the date the project was published with a link to completed research and evaluation project outcomes as these become available; and information on contract or grant resources, if applicable. The database will be updated on a monthly basis.

Project GATE (Growing America Through Entrepreneurship) http://www.data.gov/details/1516 Project GATE was a random-assignment demonstration project designed to help public workforce system clients create, sustain or expand their own businesses. A total of 4,198 applicants to Project GATE were randomly assigned to either the program group or the control group. This set represents the final data from the evaluation and includes administrative data from the six- and 18-month follow-ups and survey data from the six-, 18- and 60-month follow-ups of program participants.

Public Workforce System Dataset (PWSD)http://www.data.gov/details/1497 The PWSD is a dataset that can be used to answer questions about various public workforce system programs and how these programs fit in with the overall public workforce system and the economy. It was designed primarily to be used as a tool to understand what has been occurring in the Wagner-Peyser program and contains data from quarter one of 1995 through quarter four of 2008. Also, it was designed to understand the relationship and flow of participants as they go through the public workforce system.

Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Net Impact Evaluation Datasethttp://www.data.gov/details/1498 The evaluation employs administrative data from 12 states, covering approximately 160,000 WIA participants and nearly 3 million comparison group members. Focusing on participants who entered WIA programs between July 2003 and June 2005, the evaluation considers the impact for all those in the program, the impact for those receiving only core or intensive services, and the incremental impact of training services.

Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act (MSPA) Registered Farm Labor Contractor Listinghttp://www.data.gov/details/1462 The MSPA requires a contractor to obtain federal certification prior to performing any farm labor contracting activities.