JCL to find if a dataset is empty

In your batch job, if there is a need to check for empty dataset, you can do it using IDCAMS.

//*-------------------------------------------------------------------*/
//* This JCL is to find if a file is empty or not. If there are no    */
//* records, the return-code will be 4.                               */
//*-------------------------------------------------------------------*/
//STEP01   EXEC PGM=IDCAMS
//SYSPRINT  DD SYSOUT=*
//IN1       DD DISP=SHR,DSN=your.dataset.name
//SYSIN     DD *
  PRINT INFILE(IN1) COUNT(001)
/*

If you have ICETOOL at your site, you can use that as well.

//*-------------------------------------------------------------------*/
//* This JCL is to find if a file is empty or not using ICETOOL.      */
//* If there are no records, the return-code will be 12               */
//*-------------------------------------------------------------------*/
//STEP01  EXEC PGM=ICETOOL
//TOOLMSG  DD SYSOUT=*
//DFSMSG   DD SYSOUT=*
//IN       DD DISP=SHR,DSN=your.dataset.name
//TOOLIN   DD *
COUNT FROM(IN) EMPTY
/*