[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 139 (Thursday, July 18, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37498-37499]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-18224]


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RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD


Proposed Collection; Comment Request

SUMMARY: In accordance with the requirement of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 which provides opportunity for 
public comment on new or revised data collections, the Railroad 
Retirement Board (RRB) will publish periodic summaries of proposed data 
collections.
    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed information 
collection is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information has practical utility; 
(b) the accuracy of the RRB's estimate of the burden of the collection 
of the information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and 
clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize 
the burden related to the collection of information on respondents, 
including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology.
    Title and purpose of information collection: Pension Plan Reports: 
OMB 3220-0089. Under Section 2(b) of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA), 
the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) pays supplemental annuities to 
qualified RRB employee annuitants. A supplemental annuity, which is 
computed according to Section 3(e) of the RRA, can be paid at age 60 if 
the employee has at least 30 years of creditable railroad service or at 
age 65 if the employee has 25-29 years of railroad service. In addition 
to 25 years of service, a ``current connection'' with the railroad 
industry is required. Eligibility is further limited to employees who 
had at least one month of rail service before October 1981 and were 
awarded regular annuities after

[[Page 37499]]

June 1966. Further, if an employee's 65th birthday was prior to 
September 2, 1981, he or she must not have worked in rail service after 
certain closing dates (generally the last day of the month following 
the month in which age 65 is attained).
    The RRB requires the following information from railroad employers 
to calculate supplemental annuities: (a) the current status of railroad 
employer pension plans and whether such an employer pension plan causes 
a reduction to the supplemental annuity; (b) the amount of the employer 
private pension being paid to the employee; (c) whether or not the 
railroad employer pension is based on a collective bargaining 
agreement, and; (d) whether the employer pension plan continues when 
the employer status under the RRA changes.
    The RRB currently utilizes Form(s) G-88p (Employer's Supplemental 
Pension Report), G-88r (Request for Information About New or Revised 
Pension Plan), and G-88r.1 (Request for Additional Information about 
Employer Pension Plan in Case of Change of Employer Status or 
Termination of Pension Plan), to obtain the necessary information from 
railroad employers. One response is requested of each respondent. 
Completion is mandatory. Minor editorial changes are being proposed to 
all of the forms in order to incorporate language required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. Also, at the request of railroad 
employers, minor textual changes are being proposed to Form G-88p.

Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden

    The estimated annual respondent burden is as follows:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                               Annual     Time    Burden
                 Form #(s)                    responses   (Min)   (Hrs) 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
G-88p......................................       2,200       8      293
G-88r......................................          25      10        4
G-88r.1....................................          15      10        3
                                            ----------------------------
  Total....................................       2,240              300
------------------------------------------------------------------------

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS: To request more information or to 
obtain a copy of the information collection justification, forms, and/
or supporting material, please call the RRB Clearance Officer at (312) 
751-3363. Comments regarding the information collection should be 
addressed to Ronald J. Hodapp, Railroad Retirement Board, 844 N. Rush 
Street, Chicago, Illinois 60611-2092. Written comments should be 
received within 60 days of this notice.
Chuck Mierzwa,
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 96-18224 Filed 7-17-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7905-01-M