[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 27 (Tuesday, February 10, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 6787]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-3222]
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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: Placement Service; OMB
3220-0057. Section 12(i) of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act
(RUIA), authorizes the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) to establish,
maintain, and operate free employment offices to provide claimants for
unemployment benefits with job placement opportunities. Section 704(d)
of the Regional Railroad Reorganization Act of 1973, as amended, and as
extended by the consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985,
required the RRB to maintain and distribute a list of railroad job
vacancies, by class and craft, based on information furnished by rail
carriers to the RRB. Although this requirement under the law expired
effective August 13, 1987, the RRB has continued to obtain this
information in keeping with its employment service responsibilities
under Section 12(k) of the RUIA. Application procedures for the job
placement program are prescribed in 20 CFR 325. The procedures
pertaining to the RRB's obtaining and distributing job vacancy reports
furnished by rail carriers are described in 20 CFR 346.1.
The RRB utilizes six forms to obtain information needed to carry
out its job placement responsibilities. Form ES-2, Supplemental
Information for Central Register, is used by the RRB to obtain
information needed to update a computerized central register of
separated and furloughed railroad employees available for employment in
the railroad industry. Form ES-20a, Notice of Employment Referral and
Form ES-20b, Notice of Employment Referral (Employer), are used by the
RRB to refer unemployed railroad employees to local employers (railroad
and nonrailroad). Form ES-21, Referral to State Employment Service, and
ES-21c, Report of State Employment Service Office are used by the RRB
to provide placement assistance for unemployed railroad employees
through arrangements with State Employment Service offices. Form UI-35,
Field Office Record of Claimant Interview, is used primarily by RRB
Field Office staff to conduct in-person interviews of claimants for
unemployment benefits. Completion of these forms are required to obtain
or maintain a benefit. The RRB proposes to revise all of the forms to
incorporate language required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.
Minor editorial and formatting changes are also being proposed.
In addition, the RRB also collects job vacancy information received
voluntarily from railroad employers (currently OMB 3220-0122, Railroad
Job Vacancies). The RRB proposes to merge the Railroad Job Vacancies
information collection into the Placement Service information
collection. Minor nonburden impacting changes are being proposed to the
Railroad Job Vacancies portion of the information collection.
Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
The estimated annual respondent burden for this collection is as
follows:
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Completion
Form number(s) Annual time Burden
responses (minutes) (hours)
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ES-2..................................................................... 7,500 0.25 31
ES-20a................................................................... 2,000 0.75 25
ES-20b................................................................... 2,000 0.50 17
ES-21.................................................................... 3,500 0.68 40
ES-21c................................................................... 1,250 1.50 31
UI-35 (in-person)........................................................ 9,000 7.00 1,050
UI-35 (by mail).......................................................... 1,000 10.50 175
Railroad Job Vacancies Report............................................ 750 10.00 125
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Total.............................................................. 27,000 ........... 1,494
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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 North
Rush Street, Chicago, Illinois 60611-2092. Written comments should be
received within 60 days of this notice.
Chuck Mierzwa,
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 98-3222 Filed 2-9-98; 8:45 am]
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