[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 98 (Thursday, May 21, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28018-28019]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-13582]


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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: Sick Pay and 
Miscellaneous Payment Report; OMB 3220-0175 Under Section 6 of the 
Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA) and Section 9 of the 
Railroad Retirement Act (RRA), the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) 
maintains for each railroad employee a record of compensation paid to 
that employee by all railroad employers for whom the employee worked 
after 1936. This record, which is used by the RRB to determine 
eligibility for, and amount of, benefits due under the laws its 
administers, is conclusive as to the amount of compensation paid to an 
employee during such period(s) covered by the report(s) of the 
compensation by the railroad employer(s). Further, the Railroad 
Retirement Solvency Act of 1983 added subsection 1(h)(8) to the RRA 
which expanded the definition of compensation for purposes of computing 
the Tier 1 portion of an annuity to include sickness payments and 
certain payments other than sick pay which are considered compensation 
within the meaning of Section 1(h)(8). The information reporting 
requirements for employers are prescribed in 20 CFR 209.
    To enable the RRB to establish and maintain the record of 
compensation, employers are required under Section 6 of the RUIA and 
Section 9 of the RRA to file with the RRB, in such manner and form and 
at such times as the RRB by rules and regulation may prescribe, reports 
of compensation of employees.
    The RRB utilizes Form BA-10, Report of Miscellaneous Compensation 
and Sick Pay, to collect information regarding sick pay and certain 
other types of payments, referred to as miscellaneous compensation, 
under Section 1(h)(8) of the Railroad Retirement Act from railroad 
employers. In addition, the form is used by employers to report any 
necessary adjustments in the amounts of sick pay or miscellaneous 
compensation. Employers have the option of submitting the reports on 
the aforementioned form, or, in like format, on magnetic tape, tape 
cartridges or PC diskettes. Submission of the mandatory reports is 
requested annually. One response is required of each respondent. No 
changes are proposed to Form BA-10. The completion time for Form BA-10 
is estimated at 55 minutes per response.

[[Page 28019]]

    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 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 on or before July 20, 1998.
Chuck Mierzwa,
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 98-13582 Filed 5-20-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7905-01-M