[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 17 (Monday, January 27, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3903-3904]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-1764]


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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 responders, 
including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology.
    Title and purpose of information collection: Railroad Service and 
Compensation Reports; OMB 3220-0008.
    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 employees 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 it 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 employee's railroad employer(s), except in 
cases when an employee files a protest pertaining to his or her 
reported compensation within the statute of limitations cited in 
section 6 of the RRA and section 9 of the RRA.
    To enable the RRB to establish and maintain the record of 
compensation, employers are required to file with the RRB, in such 
manner and form and at such times as the RRB prescribes, reports of 
compensation of employees. The information reporting requirements are 
prescribed in 20 CFR 209.6. The RRB utilizes form BA-3a, Annual Report 
of Compensation and form BA-4, Report of Creditable Compensation 
Adjustments, to secure the required information from railroad 
employers. Form BA-3a provides the RRB with information regarding 
annual creditable service and compensation for each individual who 
worked in the railroad industry in a given year. Form BA-4 provides for 
the adjustment of any previously submitted reports and also the 
opportunity to provide any service and compensation that had been 
previously omitted.
    Employers currently have the option of submitting the reports on 
the aforementioned forms, or, in like format, on magnetic tape, tape 
cartridges, PC diskettes, or CD-ROM as outlined in the RRB's Reporting 
Instructions to Employers. Submission of the reports is mandatory. One 
response is required of each respondent. Minor editorial changes are 
proposed to form BA-3a and BA-4.

[[Page 3904]]

    In addition, in accordance with the Government Paperwork 
Elimination Act which requires Federal agencies to provide its 
customers the option to submit or transact business with agencies 
electronically, when practical, as a substitute for paper by October 
21, 2003, the RRB proposes the addition of a new equivalent Internet 
version of form BA-4, Report of Creditable Compensation Adjustments, to 
the information collection.
    The completion time for form BA-3a is estimated at between 33.3 
hours per response for electronic submissions to 85 hours for manual 
paper responses. The completion time for form BA-4 is estimated at 
between 45 and 60 minutes per response.
    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. 03-1764 Filed 1-24-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7905-01-M