[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 202 (Monday, October 20, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 59953]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-26341]


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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: Application and Claim 
for Sickness Insurance Benefits; OMB 3220-0039.
    Under section 2 of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA), 
sickness benefits are payable to qualified railroad employees who are 
unable to work because of illness or injury. In addition, sickness 
benefits are payable to qualified female employees if they are unable 
to work, or if working would be injurious, because of pregnancy, 
miscarriage or childbirth. Under Section 1(k) of the RUIA, a statement 
of sickness with respect to days of sickness of an employee is to be 
filed with the RRB within a 10-day period from the first day claimed as 
a day of sickness. The RRB's authority for requesting supplemental 
medical information is section 12(i) and 12(n) of the RUIA. The 
procedures for claiming sickness benefits and for the RRB to obtain 
supplemental medical information needed to determine a claimant's 
eligibility for such benefits are prescribed in 20 CFR part 335.
    The forms used by the RRB to obtain information needed to determine 
eligibility for and the amount of sickness benefits due a claimant 
follows: Form SI-1a, Application for Sickness Benefits; Form SI-1b, 
Statement of Sickness; Form SI-3, Claim for Sickness Benefits; Form SI-
7, Supplemental Doctor's Statement; Form SI-8, Verification of Medical 
Information; Form ID-7h, Non-Entitlement to Sickness Benefits and 
Information on Unemployment Benefits; Form ID-11a, Requesting Reason 
for Late Filing of Sickness Benefit and ID-11b, Notice of Insufficient 
Medical and Late Filing. Completion is required to obtain or retain 
benefits. One response is requested of each respondent.
    The RRB proposes no changes to Forms(s) SI-1a, SI-1b, SI-8, ID-7h, 
ID-11a and ID-11b. Non burden impacting editorial and formatting 
changes are proposed to Form(s) SI-3 and SI-7.
    Estimated of Annual Respondent Burden: The estimated annual 
respondent burden is as follows:

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                                                                      Annual
                        Form (s)                            responses      Time (min)     Burden (hrs)
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SI-1a...........................................................          22,200              10           3,700
SI-1b(Doctor)...................................................          22,200               8           2,960
SI-3............................................................         181,000               5          15,083
SI-7............................................................          33,600               8           4,480
SI-8............................................................              50               5               4
ID-7H...........................................................              50               5               4
ID-11A..........................................................             800               3              40
ID-11B..........................................................            1000               3              50
                                                                 -----------------
    Total.......................................................         260,900  ..............          26,321
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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. 03-26341 Filed 10-17-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7905-01-M