[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 63 (Thursday, April 1, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17249-17250]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-7361]


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RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD


Proposed Collections; 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) publishes periodic summaries of proposed data 
collections. The information collections numbered below are pending at 
RRB and will be submitted to OMB within 60 days from the date of this 
notice.
    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.

1. Title and Purpose of Information Collection

Earnings Information Request; OMB 3220-0184

    Under Section 2 of the Railroad Retirement Act, an annuity is not 
payable, or is reduced for any month(s) in which the beneficiary works 
for a railroad or earns more than prescribed amounts. The provisions 
relating to the reduction or non-payment of annuities by reason of work 
are prescribed in 20 CFR 230.
    The RRB utilizes form G-19-F, Earnings Information Request, to 
obtain earnings information not previously or erroneously reported by a 
beneficiary. Completion of the form is required to retain a benefit. 
One response is requested of each respondent. The RRB proposes minor 
non-burden impacting editorial changes to Form G-19-F.
    The RRB estimates that 1,000 G-19-F's are completed annually at an 
estimated completion time of eight minutes per response. Total 
respondent burden is estimated at 133 hours.

2. Title and Purpose of Information Collection

Self-Employment and Substantial Service Questionnaire; OMB 3220-0138

    Section 2 of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA) provides for payment 
of annuities to qualified employees and their spouses. In order to 
receive an age and service annuity, Section 2(e)(3) states that an 
applicant must stop all railroad work and give up any rights to return 
to such work. A disability applicant must give up all railroad work, 
but does not have to relinquish rights to return to railroad work until 
he or she attains full retirement age, or, if earlier, a spouse annuity 
or supplemental annuity becomes payable. Under the 1988 amendments to 
the RRA, an applicant is no longer required to stop work for a ``Last 
Pre-Retirement Non-railroad Employer''(LPE). LPE is the last person, 
company or institution with whom an employee or spouse applicant was 
employed concurrently with, or after, the applicant's last railroad 
employment and before their annuity beginning date. However, Section 
2(f)(6) of the RRA requires that a portion of the employee's Tier II 
benefit and supplemental annuity be deducted for earnings from a 
``LPE'' employer.
    The RRB utilizes Form AA-4, Self-Employment and Substantial Service 
Questionnaire to obtain information needed to determine if the 
applicant's work is LPE, railroad service or self-employment. If the 
work is self-employment, the questionnaire identifies any months in 
which the applicant did not perform substantial service. One response 
is requested of each respondent. Completion is voluntary. However, 
failure to complete the forms could result in the nonpayment of 
benefits. The RRB proposes no changes to Form AA-4.
    The completion time for the AA-4 is estimated at between 40 and 70 
minutes. The RRB estimates that approximately 600 AA-4's are completed 
annually. Total respondent burden is estimated at 415 hours.

[[Page 17250]]

3. Title and Purpose of Information Collection

Certification Regarding Rights to Unemployment Benefits; OMB 3220-0079

    Under Section 4 of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA), 
an employee who leaves work voluntarily is disqualified for 
unemployment benefits unless the employee left work for good cause and 
is not qualified for unemployment benefits under any other law. RRB 
Form UI-45, Claimant's Statement--Voluntary Leaving of Work, is used by 
the RRB to obtain additional information needed to investigate a claim 
for unemployment benefits when the claimant indicates on RRB Form UI-1, 
Application for Unemployment Benefits and Employment Service (OMB 3220-
0022) that he has voluntarily left work. Completion of Form UI-45 is 
required to obtain or retain benefits. One response is received from 
each respondent. The RRB proposes to revise UI-45 by adding an item, 
``Reason for Leaving'', at the end of the column in Section 2. This 
item requests the employee to provide the reason they left their prior 
employment. This information helps the RRB determine whether the 
claimant left work voluntarily and with good cause. No other changes 
are being proposed.
    The completion time for the UI-45 is estimated at 15 minutes per 
response. The RRB estimates that approximately 2,900 responses are 
received annually. Total respondent burden is estimated at 487 hours.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request more information regarding 
any of the information collections listed above or to obtain copies of 
the information collection justifications, forms, and/or supporting 
material, please call the RRB Clearance Officer at (312) 751-3363 or 
send an e-mail request to [email protected]. Comments regarding 
the information collections should be addressed to Ronald J. Hodapp, 
Railroad Retirement Board, 844 North Rush Street, Chicago, Illinois 
60611-2092 or send an e-mail to [email protected]. Written comments 
should be received within 60 days of this notice.

Charles Mierzwa,
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 04-7361 Filed 3-31-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7905-01-P