[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 74 (Friday, April 16, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20654-20655]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-8623]


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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 part 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 currently utilizes four 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-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 is 
required to obtain or maintain a benefit. In addition, the RRB also 
collects Railroad Job Vacancies information received voluntarily from 
railroad employers.
    The RRB proposes minor, non-burden impacting, editorial changes to 
Forms ES-21, reformatting changes to Form ES-21c and minor editorial 
and reformatting changes to Form UI-35. Minor non-burden impacting 
changes are being proposed to the Railroad Job Vacancies Report portion 
of the information collection. The RRB proposes no changes to Form ES-
2.

Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden

    The estimated annual respondent burden for this collection is as 
follows:

[[Page 20655]]



------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                        Annual    Completion    Burden
          Form (s)            responses  time (min)     (hrs)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
ES-2................................       7,500        0.25          31
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
                                     -------------
      Total.........................      23,000  ..........       1,452
------------------------------------------------------------------------


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 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 or send an e-mail request to [email protected]. Comments 
regarding the information collection 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. 04-8623 Filed 4-15-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7905-01-P