[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 242 (Friday, December 17, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 75571]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-27649]


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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

Railroad Separation Allowance or Severance Pay Report; OMB 3220-0173

    Section 6 of the Railroad Retirement Act provides for a lump-sum 
payment to an employee or the employee's survivors equal to the Tier II 
taxes paid by the employee on a separation allowance or severance 
payment for which the employee did not receive credits toward 
retirement. The lump-sum is not payable until retirement benefits begin 
to accrue or the employee dies. Also, section 4(a-1)(iii) of the 
Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act provides that a railroad employee 
who is paid a separation allowance is disqualified for unemployment and 
sickness benefits for the period of time the employee would have to 
work to earn the amount of the allowance. In order to calculate and 
provide payments, the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) must collect and 
maintain records of separation allowances and severance payments which 
were subject to Tier II taxation from railroad employers. The RRB uses 
Form BA-9 to obtain, on a quarterly basis, the information needed from 
railroad employers concerning the separation allowances and severance 
payments made to railroad employees and/or the survivors of railroad 
employees. All reports contain a one-line entry for each such payment 
or adjustment. Completion is mandatory. Responses are requested 
quarterly. The RRB proposes no changes to Form BA-9.
    The estimated annual respondent burden is as follows:

                  Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                             Annual      Time    Burden
             Form                 responses    (min)     (hrs)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
BA-9....................................       2,030       75     2,537
------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. Title and Purpose of Information Collection

Representative Payee Parental Custody Monitoring; OMB 3220-0176

    Under section 12(a) of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA), the 
Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) is authorized to select, make payments 
to, and to conduct transactions with, a beneficiary's relative or some 
other person willing to act on behalf of the beneficiary as a 
representative payee. The RRB is responsible for determining if direct 
payment to the beneficiary or payment to a representative payee would 
best serve the beneficiary's interest. Inherent in the RRB's 
authorization to select a representative payee is the responsibility to 
monitor the payee to assure that the beneficiary's interests are 
protected. Triennially, the RRB utilizes Form G-99d, Parental Custody 
Report, to obtain information needed to verify that a parent-for-child 
representative payee still has custody of the child. One response is 
required from each respondent. The RRB proposes no changes to Form G-
99d.
    The estimated annual respondent burden is as follows:

                  Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                             Annual      Time    Burden
            Form (s)              responses    (min)     (hrs)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
G-99d...................................       1,230        5       103
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Additional Information or Comments: 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. 04-27649 Filed 12-16-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7905-01-P