[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 92 (Friday, May 12, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27745-27746]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-7271]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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:
    Employer Reporting; OMB 3220-0005.
    Under Section 9 of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA), and Section 6 
of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA), railroad employers 
are required to submit reports of employee service and compensation to 
the RRB as needed for administering the RRA and RUIA. To pay benefits 
due on a deceased employee's earnings records or determine entitlement 
to, and amount of annuity applied for, it is necessary at times to 
obtain from railroad employers current (lag) service and compensation 
not yet reported to the RRB through the annual reporting process. The 
reporting requirements are specified in 20 CFR 209.
    The RRB currently utilizes Form G-88a.l, Notice of Retirement and 
Verification of Date Last Worked, Form G-88a.2, Notice of Retirement 
and Request for Service Needed for Eligibility, and Form AA-12, Notice 
of Death and Compensation, to obtain the required lag service and 
related information from railroad employers. Form G-88a.1 is a 
computer-generated listing sent by the RRB to railroad employers and 
used for the specific purpose of verifying information previously 
provided to the RRB regarding the date last worked by an employee. If 
the information is correct, the employer need not reply. If the 
information is incorrect, the employer is asked to provide corrected 
information. Form G-88a.2 is used by the RRB to

[[Page 27746]]

secure lag service and compensation information when it is needed to 
determine benefit eligibility. Form AA-12 obtains a report of lag 
service and compensation from the last railroad employer of a deceased 
employee. This report covers the lag period between the date of the 
latest record of employment processed by the RRB and the date an 
employee last worked, the date of death or the date the employee may 
have been entitled to benefits under the Social Security Act. The 
information is used by the RRB to determine benefits due on the 
deceased employee's earnings record. The RRB proposes changes to Form 
AA-12 to delete items no longer needed. Minor editorial and formatting 
changes are also proposed to Form AA-12. No changes are proposed to 
Form G-88a.1. Non-burden impacting editorial and formatting changes are 
proposed to Form G-88a.2.
    In addition, 20 CFR 209.12(b) requires all railroad employers to 
furnish the RRB with the home addresses of all employees hired within 
the last year (new-hires). Form BA-6a, BA-6 Address Report, is used by 
the RRB to obtain home address information of employees from railroad 
employers that do not have the home address information computerized 
and who submit the information in a paper format. The form also serves 
as an instruction sheet to railroad employers who can also submit the 
information electronically by magnetic tape, cartridge, PC diskette or 
via the Internet utilizing the RRB's Employer Reporting System. No 
changes are proposed to the approved versions of Form BA-6a currently 
in use. The RRB is proposing the addition of a secure E-mail equivalent 
option of Form BA-6a to the information collection.
    The completion time for Form G-88a.1 is estimated at 5 to 20 
minutes. Form G-88a.2 is estimated at 5 minutes per response. The 
estimated completion time for Form AA-12 is 5 minutes per response. The 
estimated completion time for Form BA-6a is 10 to 30 minutes. 
Completion is mandatory. The RRB estimates that approximately 60 Form 
AA-12's, 504 Form G-88a.1's, 480 Form G-88a.2's and 914 Form BA-6a's 
are completed annually.
    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 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. E6-7271 Filed 5-11-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7905-01-P