[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 164 (Friday, August 24, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48696-48697]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-16803]


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RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD


Agency Forms Submitted for OMB Review, Request for Comments

    Summary: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 
U.S.C. Chapter 35), the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) is forwarding 
an Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Information 
and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to 
request a revision to a currently approved collection of information: 
3220-0057, Placement Service consisting of Form(s) ES-2, ES-21, ES-21c, 
UI-35, and Job Vacancies Reports. Our ICR describes the information we 
seek to collect from the public. Review and approval by OIRA ensures 
that we impose appropriate paperwork burdens.
    The RRB invites comments on the proposed collection of information 
to determine (1) the practical utility of the collection; (2) the 
accuracy of the estimated burden of the collection; (3) ways to enhance 
the quality, utility and clarity of the information that is the subject 
of collection; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of collections on 
respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology. Comments to RRB or OIRA must 
contain the OMB control number of the ICR. For proper consideration of 
your comments, it is best if RRB and OIRA receive them within 30 days 
of publication date.
    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 the 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 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,

[[Page 48697]]

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.
    Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has already published the 
initial 60-day notice (72 FR 18283-18284 on April 11, 2007) required by 
44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.

Information Collection Request (ICR)

    Title: Placement Service.
    OMB Control Number: 3220-0057.
    Form(s) submitted: ES-2, ES-21, ES-21c, UI-35, and Job Vacancies 
Reports.
    Type of request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Affected public: Individuals or households, Business or-other-for 
profit, State, Local and Tribal government.
    Abstract: Under the RUIA, the Railroad Retirement Board provides 
job placement assistance for unemployed railroad workers. The 
collection obtains information from job applicants, railroad employers 
and State Employment Service offices for use in placement, for 
providing referrals for job openings, reports of referral results and 
for verifying and monitoring claimant eligibility.
    Changes Proposed: The RRB proposes minor, non-burden impacting 
editorial changes to Form ES-2, and minor non-burden impacting 
editorial and reformatting changes to Form ES-21. No changes are being 
proposed to Form ES-21c, UI-35 or to the Railroad Job Vacancies Report.
    The burden estimate for the ICR is as follows:
    Estimated Completion Time for Form ES-2: .25 minutes.
    Estimated Completion Time for Form ES-21: .68 minutes.
    Estimated Completion Time for Form ES-21c: 1.5 minutes.
    Estimated Completion Time for Form UI-35 (in person): 7 minutes.
    Estimated Completion Time for Form UI-35 (by mail): 10.5 minutes.
    Estimated Completion Time for Job Vacancies Report: 10 minutes.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 10,750.
    Total annual responses: 23,000.
    Total annual reporting hours: 1,452.
    Additional Information or Comments: Copies of the forms and 
supporting documents can be obtained from Charles Mierzwa, the agency 
clearance officer (312-751-3363) or [email protected].
    Comments regarding the information collection should be sent to 
Ronald J. Hodapp, Railroad Retirement Board, 844 North Rush Street, 
Chicago, Illinois 60611-2092 or [email protected], and to the 
Office of Management Budget at ATTN: Desk Officer for RRB, Fax: (202) 
395-6974 or via E-mail to [email protected].

Charles Mierzwa,
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. E7-16803 Filed 8-23-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7905-01-P