[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 48 (Friday, March 13, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10971-10972]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-5490]


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

RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD


Proposed Data Collection(s) Available for Public Comment and 
Recommendations

    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 
collections are 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 for 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: Survivor 
Questionnaire; OMB 3220-0032.
    Under Section 6 of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA), benefits that 
may be due on the death of a railroad employee or a survivor annuitant 
include (1) a lump-sum death benefit (2) a residual lump-sum payment 
(3) accrued annuities due but unpaid at death, and (4) monthly survivor 
insurance payments. The requirements for determining the entitlement of 
possible beneficiaries to these benefits are prescribed in 20 CFR part 
234.
    When the RRB receives notification of the death of a railroad 
employee or survivor annuitant, an RRB field office utilizes Form RL-
94-F, Survivor Questionnaire, to secure additional information from 
surviving relatives needed to determine if any further benefits are 
payable under the RRA. Completion is voluntary. One response is 
requested of each respondent.
    The RRB proposes minor non-burden impacting changes to Form RL-94-
F. The completion time for the RL-94-F is estimated at between 5 to 11 
minutes. The RRB estimates that approximately 8,000 responses are 
received annually.
    2. Title and Purpose of Information Collection: Pension Plan 
Reports; OMB 3220-0089.
    Under Section 2(b) of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA), the 
Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) pays supplemental annuities to 
qualified RRB employee annuitants. A supplemental annuity, which is 
computed according to Section 3(e) of the RRA, can be paid at age 60 if 
the employee has at least 30 years of creditable railroad service or at 
age 65 if the employee has 25-29 years of railroad service. In addition 
to 25 years of service, a ``current connection'' with the railroad 
industry is required. Eligibility is further limited to employees who 
had at least one month of rail service before October 1981 and were 
awarded regular annuities after June 1966. Further, if an employee's 
65th birthday was prior to September 2, 1981, he or she must not have 
worked in rail service after certain closing dates (generally the last 
day of the month following the month in which age 65 is attained). 
Under Section 2(h)(2) of the RRA, the amount of the supplemental 
annuity is reduced if the employees receive monthly pension payments, 
or lump-sum pension payments, from their former railroad employer, 
which are based in whole or in part on contributions from that railroad 
employer. The employees' own contributions to their pension accounts do 
not cause a reduction. An employer private pension is described in 20 
CFR 216.40-216.42.
    The RRB requires the following information from railroad employers 
to calculate supplemental annuities: (a) The current status of railroad 
employer pension plans and whether such employer pension plans cause 
reductions to the RRB supplemental annuity; (b) the amount of the 
employer private pension being paid to the employee; (c) whether or not 
the employer made contributions to the pension; (d) whether or not the 
employee was cashed out before attaining retirement age under the 
employer pension plan or received the pension in a lump-sum payment in 
lieu of monthly pension payments; and (e) whether the employer pension 
plan continues when the employer status under the RRA changes. The 
requirement that railroad employers furnish pension information to the 
RRB is contained in 20 CFR 209.2.
    The RRB currently utilizes Form(s) G-88p (Employer's Supplemental 
Pension Report), G-88r (Request for Information About New or Revised 
Pension Plan), and G-88r.1 (Request for Additional Information about 
Employer Pension Plan in Case of Change of Employer Status or 
Termination of Pension Plan), to obtain the necessary information from 
railroad employers. One response is requested of each respondent. 
Completion is mandatory.
    The RRB proposes no changes to Form G-88p, G-88r or G-88r.1
    The estimated annual respondent burden is as follows:

                                      Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                      Annual
                           Form No.(s)                               responses      Time  (min)    Burden  (hrs)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G-88p...........................................................             750               8             100
G-88r...........................................................              10              10               2
G-88r.1.........................................................               5               7               1
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................................             765  ..............             103
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 10972]]

    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. E9-5490 Filed 3-12-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7905-01-P