[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 98 (Friday, May 20, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29282-29284]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-12406]


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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.
    1. Title and purpose of information collection: Application for 
Reimbursement for Hospital Insurance Services in Canada; OMB 3220-0086.
    Under section 7(d) of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA), the RRB 
administers the Medicare program for persons covered by the railroad 
retirement system. Payments are provided under section 7(d)(4) of the 
RRA for medical services furnished in Canada to the same extent as for 
those furnished in the United States. However, payments for the 
services furnished in Canada are made from the Railroad Retirement 
Account rather than from the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund, 
with the payments limited to the amount by which insurance benefits 
under Medicare exceed the amount payable under Canadian Provincial 
plans.
    Form AA-104, Application for Canadian Hospital Benefits Under 
Medicare--Part A, is provided by the RRB to a claimant seeking 
reimbursement for covered hospital services received in Canada. The 
form obtains information needed to determine the eligibility of the 
applicant and the amount of any reimbursement due. One response is 
requested of each respondent. Completion is required to obtain a 
benefit.

The RRB Proposes Non-Burden Impacting Formatting and Editorial Changes 
to Form AA-104

Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden

    The estimated annual respondent burden is as follows:

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                                                     Annual
                   Form No.                        responses      Time (minutes)   Burden (hours)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AA-104........................................              35               10                6
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    2. Title and purpose of information collection: Employee Non-
Covered Service Pension Questionnaire; OMB 3220-0154.
    Section 215(a)(7) of the Social Security Act provides for a 
reduction in social security benefits based on

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employment not covered under the Social Security Act or the Railroad 
Retirement Act (RRA). This provision applies a different social 
security benefit formula to most workers who are first eligible after 
1985 to both a pension based in whole or in part on non-covered 
employment and a social security retirement or disability benefit. 
There is a guarantee provision that limits the reduction in the social 
security benefit to one-half of the portion of the pension based on 
non-covered employment after 1956. Section 8011 of Public Law 100-647 
changed the effective date of the onset from the first month of 
eligibility to the first month of concurrent entitlement to the non-
covered service benefit and the RRA benefit.
    Section 3(a)(1) of the RRA provides that the Tier I benefit of an 
employee annuity shall be equal to the amount (before any reduction for 
age or deduction for work) the employee would receive if entitled to a 
like benefit under the Social Security Act. The reduction for a non-
covered service pension also applies to a Tier I portion of the 
employee annuity under the RRA when the annuity or non-covered service 
pension begins after 1985. Since the amount of a spouse's Tier I 
benefit is one-half of the employee's Tier I, the spouse annuity is 
also affected.
    Form G-209, Employee Non-Covered Service Pension Questionnaire, is 
used by the RRB to obtain needed information (1) from a railroad 
employee who while completing Form AA-1, Application for Employee 
Annuity (OMB No. 3220-0002), indicates entitlement to or receipt of a 
pension based on employment not covered under Railroad Retirement or 
Social Security; (2) from a railroad employee when an independently-
entitled divorced spouse applicant believes the employee to be entitled 
to a non-covered service pension. However, should RRB records indicate 
the employee has 30 or more years of coverage, this development is 
unnecessary; or (3) from an employee annuitant who becomes entitled to 
a pension based on employment not covered under Railroad Retirement or 
Social Security. One response is requested of each respondent. 
Completion is required to obtain or retain benefits.

The RRB Proposes Minor Non-Burden Impacting, Editorial Changes to Form 
G-209

Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden

    The estimated annual respondent burden is as follows:

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                                                                      Annual
                            Form No.                                 responses    Time (minutes)  Burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G-209 (Partial Questionnaire)...................................              50               1               1
G-209 (Full Questionnaire)......................................             100               8              13
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................................             150  ..............              14
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    3. Title and purpose of information collection: Availability for 
Work; OMB 3220-0164.
    Under Section 1(k) of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act, 
unemployment benefits are not payable for any day for which the 
claimant is not available for work.
    Under Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) regulation 20 CFR 327.5, 
``available for work'' is defined as being willing and ready for work. 
A claimant is ``willing'' to work if willing to accept and perform for 
hire such work as is reasonably appropriate to his or her employment 
circumstances. A claimant is ``ready'' for work if he or she (1) is in 
a position to receive notice of work and is willing to accept and 
perform such work, and (2) is prepared to be present with the customary 
equipment at the location of such work within the time usually 
allotted.
    Under RRB regulation 20 CFR 327.15, a claimant may be requested at 
any time to show, as evidence of willingness to work, that reasonable 
efforts are being made to obtain work. In order to determine whether a 
claimant is: (a) Available for work, and (b) willing to work, the RRB 
utilizes Forms UI-38 and UI-38s to obtain information from the claimant 
and Form ID-8k from the union representative. One response is completed 
by each respondent. The RRB proposes to eliminate question two 
regarding ``pay for time lost'' from Form ID-8k. This question was 
previously included to remind covered employers of their reporting 
obligations under section 2(f) of the RUIA. The question is being 
removed as it was determined that other forms, such as the ID-4e and 
ID-4k, provide sufficient notice of covered employer's reporting 
obligations under section 2(f). The RRB proposes no changes to Forms 
UI-38 and UI-38s.

Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden

    The estimated annual respondent burden is as follows:

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                                                                      Annual
                            Form No.                                 responses    Time (minutes)  Burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
UI-38s:
    In person...................................................              50               6               5
    By mail.....................................................             102              10              17
UI-38...........................................................           3,114            11.5             597
ID-8k...........................................................           4,162               5             347
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................................           7,428  ..............             966
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Additional Information or Comments: To request more information or 
to obtain a copy of the information collection justification, forms, 
and/or supporting material, contact Charles Mierzwa, the RRB Clearance 
Officer, at (312) 751-3363 or [email protected]. Comments 
regarding the information collection should be addressed to Patricia 
Henaghan, Railroad Retirement Board, 844 North Rush Street, Chicago, 
Illinois 60611-2092 or e-mailed to [email protected]. Written

[[Page 29284]]

comments should be received within 60 days of this notice.

Charles Mierzwa,
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2011-12406 Filed 5-19-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7905-01-P