[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 161 (Friday, August 19, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52025-52026]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-21219]


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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: Medical Reports; 
OMB 3220-0038
    Under sections 2(a)(1)(iv) and 2(a)(1)(v) of the Railroad 
Retirement Act (RRA), annuities are payable to qualified railroad 
employees whose physical or mental condition makes them unable to (1) 
work in their regular occupation (occupational disability) or (2) work 
at all (permanent total disability). The requirements for establishing 
disability and proof of continuing disability under the RRA are 
prescribed in 20 CFR part 220.
    Under Sections 2(c)(1)(ii)(C) and 2(d)(1)(ii) of the RRA, annuities 
are also payable to qualified spouses and widow(er)s, respectively, who 
have a qualifying child who became disabled before age 22. Annuities 
are also payable to surviving children on the basis of disability under 
section 2(d)(1)(iii)(C) if the child's disability began before age 22 
as well as to widow(er)s on the basis of disability under section 
2(d)(1)(i)(B). To meet the disability standard, the RRA provides that 
individuals must have a permanent physical or mental condition such 
that they are unable to engage in any regular employment.
    Under section 2(d)(1)(v) of the RRA, annuities are also payable to 
remarried widow(er)s and surviving divorced spouses on the basis of, 
among other things, disability or having a qualifying disabled child in 
care. However, the disability standard in these cases is that found in 
the Social Security Act. That is, individuals must be unable to engage 
in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically 
determinable physical or mental impairment. The RRB also determines 
entitlement to a Period of Disability and entitlement to early Medicare 
based on disability for qualified claimants in accordance with section 
216 of the Social Security Act.
    When making disability determinations, the RRB needs evidence from 
acceptable medical sources. The RRB currently utilizes Forms G-3EMP, 
Report of Medical Condition by Employer; G-197, Authorization to 
Release Medical Information to the Railroad Retirement Board; G-250, 
Medical Assessment; G-250A, Medical Assessment of Residual Functional 
Capacity; G-260, Report of Seizure Disorder; RL-11B, Disclosure of 
Hospital Medical Records; RL-11D, Disclosure of Medical Records from a 
State Agency; and RL-250, Request for Medical Assessment, to obtain the 
necessary medical evidence.
    One response is requested of each respondent. Completion is 
voluntary. The RRB proposes minor editorial changes to Form G-197.

Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden

    The estimated annual respondent burden is as follows:

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                          Form Number                                 Annual Responses               Time (Minutes)                Burden (Hours)
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G-3EMP........................................................                           600                            10                           100
G-197.........................................................                         6,000                            10                         1,000
G-250.........................................................                        11,950                            30                         5,975
G-250A........................................................                            50                            20                            17
G-260.........................................................                           100                            25                            42
RL-11B........................................................                         5,000                            10                           833
RL-11D........................................................                           250                            10                            42
RL-250........................................................                        11,950                            10                         1,992
                                                               -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.....................................................                        35,900  ............................                        10,001
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    2. Title and purpose of information collection: Student Beneficiary 
Monitoring; OMB 3220-0123
    Under provisions of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA), there are 
two types of benefit payments that are based on the status of a child 
being in full-time elementary or secondary school attendance at age 18-
19: a survivor child's annuity benefit under Section 2(d)(2)(iii) and 
an increase in the

[[Page 52026]]

employee retirement annuity under the Special Guaranty computation as 
prescribed in section 3(f)(3) and 20 CFR part 229.
    The survivor student annuity is usually paid by direct deposit to a 
financial institution either into the student's checking or savings 
account or into a joint bank account with a parent. The requirements 
for eligibility as a student are prescribed in 20 CFR 216.74, and 
include students in independent study and home schooling.
    To help determine if a child is entitled to student benefits, the 
RRB requires evidence of full-time school attendance. This evidence is 
acquired through the RRB's student monitoring program, which utilizes 
the following forms. Form G-315, Student Questionnaire, obtains 
certification of a student's full-time school attendance as well as 
information on the student's marital status, Social Security benefits, 
and employment, which are needed to determine entitlement or continued 
entitlement to benefits under the RRA. Form G-315A, Statement of School 
Official, is used to obtain, from a school, verification of a student's 
full-time attendance when the student fails to return a monitoring Form 
G-315. Form G-315A.1, School Official's Notice of Cessation of Full-
Time School Attendance, is used by a school to notify the RRB that a 
student has ceased full-time school attendance. The RRB proposes no 
changes to the forms.

Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden

    The estimated annual respondent burden is as follows:

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                          Form Number                                 Annual Responses               Time (Minutes)                Burden (Hours)
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G-315.........................................................                           860                            15                           215
G-315a........................................................                            20                             3                             1
G-315a.1......................................................                            20                             2                             1
                                                               -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.....................................................                           900  ............................                           217
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    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 
comments should be received within 60 days of this notice.

Charles Mierzwa,
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2011-21219 Filed 8-18-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7905-01-P