[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 161 (Friday, August 19, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52026-52027]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-21222]


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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 
three Information Collection Requests (ICR) to the Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB). 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 collections of information 
to determine (1) the practical utility of the collections; (2) the 
accuracy of the estimated burden of the collections; (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 the 
RRB or OIRA must contain the OMB control number of the ICR. For proper 
consideration of your comments, it is best if the RRB and OIRA receive 
them within 30 days of the publication date.
    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.
    Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has already published the 
initial 60-day notice (76 FR 29282 on May 20, 2011) required by 44 
U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.

Information Collection Request (ICR)

    Title: Application for Reimbursement for Hospital Insurance 
Services in Canada
    OMB Control Number: 3220-0086
    Form(s) submitted: AA-104
    Type of request: Revision of a currently approved collection
    Affected public: Individuals or Households
    Abstract: The Railroad Retirement Board administers the Medicare 
program for persons covered by the railroad retirement system. The 
collection obtains the information needed to determine eligibility and 
for the amount due for covered hospital services received in Canada.
    Changes proposed: The RRB proposes non-burden impacting formatting 
and editorial changes to Form AA-104.
    The burden estimate for the ICR is as follows:
    Estimated Completion Time for Form AA-104: 10 minutes
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 35
    Total annual responses: 35
    Total annual reporting hours: 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

[[Page 52027]]

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.
    Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has already published the 
initial 60-day notice (76 FR 29283 on May 20, 2011) required by 44 
U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.

Information Collection Request (ICR)

    Title: Employee Non-Covered Service Pension Questionnaire
    OMB Control Number: 3220-0154
    Form(s) submitted: G-209
    Type of request: Revision of a currently approved collection
    Affected public: Individuals or Households
    Abstract: Under Section 3 of the Railroad Retirement Act, the Tier 
I portion of an employee annuity may be subject to a reduction for 
benefits received based on work not covered under the Social Security 
Act or Railroad Retirement Act. The questionnaire obtains the 
information needed to determine if the reduction applies and the amount 
of such reduction.
    Changes proposed: The RRB proposes minor non-burden impacting 
editorial changes to Form G-209.
    The burden estimate for the ICR is as follows:
    Estimated Completion Time for Form G-209: 1 minute for a partial 
questionnaire and 8 minutes for a full questionnaire.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 150
    Total annual responses: 150
    Total annual reporting hours: 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. Completion of Forms UI-38 and UI-38s is required to 
obtain or retain benefits. Completion of Form ID-8k is voluntary.
    Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has already published the 
initial 60-day notice (76 FR 29283 on May 20, 2011) required by 44 
U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.

Information Collection Request (ICR)

    Title: Availability for Work
    OMB Control Number: 3220-0164
    Form(s) submitted: UI-38, UI-38s, ID-8k
    Type of request: Revision of a currently approved collection
    Affected public: Individuals or Households, Non-profit institutions
    Abstract: Under Section 1(k) of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance 
Act, unemployment benefits are not payable for any day in which the 
claimant is not available for work. The collection obtains information 
needed by the RRB to determine whether a claimant is willing and ready 
to work.
    Changes proposed: The RRB proposes to revise Form ID-8k to 
eliminate question two regarding ``pay for time lost.'' 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 burden estimate for the ICR is as follows:
    Estimated Completion Time for Forms: UI-38 is estimated at 11.5 
minutes per response; UI-38s is estimated at 6 minutes per response in 
person and 10 minutes per response by mail; and Form ID-8k is estimated 
at 5 minutes per response.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 7,428
    Total annual responses: 7,428
    Total annual reporting hours: 966
    Additional Information or Comments: Copies of the forms and 
supporting documents can be obtained from Charles Mierzwa, the agency 
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 [email protected] and to the 
OMB Desk Officer for the RRB, Fax: 202-395-6974, E-mail address: [email protected].

Charles Mierzwa,
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2011-21222 Filed 8-18-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7905-01-P