[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 194 (Thursday, October 6, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62098-62099]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-25777]


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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.
    Title and purpose of information collection: Employee's 
Certification; OMB 3220-0140 Section 2 of the Railroad Retirement Act 
(RRA), provides for the payment of an annuity to the spouse or divorced 
spouse of a retired railroad employee. For the spouse or divorced 
spouse to qualify for an annuity, the RRB must determine if any of the 
employee's current marriage to the applicant is valid.
    The requirements for obtaining documentary evidence to determine 
valid marital relationships are prescribed in 20 CFR 219.30 through 
219.35. Section 2(e) of the RRA requires that an employee must 
relinquish all rights to any railroad employer service before a spouse 
annuity can be paid.
    The RRB uses Form G-346 to obtain the information needed to 
determine whether the employee's current marriage is valid. Form G-346 
is completed by the retired employee who is the husband or wife of the 
applicant for a spouse annuity. Completion is required to obtain a 
benefit. One response is requested of each respondent. The RRB proposes 
no

[[Page 62099]]

changes to Form G-346. The RRB estimates that 4,830 G-346's will be 
completed annually at an estimated completion time of five minutes per 
response. Total respondent burden is estimated at 403 hours.
    In accordance with amended regulation 20 CFR 217.17, the RRB 
proposes the implementation of Form G-346sum. Proposed Form G-346sum, 
which will mirror the information collected on Form G-346, will be used 
when an employee, after being interviewed by an RRB field office staff 
member ``signs'' the form using an alternative signature method known 
as ``attestation''. Attestation refers to the action taken by the RRB 
field office employee to confirm and annotate the RRB's records of the 
applicant's affirmation under penalty of perjury that the information 
provided is correct and the applicant's agreement to sign the form by 
proxy. The RRB estimates that 2,070 G-346sum's will be completed 
annually at an estimated completion time of five minutes per response. 
Total respondent burden is estimated at 172 hours.
    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. 2011-25777 Filed 10-5-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7905-01-P