[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 182 (Wednesday, September 19, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58186-58188]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-22991]


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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: Employee 
Representative's Status and Compensation Reports; OMB 3220-0014.
    Under Section 1(b)(1) of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA), the 
term ``employee'' includes an individual who is an employee 
representative. As defined in Section 1(c) of the RRA, an employee 
representative is an officer or official representative of a railway 
labor organization other than a labor organization included in the term 
``employer,'' as defined in the RRA, who before or after August 29, 
1935, was in the service of an employer under the RRA and who is duly 
authorized and designated to represent employees in accordance with the 
Railway Labor Act, or, any individual who is regularly assigned to or 
regularly employed by such officer or official representative in 
connection with the duties of his or her office. The requirements 
relating to the application for employee representative status and the 
periodic reporting of the compensation resulting from such status is 
contained in 20 CFR part 209.10.
    The RRB utilizes Forms DC-2a, Employee Representative's Status 
Report, and DC-2, Employee Representative's Report of Compensation, to 
obtain the information needed to determine employee representative 
status and to maintain a record of creditable service and compensation 
resulting from such status. Completion is required to obtain or retain 
a benefit. One response is requested of each respondent.
    Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has already published the 
initial 60-day notice (77 FR 40657 on July 10, 2012) required by 44 
U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.

[[Page 58187]]

Information Collection Request (ICR)

    Title: Employee Representative's Status and Compensation Reports.
    OMB Control Number: 3220-0014.
    Form(s) submitted: DC-2 and DC-2a.
    Type of request: Revision of a currently approved collection of 
information.
    Affected public: Private Sector; Businesses or other for-profits.
    Abstract: Benefits are provided under the Railroad Retirement Act 
(RRA) for individuals who are employee representatives as defined in 
section 1 of the RRA. The collection obtains information regarding the 
status of such individuals and their compensation.
    Changes proposed: The RRB proposes a minor editorial change to both 
Forms DC-2 and DC-2a.
    The burden estimate for the ICR is as follows:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                 Annual
                         Form No.                               responses      Time  (minutes)   Burden  (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DC-2a.....................................................                 3                15                 1
DC-2......................................................                65                30                33
                                                           -----------------------------------------------------
    Total.................................................                68  ................                34
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    2. Title and Purpose of information collection: Nonresident 
Questionnaire; OMB 3220-0145. Under Public Laws 98-21 and 98-76, 
benefits under the Railroad Retirement Act payable to annuitants living 
outside the United States may be subject to taxation under United 
States income tax laws. Whether the social security equivalent and non-
social security equivalent portions of Tier I, Tier II, vested dual 
benefit, or supplemental annuity payments are subject to tax 
withholding, and whether the same or different rates are applied to 
each payment, depends on a beneficiary's citizenship and legal 
residence status, and whether exemption under a tax treaty between the 
United States and the country in which the beneficiary is a legal 
resident has been claimed. To effect the required tax withholding, the 
Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) needs to know a nonresident's 
citizenship and legal residence status.
    To secure the required information, the RRB utilizes Form RRB-1001, 
Nonresident Questionnaire, as a supplement to an application as part of 
the initial application process, and as an independent vehicle for 
obtaining the needed information when an annuitant's residence or tax 
treaty status changes. Completion is voluntary. One response is 
requested of each respondent.
    Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has already published the 
initial 60-day notice (77 FR 40658 on July 10, 2012) required by 44 
U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.

Information Collection Request (ICR)

    Title: Nonresident Questionnaire.
    OMB Control Number: 3220-0145.
    Form(s) submitted: RRB-1001.
    Type of request: Extension without change of a currently approved 
collection.
    Affected public: Individuals or Households.
    Abstract: Under the Railroad Retirement Act, the benefits payable 
to an annuitant living outside the United States may be subject to 
withholding under Public Laws 98-21 and 98-76. The form obtains the 
information needed to determine the amount to be withheld.
    Changes proposed: The RRB proposes no changes to Form RRB-1001.
    The burden estimate for the ICR is as follows:

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                        Form No.                         Annual  responses   Time  (minutes)    Burden  (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RRB-1001...............................................             1,300                 30                650
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    3. Title and Purpose of information collection: Statement of 
Claimant or Other Person; OMB 3220-0183.
    To support an application for an annuity under Section 2 of the 
Railroad Retirement Act (RRA) or for unemployment benefits under 
Section 2 of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA), pertinent 
information and proofs must be furnished for the RRB to determine 
benefit entitlement. Circumstances may require an applicant or other 
person(s) having knowledge of facts relevant to the applicant's 
eligibility for an annuity or benefits to provide written statements 
supplementing or changing statements previously provided by the 
applicant. Under the railroad retirement program these statements may 
relate to a change in an annuity beginning date(s), date of 
marriage(s), birth(s), prior railroad or non-railroad employment, an 
applicant's request for reconsideration of an unfavorable RRB 
eligibility determination for an annuity or various other matters. The 
statements may also be used by the RRB to secure a variety of 
information needed to determine eligibility to unemployment and 
sickness benefits. Procedures related to providing information needed 
for RRA annuity or RUIA benefit eligibility determinations are 
prescribed in 20 CFR parts 217 and 320 respectively.
    The RRB utilizes Form G-93, Statement of Claimant or Other Person, 
to obtain from applicants or other persons, the supplemental or 
corrective information needed to determine applicant eligibility for an 
RRA annuity or RUIA benefits. Completion is voluntary. One response is 
requested of each respondent.
    Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has already published the 
initial 60-day notice (77 FR 40658 on July 10, 2012) required by 44 
U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.

Information Collection Request (ICR)

    Title: Statement of Claimant or Other Person.
    OMB Control Number: 3220-0183.
    Form(s) submitted: G-93.
    Type of request: Extension without change of a currently approved 
collection.
    Affected public: Individuals or Households.
    Abstract: Under Section 2 of the Railroad Retirement Act and the 
Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act, pertinent information and proofs 
must be submitted by an applicant so that the Railroad Retirement Board 
can determine his or her entitlement to

[[Page 58188]]

benefits. The collection obtains information supplementing or changing 
information previously provided by an applicant.
    Changes proposed: The RRB proposes no revisions to Form G-93.
    The burden estimate for the ICR is as follows:

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                        Form No.                          Annual responses   Time  (minutes)    Burden  (hours)
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G-93...................................................               900                 15                225
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    Additional Information or Comments: Copies of the forms and 
supporting documents can be obtained from Dana Hickman at (312) 751-
4981 or [email protected].
    Comments regarding the information collection should be addressed 
to Charles Mierzwa, 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, Email address: [email protected].

Charles Mierzwa,
Chief of Information Resources Management.
[FR Doc. 2012-22991 Filed 9-18-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7905-01-P