[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 19 (Tuesday, January 29, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6150-6151]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-01799]


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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 
an Information Collection Request (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 collection of information 
to determine (1) the practical utility of the collection; (2) the 
accuracy of the estimated burden of the collection; (3) ways to enhance 
the quality, utility, and clarity of the information that is the

[[Page 6151]]

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.
    Under Section 9 of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA), and Section 6 
of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA), railroad employers 
are required to submit reports of employee service and compensation to 
the RRB as needed for administering the RRA and RUIA. To pay benefits 
due on a deceased employee's earnings records or determine entitlement 
to, and amount of annuity applied for, it is necessary at times to 
obtain from railroad employers current (lag) service and compensation 
not yet reported to the RRB through the annual reporting process. The 
reporting requirements are specified in 20 CFR 209.6 and 209.7.
    The RRB currently utilizes Form G-88A.1, Notice of Retirement and 
Verification of Date Last Worked, Form G-88A.2, Notice of Retirement 
and Request for Service Needed for Eligibility, and Form AA-12, Notice 
of Death and Compensation, to obtain the required lag service and 
related information from railroad employers. Form G-88A.1 is a 
computer-generated listing sent by the RRB to railroad employers and 
used for the specific purpose of verifying information previously 
provided to the RRB regarding the date last worked by an employee. If 
the information is correct, the employer need not reply. If the 
information is incorrect, the employer is asked to provide corrected 
information. Form G-88A.2 is used by the RRB to secure lag service and 
compensation information when it is needed to determine benefit 
eligibility. Form AA-12 obtains a report of lag service and 
compensation from the last railroad employer of a deceased employee. 
This report covers the lag period between the date of the latest record 
of employment processed by the RRB and the date an employee last 
worked, the date of death or the date the employee may have been 
entitled to benefits under the Social Security Act. The information is 
used by the RRB to determine benefits due on the deceased employee's 
earnings record.
    In addition, 20 CFR 209.12(b) requires all railroad employers to 
furnish the RRB with the home addresses of all employees hired within 
the last year (new-hires). Form BA-6a, Form BA-6 Address Report, is 
used by the RRB to obtain home address information of employees from 
railroad employers who do not have the home address information 
computerized and who submit the information in a paper format. The form 
also serves as an instruction sheet to railroad employers who can 
submit the information electronically by magnetic tape cartridge, CD-
ROM, PC diskette, secure Email, or via ERS.
    Completion of the forms is mandatory. Multiple responses may be 
filed by respondent.
    Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has already published the 
initial 60-day notice (77 FR 51833 on August 27, 2012) required by 44 
U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.

Information Collection Request (ICR)

    Title: Employer Reporting.
    OMB Control Number: 3220-0005.
    Form(s) submitted: AA-12, G-88A.1, G-88A.2, BA-6a, BA-6a 
(Internet), and BA-6a (Email).
    Type of request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Affected public: Private sector; Businesses or other for-profits.
    Abstract: Under the Railroad Retirement Act and the Railroad 
Unemployment Insurance Act, railroad employers are required to report 
service and compensation for employees needed to determine eligibility 
to and the amounts of benefits paid.
    Changes proposed: The RRB proposes no changes to Forms AA-12, G-
88A.2 or BA-6a; minor editorial changes to the paper version of Form G-
88A.1 and the implementation of an Internet equivalent version of Forms 
G-88A.1 and G-88A.2 that can be submitted through the RRB's Employer 
Reporting System (ERS).
    The burden estimate for the ICR is as follows:

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                                                                      Annual           Time           Burden
                            Form No.                                 responses       (minutes)        (hours)
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AA-12...........................................................              60               5               5
G-88A.1.........................................................             100               5               8
G-88A.1 Internet................................................             260               4              17
G-88A.1 Internet (Class 1 railroads)............................             144              16              38
G-88A.2.........................................................             100               5               8
G-88A.2 (Internet)..............................................           1,200             2.5              50
BA-6a Electronic Equivalent.....................................              14              15               4
BA-6a (Email)...................................................              30              15               8
BA-6a (File Transfer Protocol)..................................              10              15               3
BA-6a Internet (RR initiated)...................................             250              17              71
BA-6a Internet (RRB initiated)..................................             250              12              50
BA-6a Paper (RR initiated)......................................              80              32              43
BA-6a Paper (RRB initiated).....................................             250              32             133
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................................           2,748  ..............             438
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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. 2013-01799 Filed 1-28-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7905-01-P