[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 76 (Friday, April 19, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23599-23601]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-09209]


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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 
two 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)

[[Page 23600]]

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: Repayment of Debt; 
OMB 3220-0169. When the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) determines that 
an overpayment of Railroad Retirement Act (RRA) or Railroad 
Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA) benefits has occurred, it initiates 
prompt action to notify the annuitant of the overpayment and to recover 
the money owed the RRB. To effect payment of a debt by credit card, the 
RRB utilizes Form G-421F, Repayment by Credit Card. RRB procedures 
pertaining to benefit overpayment determinations and the recovery of 
such benefits are prescribed in 20 CFR part 255 and 340. One form is 
completed by each respondent. Completion is voluntary.
    Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has already published the 
initial 60-day notice (78 FR 6152 on January 29, 2013) required by 44 
U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.

Information Collection Request (ICR)

    Title: Repayment of Debt.
    OMB Control Number: 3220-0169.
    Form(s) submitted: G-421F.
    Type of request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Affected public: Individuals or Households.
    Abstract: When the RRB determines that an overpayment of benefits 
under the Railroad Retirement Act or Railroad Unemployment Insurance 
Act has occurred, it initiates action to notify the claimant of the 
overpayment and to recover the amount owed. The collection obtains 
information needed to allow for repayment by the claimant by credit 
card, in addition to the customary form of payment by check or money 
order.
    Changes proposed: The RRB proposes minor non-burden impacting 
editorial changes to Form G-421F.
    The burden estimate for the ICR is as follows:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                      Annual
                           Form number                               responses    Time (minutes)  Burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G-421F..........................................................             535               5              45
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................................             535  ..............              45
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    2. Title and Purpose of information collection: Job Information 
Report; OMB 3220-0193. In July of 1997, the Railroad Retirement Board 
(RRB) adopted standards for the adjudication of occupational 
disabilities under the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA). As part of these 
standards, the RRB requests job information to determine an applicant's 
eligibility for an occupational disability. The job information 
received from the railroad employer and railroad employee is compared, 
reconciled (if needed), and then used in the occupational disability 
determination process. The process of obtaining information from 
railroad employers used to determine an applicant's eligibility for an 
occupational disability is outlined in 20 CFR 220.13(b)(2)(e).
    To determine an occupational disability, the RRB must decide if the 
employee is precluded from performing the full range of duties of his 
or her regular railroad occupation. This is accomplished by comparing 
the restrictions an impairment(s) causes against an employee's ability 
to perform his/her normal duties. To collect information needed to 
determine the effect of a disability on an employee applicant's ability 
to work, the RRB needs the employee applicant's work history. To obtain 
this information from the employee applicant, the RRB utilizes Form G-
251, Vocational Report (OMB 3220-0141). Note: Form G-251 is provided to 
all applicants for employee disability annuities and to those 
applicants for a widow or widower's disability annuity who indicate 
that they have been employed at some time.
    In accordance with the standards, the RRB also requests pertinent 
job information from employers. The employer is given thirty days from 
the date of the notice to respond. The responses are not required, but 
are voluntary. If the job information is received timely, it is 
compared to the job information provided by the employee. Any material 
differences are resolved by an RRB disability examiner. Once resolved, 
the information is compared to the restrictions caused by the medical 
impairment. If the restrictions prohibit the performance of the regular 
railroad occupation, the claimant is found occupationally disabled.
    To obtain the job information from the railroad employer, the RRB 
uses the following two forms. RRB Form G-251a, Employer Job 
Information--Job Description, is released to an employer when an 
application for an occupational disability is filed by an employee 
whose regular railroad occupation is one of the more common types of 
railroad jobs (locomotive engineer, conductor, switchman, etc.). It is 
accompanied by a ``generic job description'' for that particular 
railroad job. The generic job description describes how the select 
occupation is generally performed in the railroad industry. However, 
because not all occupations are performed the same way from railroad to 
railroad, the employer is given an opportunity to comment on whether 
the job description matches the employee's actual duties. If the 
employer concludes that the generic job description accurately 
describes the work performed by the applicant, no further action is 
necessary. If the employer determines that the tasks are different, it 
may provide the RRB with a description of the actual job tasks. The 
employer has thirty days from the date the form is released to respond.
    Form G-251b, Employer Job Information--General, is released to an 
employer when an application for an RRB occupational disability is 
filed by an employee whose regular railroad occupation does not have a 
generic job description. It notifies the employer that the employee has 
filed for a disability annuity and that, if the employer wishes, it may 
provide the RRB with job duty information. The type of information the 
RRB is seeking is outlined on the form. The employer has thirty days 
from the date the form is released to reply. Completion is voluntary.
    Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has published the initial 
60-day notice (77 FR 63359 on October 16, 2012) required by 44 U.S.C. 
3506(c)(2).

Information Collection Request (ICR)

    Title: Job Information Report.
    OMB Control Number: 3220-0193.

[[Page 23601]]

    Form(s) submitted: G-251a and G-251b.
    Type of request: Extension without change of a currently approved 
collection.
    Affected public: Business or other for profit.
    Abstract: The collection obtains information used by the Railroad 
Retirement Board (RRB) to assist in determining whether a railroad 
employee is disabled from his or her regular occupation. It provides, 
under certain conditions, railroad employers with the opportunity to 
provide information to the RRB regarding the employee applicant's job 
duties.
    Changes proposed: The RRB proposes no changes to the forms in the 
information collection.
    The burden estimate for the ICR is as follows:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                      Annual
                           Form number                               responses    Time (minutes)  Burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G-251a..........................................................             125              20              42
G-251b..........................................................             305              20             102
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................................             430  ..............             144
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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. 2013-09209 Filed 4-18-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7905-01-P