[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 215 (Wednesday, November 6, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66786-66788]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-26538]


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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.
    1. Title and purpose of information collection: Placement Service; 
OMB 3220-0057.
    Section 12(i) of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA), 
authorizes the RRB to establish, maintain, and operate free employment 
offices to provide claimants for unemployment benefits with job 
placement opportunities. Section 704(d) of the Regional Railroad 
Reorganization Act of 1973, as amended, and as extended by the 
Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, required the 
RRB to maintain and distribute a list of railroad job vacancies, by 
class and craft, based on information furnished by rail carriers to the 
RRB. Although the requirement under the law expired effective August 
13, 1987, the RRB has continued to obtain this information in keeping 
with its employment service responsibilities under Section 12(k) of the 
RUIA. Application procedures for the job placement program are 
prescribed in 20 CFR part 325. The procedures pertaining to the RRB's 
obtaining and distributing job vacancy reports furnished by rail 
carriers are described in 20 CFR 346.1.
    The RRB currently utilizes four forms to obtain information needed 
to carry out its job placement responsibilities. Form ES-2, Central 
Register Notification, is used by the RRB to obtain information needed 
to update a computerized central register of separated and furloughed 
railroad employees available for employment in the railroad industry. 
Forms ES-21, Referral to State Employment Service, and ES-21c, Report 
of State Employment Service Office, are used by the RRB to provide 
placement assistance for unemployed railroad employees through 
arrangements with State Employment Service offices. Form UI-35, Field 
Office Record of Claimant Interview, is used primarily by RRB field 
office staff to conduct in-person interviews of claimants for 
unemployment benefits. Completion of these forms is required to obtain 
or maintain a benefit. In addition, the RRB also collects Railroad Job 
Vacancies information received voluntarily from railroad employers. No 
changes are proposed to any of the data collection instruments 
associated with the information collection.

                                      Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
                             [The estimated annual respondent burden is as follows]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                 Annual
                         Form No.                               responses      Time  (minutes)   Burden  (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ES-2......................................................             7,500               .25                31
ES-21.....................................................             3,500               .68                40
ES-21c....................................................             1,250              1.50                31

[[Page 66787]]

 
*UI-35 in person..........................................             9,000              7.00             1,050
*UI-35 by mail............................................             1,000             10.50               175
Job Vacancies.............................................               750             10.00               125
                                                           -----------------------------------------------------
    Total.................................................            23,000  ................             1,452
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    2. Title and purpose of information collection: Withholding 
Certificate for Railroad Retirement Monthly Annuity Payments; OMB 3220-
0149.
    The Internal Revenue Code requires that all payers of tax liable 
private pensions to U.S. citizens or residents: (1) Notify each 
recipient at least concurrent with initial withholding that the payer 
is, in fact, withholding benefits for tax liability and that the 
recipient has the option of electing not to have the payer withhold, or 
to withhold at a specific rate; (2) withhold benefits for tax purposes 
(in the absence of the recipient's election not to withhold benefits); 
and (3) notify all beneficiaries, at least annually, that they have the 
option to change their withholding status or elect not to have benefits 
withheld.
    The RRB provides Form RRB-W4P, Withholding Certificate for Railroad 
Retirement Payments, to its annuitants to exercise their withholding 
options. Completion of the form is required to obtain or retain a 
benefit. One response is requested of each respondent. No changes are 
proposed to Form RRB W-4P.
    The RRB estimates that 25,000 annuitants utilize Form RRB W-4P 
annually. The completion time for Form RRB W-4P varies depending on 
individual circumstances. The estimated average completion time for 
Form RRB W-4P is 39 minutes for recordkeeping, 24 minutes for learning 
about the law or the form, and 59 minutes for preparing the form.
    3. Title and purpose of information collection: Investigation of 
Claim for Possible Days of Employment; OMB 3220-0196.
    Under Section 1(k) of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act 
(RUIA), unemployment and sickness benefits are not payable for any day 
remuneration is payable or accrues to the claimant. Also Section 4(a-1) 
of the RUIA provides that unemployment or sickness benefits are not 
payable for any day the claimant receives the same benefits under any 
law other than the RUIA. Under the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) 
regulation 20 CFR 322.4(a), a claimant's certification or statement on 
an RRB-provided claim form that he or she did not work on any day 
claimed and did not receive income such as vacation pay or pay for time 
lost for any day claimed is sufficient evidence unless there is 
conflicting evidence. Further, under 20 CFR 322.4(b), when there is a 
question raised as to whether or not remuneration is payable or has 
accrued to a claimant with respect to a claimed day or days, 
investigation shall be made with a view to obtaining information 
sufficient for a finding.
    Form ID-5S (SUP), Report of Cases for Which All Days Were Claimed 
During a Month Credited Per an Adjustment Report, collects information 
about compensation credited to an employee during a period when the 
employee claimed either unemployment or sickness benefits from a 
railroad employer. The request is generated as a result of a computer 
match that compares data which is maintained in the RRB's RUIA Benefit 
Payment file with data maintained in the RRB's records of service. The 
ID-5S (SUP) is generated annually when the computer match indicates 
that an employee of the railroad employer was paid unemployment or 
sickness benefits for every day in one or more months for which 
creditable compensation was adjusted at the request of their railroad 
employer on RRB Form BA-4 (OMB Approved 3220-0008).
    The computer-generated Form ID-5S (SUP) includes pertinent 
identifying information, the BA-4 adjustment process date, and the 
claimed months in question. Space is provided on the report for the 
employer's use in supplying the information requested in the computer-
generated transmittal letter, Form ID-5S, Railroad Compensation 
Adjustment Discrepancy Report, which accompanies the report. Completion 
time is estimated at 10 minutes. One response is requested of each 
respondent. The RRB proposes no changes to Form ID-5S(SUP).



                                      Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
                             [The estimated annual respondent burden is as follows]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                 Annual
                         Form No.                               responses      Time  (minutes)   Burden  (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ID-5S (SUP)...............................................                55                10                 9
                                                           -----------------------------------------------------
    Total.................................................                55  ................                 9
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    4. Title and purpose of information collection: Designation of 
Contact Officials; 3220-0200.
    Coordination between railroad employers and the RRB is essential to 
properly administer the payment of benefits under the Railroad 
Retirement Act (RRA) and the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act 
(RUIA). In order to enhance timely coordination activity, the RRB 
utilizes Form G-117a, Designation of Contact Officials. Form G-117a is 
used by railroad employers to designate employees who are to act as 
point of contact with the RRB on a variety of RRA and RUIA-related 
matters.
    Completion is voluntary. One response is requested from each 
respondent. The RRB proposes no changes to Form G-117a.

[[Page 66788]]



                                      Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
                             [The estimated annual respondent burden is as follows]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                 Annual
                         Form No.                               responses      Time  (minutes)   Burden  (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G-117a....................................................               100                15                25
                                                           -----------------------------------------------------
    Total.................................................               100  ................                25
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Additional Information or Comments: To request more information or 
to obtain a copy of the information collection justification, forms, 
and/or supporting material, contact 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 emailed to 
[email protected]. Written comments should be received within 60 
days of this notice.

Charles Mierzwa,
Chief of Information Resources Management.
[FR Doc. 2013-26538 Filed 11-5-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7905-01-P