[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 70 (Friday, April 11, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20250-20251]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-08136]


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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 
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.
    Section 2 of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA) provides for the 
payment of disability annuities to qualified employees. Section 2 also 
provides that if the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) receives a report 
of an annuitant working for a railroad or earning more than prescribed 
dollar amounts from either nonrailroad employment or self-employment, 
the annuity is no longer payable, or can be reduced, for the months 
worked. The regulations related to the nonpayment or reduction of the 
annuity by reason of work are prescribed in 20 CFR 220.160-164.
    Some activities claimed by the applicant as ``self-employment'' may 
actually be employment for someone else (e.g. training officer, 
consultant, salesman). 20 CFR 216.22(c) states, for example, that an 
applicant is considered an employee, and not self-employed, when acting 
as a corporate officer, since the corporation is the applicant's 
employer. Whether the RRB classifies a particular activity as self-
employment or as work for an employer depends upon the circumstances in 
each case. The circumstances are prescribed in 20 CFR 216.21-216-23.
    Certain types of work may actually indicate an annuitant's recovery 
from disability. Regulations related to an annuitant's recovery from 
disability of work are prescribed in 20 CFR 220.17-220-20.
    In addition, the RRB conducts continuing disability reviews, (also 
known as a CDR) to determine whether the annuitant continues to meet 
the disability requirements of the law. Payment of disability benefits 
and/or a beneficiary's period of disability will end if medical 
evidence or other information shows that an annuitant is not disabled 
under the standards prescribed in Section 2 of the RRA. Continuing 
disability reviews are generally conducted if one or more of the 
following conditions are met: (1) The annuitant is scheduled for a 
routine periodic review, (2) the annuitant returns to work and 
successfully completes a trial work period, (3) substantial earnings 
are posted to the annuitant's wage record, or (4) information is 
received from the annuitant or a reliable source that the annuitant has 
recovered or returned to work. Provisions relating to when and how 
often the RRB conducts disability reviews are prescribed in 20 CFR 
220.186.
    To enhance program integrity activities, the RRB utilizes Form G-
252, Self-Employment/Corporate Officer Work and Earnings Monitoring. 
Form G-252 obtains information from a disability annuitant who claims 
to be self-employed or a corporate officer or who the RRB determines to 
be self-employed or a corporate officer after a continuing disability 
review. The continuing disability review may be prompted by a report of 
work, return to railroad service, an allegation of a medical 
improvement or a routine disability review call-up. The information 
gathered is used to determine entitlement and/or continued entitlement 
to, and the amount of, the disability annuity, as prescribed in 20 CFR 
220.176. Completion is required to retain benefits. One response is 
required of each respondent.
    Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has already published the 
initial 60-day notice (79 FR 5471 on January 31, 2014) required by 44 
U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.

[[Page 20251]]

Information Collection Request (ICR)

    Title: Self-Employment/Corporate Officer Work and Earnings 
Monitoring.
    OMB Control Number: 3220-0202.
    Form(s) submitted: G-252.
    Type of request: Extension without change of a currently approved 
collection.
    Affected public: Individuals or Households.
    Abstract: To determine entitlement or continued entitlement to a 
disability annuity, the RRB will obtain information from disability 
annuitants who claim to be self-employed or a corporate officer or who 
the RRB determines to be self-employed or a corporate officer after a 
continuing disability review.
    Changes proposed: The RRB proposes no changes to Form G-252.
    The burden estimate for the ICR is as follows:

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                                                                      Annual           Time           Burden
                           Form number                               responses       (minutes)        (hours)
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G-252...........................................................             100              20              33
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        Total...................................................             100  ..............              33
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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. 2014-08136 Filed 4-10-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7905-01-P