[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 137 (Thursday, July 17, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41708-41709]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-16784]


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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 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.
    Title and Purpose of information collection: Pension Plan Reports; 
OMB 3220-0089.
    Under Section 2(b) of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA), the 
Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) pays supplemental annuities to 
qualified RRB employee annuitants. A supplemental annuity, which is 
computed according to Section 3(e) of the RRA, can be paid at age 60 if 
the employee has at least 30 years of creditable railroad service or at 
age 65 if the employee has 25-29 years of railroad service. In addition 
to 25 years of service, a ``current connection'' with the railroad 
industry is required. Eligibility is further limited to employees who 
had at least one month of rail service before October 1981 and were 
awarded regular annuities after June 1966. Further, if an employee's 
65th birthday was prior to September 2, 1981, he or she must not have 
worked in rail service after certain closing dates (generally the last 
day of the month following the month in which age 65 is attained). 
Under Section 2(h)(2) of the RRA, the amount of the supplemental 
annuity is reduced if the employee receives monthly pension payments, 
or a lump-sum pension payment from a private pension from a railroad 
employer, to the extent the payments

[[Page 41709]]

are based on contributions from that employer. The employee's own 
contribution to their pension account does not cause a reduction. A 
private railroad employer pension is defined in 20 CFR 216.42.
    The RRB requires the following information from railroad employers 
to calculate supplemental annuities: (a) The current status of railroad 
employer pension plans and whether such plans cause reductions to the 
supplemental annuity; (b) whether the employee receives monthly 
payments from a private railroad employer pension, elected to receive a 
lump-sum in lieu of month pension payments from such a plan; (c) the 
date monthly pension payments began or a lump-sum payment was received; 
and (d) the amount of the payments attributable to the railroad 
employer's contributions. The requirement that railroad employers 
furnish pension information to the RRB is contained in 20 CFR 209.2.
    The RRB currently utilizes Form G-88p, Employer's Supplemental 
Pension Report, and Form G-88r, Request for Information About New or 
Revised Employer Pension Plan, to obtain the necessary information from 
railroad employers. One response is requested of each respondent. 
Completion is mandatory.
    Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has already published the 
initial 60-day notice (79 FR 24762 on May 1, 2014) required by 44 
U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.

Information Collection Request (ICR)

    Title: Pension Plan Reports.
    OMB Control Number: 3220-0089.
    Forms submitted: G-88p and G-88r.
    Type of request: Revision of a currently approved collection of 
information.
    Affected public: Businesses or other for-profits.
    Abstract: The Railroad Retirement Act provides for payment of a 
supplemental annuity to a qualified railroad retirement annuitant. The 
collection obtains information from the annuitant's employer to 
determine (a) the existence of railroad employer pension plans and 
whether such plans, if they exist, require a reduction to supplemental 
annuities paid to the employer's former employees and (b) the amount of 
supplemental annuities due railroad employees.
    Changes proposed: The RRB proposes to revise Forms G-88p and G-88r 
to remove information related to the reporting of 401(k) savings plans 
and to make other editorial changes. The RRB also proposes the 
implementation of an Internet equivalent version of Form G-88p that can 
be submitted through the Employer Reporting System
    The burden estimate for the ICR is as follows:

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                                                                      Annual
                            Form No.                                 responses    Time (minutes)  Burden (hours)
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G-88p...........................................................             100               8              13
G-88p (Internet)................................................             200               6              20
G-88r...........................................................              10               8               1
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    Total.......................................................             310  ..............              34
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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. 2014-16784 Filed 7-16-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7905-01-P