[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 16 (Monday, January 26, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3998-4000]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-01299]


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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 ICRdescribes 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.
    1. Title and purpose of information collection: Application for 
Benefits Due But Unpaid at Death; OMB 3220-0055.
    Under Section 2(g) of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act, 
benefits that accrued but were not paid because of the death of the 
employee shall be paid to the same individual(s) to whom benefits are 
payable under Section 6(a)(1) of the Railroad Retirement Act. The 
provisions relating to the payment of such benefits are prescribed in 
20 CFR 325.5 and 20 CFR 335.5.
    The RRB provides Form UI-63, Application for Benefits Due But 
Unpaid at Death, to those applying for the accrued sickness or 
unemployment benefits unpaid at the death of the employee and for 
obtaining the information needed to identify the proper payee. One 
response is requested of each respondent. Completion is required to 
obtain a benefit.
    Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has already published the 
initial 60-day notice (79 FR 66002 on November 6, 2014) required by 44 
U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.

Information Collection Request (ICR)

    Title: Application for Benefits Due but Unpaid at Death.
    OMB Control Number: 3220-0055.
    Form(s) submitted: UI-63.
    Type of request: Extension without change of a currently approved 
collection.
    Affected public: Individuals or Households.
    Abstract: The collection obtains the information needed by the 
Railroad Retirement Board to pay benefits accrued under section 2(g) of 
the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act, but not paid because of the 
death of the employee.
    Changes proposed: The RRB proposes no changes to Form UI-63.
    The burden estimate for the ICR is as follows:

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                                                                      Annual           Time           Burden
                            Form No.                                 responses       (minutes)        (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
UI-63...........................................................              25               7               3
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    2. Title and Purpose of information collection: Medicare; OMB 3220-
0082.
    Under Section 7(d) of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA), the 
Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) administers the Medicare program for 
persons covered by the railroad retirement system. The RRB uses Form 
AA-6, Employee Application for Medicare; Form AA-7, Spouse/Divorced 
Spouse Application for Medicare; and Form AA-8, Widow/Widower 
Application for Medicare; to obtain the information needed to determine 
whether individuals who have not yet filed for benefits under the RRA 
are qualified for Medicare payments provided under Title XVIII of the 
Social Security Act.
    Further, in order to determine if a qualified railroad retirement 
beneficiary who is claiming supplementary medical insurance coverage 
under Medicare is entitled to a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) and/or 
premium surcharge relief because of coverage under an Employer Group 
Health Plan (EGHP), the RRB needs to obtain information regarding the 
claimant's EGHP coverage, if any. The RRB uses Form RL-311-F, Evidence 
of Coverage Under An Employer Group Health Plan, to obtain the basic 
information needed to establish EGHP coverage for a qualified railroad 
retirement beneficiary.
    Completion of the forms is required to obtain a benefit. One 
response is requested of each respondent.
    Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has already published the 
initial 60-day notice (79 FR 66003 on November 6, 2014) required by 44 
U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.

Information Collection Request (ICR)

    Title: Medicare.
    OMB Control Number: 3220-0082.
    Form submitted: AA-6, AA-7, AA-8 and RL-311-F.
    Type of request: Extension without change of a currently approved 
collection.
    Affected public: Individuals or Households; Businesses or other for 
profits.
    Abstract: The Railroad Retirement Board administers the Medicare 
program for persons covered by the railroad retirement system. The 
forms in the collection obtain both information needed to enroll non-
retired employees and survivor applicants in the plan and information 
from railroad employers needed to determine if a railroad retirement 
beneficiary is entitled to a special enrollment period when applying 
for supplemental medical coverage under Medicare.
    Changes proposed: The RRB proposes no changes to Forms AA-6, AA-7, 
AA-8 or RL-311-F.
    The burden estimate for the ICR is as follows:

[[Page 3999]]



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                                                                      Annual           Time           Burden
                            Form No.                                 responses       (minutes)        (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AA-6............................................................             180               8              24
AA-7............................................................              50               8               7
AA-8............................................................              10               8               1
RL-311-F........................................................           2,000              10             333
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................................           2,240  ..............             365
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    3. Title and Purpose of information collection: Request to Non-
Railroad Employer for Information About Annuitant's Work and Earnings; 
OMB 3220-0107.
    Under Section 2 of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA), a railroad 
employee's retirement annuity or an annuity paid to the spouse of a 
railroad employee is subject to work deductions in the Tier II 
component of the annuity and any employee supplemental annuity for any 
month in which the annuitant works for a Last Pre-Retirement Non-
Railroad Employer (LPE). The LPE is defined as the last person, 
company, or institution, other than a railroad employer, that employed 
an employee or spouse annuitant. In addition, the employee, spouse, or 
divorced spouse Tier I annuity benefit is subject to work deductions 
under Section 2(f)(1) of the RRA for earnings from any non-railroad 
employer that are over the annual exempt amount. The regulations 
pertaining to non-payment of annuities by reason of work and LPE are 
contained in 20 CFR 230.1 and 230.2.
    The RRB utilizes Form RL-231-F, Request to Non-Railroad Employer 
for Information About Annuitant's Work and Earnings, to obtain the 
information needed to determine if a work deduction should be applied 
because an annuitant worked in non-railroad employment after the 
annuity beginning date. One response is requested of each respondent. 
Completion is voluntary.
    Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has already published the 
initial 60-day notice (79 FR 66003 on November 6, 2014) required by 44 
U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.

Information Collection Request (ICR)

    Title: Request to Non-Railroad Employer for Information About 
Annuitant's Work and Earnings.
    OMB Control Number: 3220-0107.
    Form(s) submitted: RL-231-F.
    Type of request: Extension without change of a currently approved 
collection.
    Affected public: Private Sector; Businesses or other for-profits, 
Not-for-profit institutions.
    Abstract: Under the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA), benefits are not 
payable if an annuitant works for an employer covered under the RRA or 
last non-railroad employer. The collection obtains information 
regarding an annuitant's work and earnings from a non-railroad 
employer. The information is used to determine whether benefits should 
be withheld.
    Changes proposed: The RRB proposes no changes to Form RL-231-F.
    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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RL-231-F.....................................................             300               30              150
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    4. Title and Purpose of information collection: Gross Earnings 
Report; OMB 3220-0132.
    In order to carry out the financial interchange provisions of 
section 7(c)(2) of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA), the RRB obtains 
annually from railroad employer's the gross earnings for their 
employees on a one-percent basis, i.e., 1% of each employer's railroad 
employees. The gross earnings sample is based on the earnings of 
employees whose social security numbers end with the digits ``30.'' The 
gross earnings are used to compute payroll taxes under the financial 
interchange.
    The gross earnings information is essential in determining the tax 
amounts involved in the financial interchange with the Social Security 
Administration and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Besides 
being necessary for current financial interchange calculations, the 
gross earnings file tabulations are also an integral part of the data 
needed to estimate future tax income and corresponding financial 
interchange amounts. These estimates are made for internal use and to 
satisfy requests from other government agencies and interested groups. 
In addition, cash flow projections of the social security equivalent 
benefit account, railroad retirement account and cost estimates made 
for proposed amendments to laws administered by the RRB are dependent 
on input developed from the information collection.
    The RRB utilizes Form BA-11 to obtain gross earnings information 
from railroad employers. Employers have the option of preparing and 
submitting BA-11 reports online via the RRB's Employer Reporting System 
or on paper (or in like format) on magnetic tape cartridges, by File 
Transfer Protocol (FTP), or secure Email. The online BA-11 includes the 
option to file a ``negative report'' (no employees, or no employees 
with the digits ``30''). Completion is mandatory. One response is 
requested of each respondent.
    Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has already published the 
initial 60-day notice (79 FR 66003 on November 6, 2014) required by 44 
U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.

Information Collection Request (ICR)

    Title: Gross Earnings Report.
    OMB Control Number: 3220-0132.
    Form(s) submitted: BA-11, BA-11 (Internet).
    Type of request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Affected public: Private Sector; Businesses or other for-profits.
    Abstract: Section 7(c)(2) of the Railroad Retirement Act requires a 
financial interchange between the OASDHI trust funds and the railroad 
retirement account. The collection obtains gross earnings of railway 
employees on a 1% basis. The information is used to determine the 
amount which would place the OASDHI

[[Page 4000]]

trust funds in the position they would have been if railroad service 
had been covered by the Social Security and FIC Acts.
    Changes proposed: The RRB proposes to formally eliminate the paper 
and magnetic tape cartridge versions of Form BA-11 from the information 
collection.
    The burden estimate for the ICR is as follows:

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                                                                      Annual           Time           Burden
                            Form No.                                 responses       (minutes)        (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BA-11 File Transfer Protocol....................................               7   300 (5 hours)              35
BA-11 CD-ROM....................................................               5              30               2
BA-11 Secure E-mail.............................................               5              30               2
BA-11 (Internet)--Positive......................................             137              30              68
BA-11 (Internet)--Negative......................................             329              15              82
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................................             483  ..............             189
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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. 2015-01299 Filed 1-23-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7905-01-P