[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 238 (Monday, December 12, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 89521-89523]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-29602]


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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 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 the RRB 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
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                      Annual
                            Form No.                                 responses    Time (minutes)  Burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ES-2............................................................           3,750             .25              16
ES-21...........................................................              80             .68             0.9
ES-21c..........................................................              25            1.50             0.6
UI-35 in person.................................................           6,300            7.00             735
UI-35 by mail...................................................             700           10.50             123
Job Vacancies...................................................             470           10.00              78
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................................          11,325  ..............             953
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 89522]]

    2. Title and purpose of information collection: Certification 
Regarding Rights to Unemployment Benefits; OMB 3220-0079.
    Under Section 4 of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA), 
an employee who leaves work voluntarily is disqualified for 
unemployment benefits unless the employee left work for good cause and 
is not qualified for unemployment benefits under any other law. RRB 
Form UI-45, Claimant's Statement--Voluntary Leaving of Work, is used by 
the RRB to obtain the claimant's statement when the claimant, the 
claimant's employer, or another source indicates that the claimant has 
voluntarily left work.
    Completion of Form UI-45 is required to obtain or retain benefits. 
One response is received from each respondent. The RRB proposes no 
changes to Form UI-45.

                                      Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                      Annual
                            Form No.                                 responses    Time (minutes)  Burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
UI-45...........................................................             200              15              50
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................................             200  ..............              50
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    3. Title and purpose of information collection: Self-Employment and 
Substantial Service Questionnaire; OMB 3220-0138.
    Section 2 of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA) provides for payment 
of annuities to qualified employees and their spouses. In order to 
receive an age and service annuity, Section 2(e)(3) states that an 
applicant must stop all railroad work and give up any rights to return 
to such work. However, applicants are not required to stop nonrailroad 
work or self-employment.
    The RRB considers some work claimed as ``self-employment'' to 
actually be employment for an employer. Whether the RRB classifies a 
particular activity as self-employment or as work for an employer 
depends upon the circumstances of each case. These circumstances are 
prescribed in 20 CFR 216.
    Under the 1988 amendments to the RRA, an applicant is no longer 
required to stop work for a ``Last Pre-Retirement Nonrailroad 
Employer'' (LPE). However, Section 2(f)(6) of the RRA requires that a 
portion of the employee's Tier II benefit and supplemental annuity be 
deducted for earnings from the ``LPE.''
    The ``LPE'' is defined as the last person, company, or institution 
with whom the employee or spouse applicant was employed concurrently 
with, or after, the applicant's last railroad employment and before 
their annuity beginning date. If a spouse never worked for a railroad, 
the LPE is the last person for whom he or she worked.
    The RRB utilizes Form AA-4, Self-Employment and Substantial Service 
Questionnaire, to obtain information needed to determine if the work 
the applicant claims is self-employment is really self-employment or 
work for an LPE or railroad service. If the work is self-employment, 
the questionnaire identifies any month in which the applicant did not 
perform substantial service. One response is requested of each 
respondent. Completion is voluntary. However, failure to complete the 
form could result in the nonpayment of benefits. The RRB proposes no 
changes to Form AA-4.

                                      Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                      Annual
                            Form No.                                 responses    Time (minutes)  Burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AA-4 (With assistance)..........................................             570              40             380
AA-4 (Without assistance).......................................              30              70              35
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................................             600  ..............             415
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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.

                                      Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                      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

[[Page 89523]]

[email protected]. Comments regarding the information collection 
should be addressed to Brian Foster, Railroad Retirement Board, 844 
North Rush Street, Chicago, Illinois 60611-1275 or emailed to 
[email protected]. Written comments should be received within 60 
days of this notice.

Brian D. Foster,
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2016-29602 Filed 12-9-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7905-01-P