[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 178 (Friday, September 13, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48381-48383]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-19820]


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RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD


Proposed Collection; Comment Request

    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: Evidence of Marital 
Relationship--Living with Requirements; OMB 3220-0021.
    To support an application for a spouse or widow(er)'s annuity under 
Sections 2(c) or 2(d) (45 U.S.C. 231a) of the Railroad Retirement Act, 
an applicant must submit proof of a valid marriage to a railroad 
employee. In some cases, the existence of a marital relationship is not 
formalized by a civil or religious ceremony. In other cases, questions 
may arise about the legal termination of a prior marriage of the 
employee, spouse, or widow(er). In these instances, the RRB must secure 
additional information to resolve questionable marital relationships. 
The circumstances requiring an applicant to submit documentary evidence 
of marriage are prescribed in 20 CFR 219.30.
    In the absence of documentary evidence, the RRB needs to determine 
if a valid marriage existed between a spouse or widow(er) annuity 
applicant and a railroad employee. The RRB utilizes Forms G-124, 
Individual Statement of Marital Relationship; G-124a, Certification of 
Marriage Information; G-237, Statement Regarding Marital Status; G-238, 
Statement of Residence; and G-238a, Statement Regarding Divorce or 
Annulment, to secure the needed information. Forms G-124, G-237, G-238, 
and G-238a can be completed either with assistance from RRB personnel 
during an in-office interview or by mail. One response is requested of 
each respondent. Completion is required to obtain benefits. The RRB 
proposes minor non-burden impacting changes to the forms in the 
collection.

                                      Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                      Annual
                            Form No.                                 responses    Time (minutes)  Burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G-124 (in person)...............................................             125              15              31
G-124 (by mail).................................................              75              20              25
G-124a..........................................................             300              10              50
G-237 (in person)...............................................              75              15              19
G-237 (by mail).................................................              75              20              25
G-238 (in person)...............................................             150               3               8
G-238 (by mail).................................................             150               5              13
G-238a..........................................................             150              10              25
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................................           1,100  ..............             196
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    2. Title and purpose of information collection: Application to Act 
as Representative Payee; OMB 3220-0052.
    Under Section 12 of the Railroad Retirement Act (45 U.S.C. 231k), 
the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) may pay benefits to a 
representative payee when an employee, spouse or survivor annuitant is 
incompetent or is a minor. A representative payee may be a court-
appointed guardian, a statutory conservator or an individual selected 
by the RRB. The procedures pertaining to the appointment and 
responsibilities of a representative payee are prescribed in 20 CFR 
266.
    The forms furnished by the RRB to apply for representative payee 
status, and for securing the information needed to support the 
application follow. RRB Form AA-5, Application for Substitution of 
Payee, obtains information needed to determine the selection of a 
representative payee who will serve in the best interest of the 
beneficiary. RRB Form G-478, Statement Regarding Patient's Capability 
to Manage Benefits, obtains information about an annuitant's capability 
to manage their own benefits. The form is completed by the annuitant's 
personal physician or by a medical officer, if the annuitant is in an 
institution. It is not required when a court has appointed an 
individual or institution to manage the annuitant's funds or, in the 
absence of such appointment, when the annuitant is a minor. The RRB 
also provides representative payees with a booklet at the time of their 
appointment. The booklet, RRB Form RB-5, Your Duties as Representative 
Payee-Representative Payee's Record, advises representative payees of 
their responsibilities under 20 CFR 266.9 and provides a means for the 
representative payee to maintain records pertaining to the receipt and 
use of RRB benefits. The booklet is provided for the representative 
payee's convenience. The RRB also accepts records that are kept by 
representative payee's as part of a common business practice. 
Completion is voluntary. One response is requested of each respondent. 
The RRB proposes no changes to the forms in the collection.

[[Page 48382]]



                                      Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                      Annual
                            Form No.                                 responses    Time (minutes)  Burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AA-5............................................................           3,000              18           900.0
    Individuals.................................................           2,250  ..............           675.0
    Institutions................................................             750  ..............           225.0
G-478...........................................................           2,000               6           200.0
RB-5............................................................          15,300              60          15,300
    Individuals.................................................          11,475  ..............          11,475
    Institutions................................................           3,825  ..............           3,825
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
        Total...................................................          20,300  ..............          16,350
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    3. Title and purpose of information collection: Employer Service 
and Compensation Reports; OMB 3220-0070.
    Section 2(c) of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA) (45 
U.S.C.352) specifies the maximum normal unemployment and sickness 
benefits that may be paid in a benefit year. Section 2(c) further 
provides for extended benefits for certain employees and for beginning 
a benefit year early for other employees. The conditions for these 
actions are prescribed in 20 CFR 302.
    All information about creditable railroad service and compensation 
needed by the RRB to administer Section 2(c) is not always available 
from annual reports filed by railroad employers with the RRB (OMB 3220-
0008). When this occurs, the RRB must obtain supplemental information 
about service and compensation.
    The RRB utilizes Form UI-41, Supplemental Report of Service and 
Compensation, and Form UI-41a, Supplemental Report of Compensation, to 
obtain the additional information about service and compensation from 
railroad employers. Completion of the forms is mandatory. One response 
is required of each respondent. The RRB proposes minor non-burden 
impacting changes to Form UI-41a.

                                      Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                      Annual           Time
                            Form No.                                 responses      (minutes)1/   Burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
UI-41...........................................................             100               8              13
UI-41a..........................................................              50               8               7
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................................             150  ..............              20
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    4. Title and purpose of information collection: Repayment of Debt; 
OMB 3220-0169.
    Section 2 of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA) (45 U.S.C. 231a) 
provides for payment of annuities to railroad employees who are retired 
due to age or disability and annuities or benefits to their eligible 
spouses, divorced spouses, and survivors. Section 2 of the Railroad 
Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA) (45 U.S.C. 352) provides for the 
payment of benefits to qualified railroad employees who are unemployed, 
but willing and able to work, and railroad employees who are unable to 
work due to sickness or injury. When an overpayment of RRA or RUIA 
benefits has occurred, prompt action is initiated to notify the 
annuitant or beneficiary of the overpayment and the method by which the 
debt may be liquidated. The overpayment recovery methods available are 
cash refund by check, money order, debit card and withholding of 
annuities or benefits due.
    Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) procedures pertaining to RRA 
annuity and benefit overpayment determinations and recovery are 
prescribed in 20 CFR part 255. RUIA procedures pertaining to benefit 
overpayment determinations are prescribed in 20 CFR part 340.
    When a debt is owed on an RRA or RUIA-related debt, the RRB mails 
Form DRL-145, Debt Notice, to the debtor; a Form G-421, Repayment 
Method Form, for the debtor to indicate how they will repay the debt; a 
Form G-66 or G-66B, Your Rights to Review and/or Waiver, which explains 
what they can do if they disagree with the amount of the debt; and a 
Form G-66A or G-66BA, Rights Request Form, to request their right to 
have us review and/or waiver the debt. Completion of Form G-421F is 
voluntary. The RRB proposes minor non-burden impacting changes to Form 
G-421F.

                                      Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                      Annual
                            Form No.                                 responses    Time (minutes)  Burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Form G-421F (RRA) activity......................................             360               5              30
Form G-421F (RUIA) activity.....................................             175               5              15
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................................             535  ..............              45
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 48383]]

    5. Title and purpose of information collection: Customer 
Satisfaction Monitoring; OMB 3220-0192.
    In accordance with Executive Order 12862, the Railroad Retirement 
Board (RRB) conducts a number of customer surveys designed to determine 
the kinds and quality of services our beneficiaries, claimants, 
employers and members of the public want and expect, as well as their 
satisfaction with existing RRB services. The information collected is 
used by RRB management to monitor customer satisfaction by determining 
to what extent services are satisfactory and where and to what extent 
services can be improved. The surveys are limited to data collections 
that solicit strictly voluntary opinions, and do not collect 
information which is required or regulated. The information collection, 
which was first approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
in 1997, provides the RRB with a generic clearance authority. This 
generic authority allows the RRB to submit a variety of new or revised 
customer survey instruments (needed to timely implement customer 
monitoring activities) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for 
expedited review and approval.

                                      Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                      Annual
                            Form No.                                 Responses    Time (minutes)  Burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G-201...........................................................              50               2               2
Web-Site Survey.................................................             300               5              25
Periodic Survey.................................................           1,020              12             204
Focus Groups....................................................             250             120             500
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................................           1,620  ..............             731
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Additional Information or Comments: To request more information or 
to obtain a copy of the information collection justification, forms, 
and/or supporting material, contact Kennisha Tucker at (312) 469-2591 
or [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 Foster,
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2019-19820 Filed 9-12-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7905-01-P