[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 179 (Tuesday, September 15, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57256-57260]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-20306]


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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

[[Page 57257]]

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: Supplemental 
Information on Accident and Insurance; OMB 3220-0036.
    Under Section 12(o) of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act 
(RUIA) (45 U.S.C 362 (o)), the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) is 
entitled to reimbursement of the sickness benefits paid to a railroad 
employee if the employee receives a sum or damages for the same 
infirmity for which the benefits are paid. Section 2(f) of the RUIA 
requires employers to reimburse the RRB for days in which salary, 
wages, pay for time lost or other remuneration is later determined to 
be payable. Reimbursements under section 2(f) generally result from the 
award of pay for time lost or the payment of guaranteed wages. The RUIA 
prescribes that the amount of benefits paid be deducted and held by the 
employer in a special fund for reimbursement to the RRB.
    The RRB currently utilizes Forms SI-1c, Supplemental Information on 
Accident and Insurance; SI-5, Report of Payments to Employee Claiming 
Sickness Benefits Under the RUIA; ID-3s and ID-3s (internet), Request 
for Lien Information--Report of Settlement; ID-3s-1, Lien Information 
Under Section 12(o) of the RUIA; ID-3u and ID-3u (internet), Request 
for Section 2(f) Information; ID-30k, Notice to Request Supplemental 
Information on Injury or Illness; and ID-30k-1, Notice to Request 
Supplemental Information on Injury or Illness; to obtain the necessary 
information from claimants and railroad employers. Completion is 
required to obtain benefits. One response is requested of each 
respondent. The RRB proposes no changes to SI-1c, SI-5, ID-3s, ID-3s 
(internet), ID-3u, ID-3u (internet), and ID-30k. The RRB proposes to 
remove Form ID-30K-1 from the Information Collection due to less than 
10 responses per year.

                                      Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                      Annual
                            Form No.                                 responses         Time       Burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SI-1c...........................................................           1,700               5             142
SI-5............................................................             100               5               8
ID-3s (paper & telephone).......................................           2,000               3             100
ID-3s (internet)................................................           2,000               3             100
ID-3s-1 (paper & telephone).....................................           1,200               3              60
ID-3u (paper & telephone).......................................           1,000               3              50
ID-3u (internet)................................................             800               3              40
ID-30k..........................................................             100               5               8
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................................           8,900  ..............             508
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    2. Title and purpose of information collection: Pension Plan 
Reports; OMB 3220-0089.
    Under Section 2(b) of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA) (45 U.S.C. 
231a), 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 1 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 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 monthly pension payments from such a plan, or was 
required to receive a lump sum from such a plan due to the plan's small 
benefit provision; and (c) 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 and G-88p (internet), 
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.
    The RRB proposes no changes to G-88P and G-88P (internet). The RRB 
proposes the following minor non-burden impacting changes to Form G-
88R:
     Change work unit contact from ``RAC'' to ``SESC'' and
     update the fax number to the current number.

                                      Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                      Annual
                            Form No.                                 responses    Time (minutes)  Burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G-88p...........................................................             100               8              13

[[Page 57258]]

 
G-88p (internet)................................................             200               6              20
G-88r...........................................................              10               8               1
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................................             310  ..............              34
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    3. Title and purpose of information collection: Statement Regarding 
Contributions and Support; OMB 3220-0099.
    Under Section 2 of the Railroad Retirement Act (45 U.S.C. 231a), 
dependency on an employee for one-half support at the time of the 
employee's death can affect (1) entitlement to a survivor annuity when 
the survivor is a parent of the deceased employee; (2) the amount of 
spouse and survivor annuities; and (3) the Tier II restored amount 
payable to a widow(er) whose annuity was reduced for receipt of an 
employee annuity, and who was dependent on the railroad employee in the 
year prior to the employee's death. One-half support may also negate 
the public service pension offset in Tier I for a spouse or widow(er). 
The Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) utilizes Form G-134, Statement 
Regarding Contributions and Support, to secure information needed to 
adequately determine if the applicant meets the one-half support 
requirement. One response is completed by each respondent. Completion 
is required to obtain benefits. The RRB proposes a minor editorial 
change to Form G-134 to change the date under Section 1 ``General 
Instructions''.

                                      Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                      Annual
                            Form No.                                 responses    Time (minutes)  Burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G-134:
    With Assistance.............................................              75             147             184
    Without assistance..........................................              25             180              75
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
        Total...................................................             100  ..............             259
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    4. Title and purpose of information collection: Financial 
Disclosure Statement; OMB 3220-0127.
    Under Section 10 of the Railroad Retirement Act and Section 2(d) of 
the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (45 U.S.C. 231i), the RRB may 
recover overpayments of annuities, pensions, death benefits, 
unemployment benefits, and sickness benefits that were made 
erroneously. An overpayment may be waived if the beneficiary was not at 
fault in causing the overpayment and recovery would cause financial 
hardship. The regulations for the recovery and waiver of erroneous 
payments are contained in 20 CFR 255 and CFR 340.
    The RRB utilizes Form DR-423, Financial Disclosure Statement, to 
obtain information about the overpaid beneficiary's income, debts, and 
expenses if that person indicates that (s)he cannot make restitution 
for the overpayment. The information is used to determine if the 
overpayment should be waived as wholly or partially uncollectible. If 
waiver is denied, the information is used to determine the size and 
frequency of installment payments. The beneficiary is made aware of the 
overpayment by letter and is offered a variety of methods for recovery. 
One response is requested of each respondent. Completion is voluntary. 
However, failure to provide the requested information may result in a 
denial of the waiver request. The RRB proposes no changes to Form DR-
423.

                                      Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                    Annual
                           Form No.                               responses      Time (minutes)   Burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR-423.......................................................           1,200               85            1,700
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    6. Title and purpose of information collection: Representative 
Payee Monitoring; OMB 3220-0151.
    Under Section 12 of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA) (45 U.S.C. 
231k), the RRB may pay annuity benefits to a representative payee when 
an employee, spouse, or survivor annuitant is incompetent or a minor. 
The RRB is responsible for determining if direct payment to an 
annuitant or a representative payee would best serve the annuitant's 
best interest. The accountability requirements authorizing the RRB to 
conduct periodic monitoring of representative payees, including a 
written accounting of benefit payments received, are prescribed in 20 
CFR 266.7. The RRB utilizes the following forms to conduct its 
representative payee monitoring program.
    Form G-99a, Representative Payee Report, is used to obtain 
information needed to determine whether the benefit payments certified 
to the representative payee have been used for the annuitant's current 
maintenance and personal needs and whether the representative payee 
continues to be concerned with the annuitant's welfare. RRB Form G-99c, 
Representative Payee Evaluation Report, is used to obtain more detailed 
information from a representative payee who fails to complete and 
return Form G-99a or in situations when the returned Form G-99a 
indicates the possible misuse of funds by the representative payee. 
Form G-99c contains specific questions

[[Page 57259]]

concerning the representative payee's performance and is used by the 
RRB to determine whether or not the representative payee should 
continue in that capacity. The RRB proposes the following changes to 
Form G-99a:
     Add drop-down box ``Second Request'' at the top of the 
form to when the RRB needs to follow-up with a Representative Payee who 
did not response to the initial request.
     Add computer-generated address fields to mail the form to 
a Representative Payee.
     Slight change to question's 1, 3, and 9 wording to clarify 
and improve the reliability of responses.
    The RRB proposes the following change to Form G-99c:
     Slight change question 9 wording to clarify and improve 
the reliability of responses.
    Form G-106, Statement of Care and Responsibility to Annuitant is 
used in cases where the representative payee does not have custody of 
the annuitant. Form G-106 is used to solicit information about the 
representative payee's performance and the annuitant's well-being from 
the custodian of the annuitant. The form contains specific questions 
concerning the representative payee's performance, and is used by the 
RRB to determine whether or not the representative payee should 
continue in that capacity. Completion of the forms in this collection 
is required to retain benefits.
    The RRB proposes no changes for Form G-106.

                                      Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                      Annual
                            Form No.                                 responses    Time (minutes)  Burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G-99a (legal and all other, excepting parent for child).........           5,300              18           1,590
G-99c (Parts I and II)..........................................             300              24             120
G-99c (Parts I, II, and III)....................................             120              31              62
G-106...........................................................             500              10              83
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................................           6,220  ..............           1,885
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    7. Title and purpose of information collection: Earnings 
Information Request; OMB 3220-0184.
    Under Section 2 of the Railroad Retirement Act (45 U.S.C. 231a), an 
annuity is not payable, or is reduced for any month(s) in which the 
beneficiary works for a railroad or earns more than prescribed amounts. 
The provisions relating to the reduction or non-payment of annuities by 
reason of work are prescribed in 20 CFR 230.
    The RRB utilizes Form G-19-F, Earnings Information Request, to 
obtain earnings information that either had not been previously 
reported or erroneously reported by a beneficiary. Currently the 
claimant is asked to enter the date they stopped working, if 
applicable. If a respondent fails to complete the form, the RRB may be 
unable to pay them benefits. One response is requested of each 
respondent. The RRB proposes no changes to the Form G-19-F.

                                      Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                      Annual
                            Form No.                                 responses    Time (minutes)  Burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G-19-F..........................................................             900               8             120
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................................             900  ..............             120
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    8. Title and purpose of information collection: Job Information 
Report, OMB 3220-0193.
    The Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) occupational disability 
standards allow the RRB to request job information from railroad 
employers to determine an applicant's eligibility for an occupational 
disability.
    To determine an occupational disability, the RRB must obtain the 
employee's work history and establish if the employee is precluded from 
performing his or her regular railroad occupation. This is accomplished 
by comparing the restrictions caused by the impairment(s) against the 
employee's ability to perform his or her job duties.
    To collect the information needed to determine the effect of a 
disability on an employee applicant's ability to work, the RRB utilizes 
Form G-251, Vocational Report (OMB 3220-0141) which is completed by the 
applicant.
    Form G-251A, Railroad Job Information, requests railroad employers 
to provide information regarding whether the employee has been 
medically disqualified from their railroad occupation; a summary of the 
employee's duties; the machinery, tools and equipment used by the 
employee; the environmental conditions under which the employee 
performs their duties; all sensory requirements (vision, hearing, 
speech) needed to perform the employee's duties; the physical actions 
and amount of time (frequency) allotted for those actions that may be 
required by the employee to perform their duties during a typical work 
day; any permanent working accommodations an employer may have made due 
to the employee's disability; as well as any other relevant information 
they may choose to include. Completion is voluntary. The RRB proposes 
no changes to Form G-251A.

                                      Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                    Annual
                           Form No.                               responses      Time (minutes)   Burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G-251A.......................................................             500               60              500
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 57260]]

    9. Title and purpose of information collection: Statement Regarding 
Contributions and Support of Children; OMB 3220-0195.
    Section 2(d)(4) of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA) (45 U.S.C. 
231a), provides, in part, that a child is deemed dependent if the 
conditions set forth in Section 202(d)(3), (4) and (9) of the Social 
Security Act are met. Section 202(d)(4) of the Social Security Act, as 
amended by Public Law 104-121, requires as a condition of dependency, 
that a child receives one-half of his or her support from the 
stepparent. This dependency impacts upon the entitlement of a spouse or 
survivor of an employee whose entitlement is based upon having a 
stepchild of the employee in care, or on an individual seeking a 
child's annuity as a stepchild of an employee. Therefore, depending on 
the employee for at least one-half support is a condition affecting 
eligibility for increasing an employee or spouse annuity under the 
social security overall minimum provisions on the basis of the presence 
of a dependent child, the employee's natural child in limited 
situations, adopted children, stepchildren, grandchildren, step-
grandchildren and equitably adopted children. The regulations outlining 
child support and dependency requirements are prescribed in 20 CFR 
222.50-57.
    In order to correctly determine if an applicant is entitled to a 
child's annuity based on actual dependency, the RRB uses Form G-139, 
Statement Regarding Contributions and Support of Children, to obtain 
financial information needed to make a comparison between the amount of 
support received from the railroad employee and the amount received 
from other sources. Completion is required to obtain a benefit. One 
response is required of each respondent. The RRB proposes a minor 
editorial change to Form G-139 to change the date under Section 1 
``General Instructions''.

                                      Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                    Annual
                           Form No.                               responses      Time (minutes)   Burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G-139........................................................             500               60              500
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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. 2020-20306 Filed 9-14-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7905-01-P