[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 76 (Thursday, April 22, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21361-21363]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-08300]


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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: Claimant Appeal 
Under the Railroad Retirement Act or Railroad Unemployment Insurance 
Act; OMB 3220-0007.
    Under Section 7(b)(3) of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA) (45 
U.S.C. 231f), and Section 5(c) of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance 
Act (RUIA) (45 U.S.C. 355) any person aggrieved by a decision made by 
an office of the RRB on his or her application for an annuity or 
benefit under those Acts has the right to appeal to the RRB. This right 
is prescribed in 20 CFR 260 and 20 CFR 320. The notification letter, 
which is provided at the time of filing the original application, 
informs the applicant of such right. When an applicant protests a 
decision, the concerned RRB office reviews the entire file and any 
additional evidence submitted and sends the applicant a letter 
explaining the basis of the determination. The applicant is then 
notified that to protest further, they can appeal to the RRB's Bureau 
of Hearings and Appeals. The appeal process is prescribed in 20 CFR 
260.5 and 260.9 and 20 CFR 320.12 and 320.38.
    To file a request for an appeal the applicant must complete Form 
HA-1, Appeal Under the Railroad Retirement Act or Railroad Unemployment 
Insurance Act. The form asks the applicant to explain the basis for 
their request for an appeal and, if necessary, to describe any 
additional evidence they wish to submit in support of the appeal. 
Completion is voluntary, however, if the information is not provided 
the RRB cannot process the appeal. The RRB proposes minor changes to 
Form HA-1 to the reference citation and minor grammar on page 2.

                                      Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                    Annual
                           Form No.                               responses     Time  (minutes)  Burden  (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HA-1.........................................................             550               20              183
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    2. 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 (45 
U.S.C. 352), 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. The RRB proposes no changes to Form UI-63.

                                      Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                    Annual
                           Form No.                               responses      Time (minutes)   Burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
UI-63........................................................              24                7                3
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    3. Title and purpose of information collection: Medicare; OMB 3220-
0082.
    Under Section 7(d) of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA) (45 U.S.C. 
231f), 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

[[Page 21362]]

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. The RRB proposes no changes 
to the forms AA-6, AA-7, or AA-8. The RRB proposed the following 
changes to Form RL-311-F:
     Add the option to return the form by facsimile.
     Changed question 4 to replace working with employed, add 
an employment start date for the employee, and add additional 
instructions.

                                      Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                      Annual
                            Form No.                                 responses    Time (minutes)  Burden (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
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    4. 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) (45 U.S.C. 
231a), 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. The RRB proposes no changes to Form RL-231-F.

                                      Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                    Annual
                           Form No.                               responses      Time (minutes)   Burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RL-231-F.....................................................             300               30              150
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    5. Title and purpose of information collection: Annual Earnings 
Questionnaire for Annuitants in Last Pre-Retirement Non-Railroad 
Employment; OMB 3220-0179.
    Under Section 2(e)(3) of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA) (45 
U.S.C. 231a), an annuity is not payable for any month in which a 
beneficiary works for a railroad. In addition, an annuity is reduced 
for any month in which the beneficiary works for an employer other than 
a railroad employer and earns more than a prescribed amount. Under the 
1988 amendments to the RRA, the Tier II portion of the regular annuity 
and any supplemental annuity must be reduced by one dollar for each two 
dollars of Last Pre-Retirement Non-Railroad Employment (LPE) earnings 
for each month of such service. However, the reduction cannot exceed 50 
percent of the Tier II and supplemental annuity amount for the month to 
which such deductions apply. The LPE generally refers to an annuitant's 
last employment with a non-railroad person, company, or institution 
prior to retirement, which was performed at the same time as railroad 
employment or after the annuitant stopped railroad employment. The 
collection obtains earnings information needed by the RRB to determine 
if possible reductions in annuities are in order due to LPE.
    The RRB utilizes Form G-19L, Annual Earnings Questionnaire, to 
obtain LPE earnings information from annuitants. One response is 
requested of each respondent. Completion is required to retain a 
benefit. The RRB proposes no changes to Form G-19L.

                                      Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                    Annual
                           Form No.                               responses      Time (minutes)   Burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G-19L........................................................             300               15               75
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[[Page 21363]]

    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 D. Foster,
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2021-08300 Filed 4-21-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7905-01-P