[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 227 (Tuesday, November 30, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67995-67996]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-26007]


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RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD


Agency Forms Submitted for OMB Review, Request for Comments

    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 
ICR describes 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: Employee's 
Certification; OMB 3220-0140.
    Section 2 of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA) (45 U.S.C. 231a), 
provides for the payment of an annuity to the spouse or divorced spouse 
of a retired railroad employee. For the spouse or divorced spouse to 
qualify for an annuity, the RRB must determine if any of the employee's 
current marriage to the applicant is valid.
    The requirements for obtaining documentary evidence to determine 
valid marital relationships are prescribed in 20 CFR 219.30 through 
219.35. Section 2(e) of the RRA requires that an employee must 
relinquish all rights to any railroad employer service before a spouse 
annuity can be paid.
    The RRB uses Form G-346, Employee's Certification, to obtain the 
information needed to determine whether the employee's current marriage 
is valid. Form G-346 is completed by the retired employee who is the 
husband or wife of the applicant for a spouse annuity. Completion is 
required to obtain a benefit. One response is requested of each 
respondent. The RRB proposes no changes to Form G-346 or Form G-346sum.
    Consistent with 20 CFR 217.17, the RRB uses Form G-346sum, 
Employee's Certification Summary, which mirrors the information 
collected on Form G-346, when an employee, after being interviewed by 
an RRB field office representative ``signs'' the form using an 
alternative signature method known as ``attestation.'' Attestation 
refers to the action taken by the RRB field office representative to 
confirm and annotate the RRB's records of the applicant's affirmation 
under penalty of perjury that the information provided is correct and 
the applicant's agreement to sign the form by proxy. Completion 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 (86 FR 53120 on September 24, 2021) required by 
44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.

Information Collection Request (ICR)

    Title: Employee's Certification.
    OMB Control Number: 3220-0140.
    Forms submitted: G-346 and G-346sum.
    Type of request: Extension without change of a currently approved 
collection.
    Affected public: Individuals or Households.
    Abstract: Under Section 2 of the Railroad Retirement Act, spouses 
of retired railroad employees may be entitled to an annuity. The 
collection obtains information from the employee about the employee's 
previous marriages, if any, to determine if any impediment exists to 
the marriage between the employee and his or her spouse.
    Changes proposed: The RRB proposes no changes to the forms in the 
collection.
    The burden estimate for the ICR is as follows:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                      Annual
                            Form No.                                 responses    Time (minutes)  Burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G-346...........................................................           3,300               5             300
G-346sum........................................................           2,260               5             188
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................................           5,560  ..............             488
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    2. Title and Purpose of information collection: Railroad Separation 
Allowance or Severance Pay Report; OMB 3220-0173.
    Section 6 of the Railroad Retirement Act (45 U.S.C. 231e) provides 
for a lump-sum payment to an employee or the employee's survivors equal 
to the Tier II taxes paid by the employee on a separation allowance or 
severance payment for which the employee did not receive credits toward 
retirement. The lump-sum is not payable until retirement benefits begin 
to accrue or the employee dies. Also, Section 4(a-1)(iii) of the 
Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act provides that a railroad employee 
who is paid a separation allowance is disqualified for unemployment and 
sickness benefits for the period of time the employee would have to 
work to earn the amount of the allowance. The reporting requirements 
are specified in 20 CFR 209.14.
    In order to calculate and provide payments, the Railroad Retirement 
Board (RRB) must collect and maintain records of separation allowances 
and severance payments which were subject to Tier II taxation from 
railroad employers. The RRB uses Form BA-9, Report of Separation 
Allowance or Severance Pay, to obtain information from railroad 
employers concerning the separation allowances and severance payments 
made to railroad employees and/or the survivors of railroad employees. 
Employers currently have the option of submitting their reports on

[[Page 67996]]

paper Form BA-9, (or in like format) on a CD-ROM, or by File Transfer 
Protocol (FTP), or Secure Email. Completion is mandatory. One response 
is requested of each respondent.
    Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has already published the 
initial 60-day notice (86 FR 53120 on September 24, 2021) required by 
44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.

Information Collection Request (ICR)

    Title: Railroad Separation Allowance or Severance Pay Report.
    OMB Control Number: 3220-0173.
    Form(s) submitted: BA-9.
    Type of request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Affected public: Private Sector; Businesses or other for profits.
    Abstract: Section 6 of the Railroad Retirement Act provides for a 
lump-sum payment to an employee or the employee's survivor equal to the 
Tier II taxes paid by the employee on a separation allowance or 
severance payment for which the employee did not receive credits toward 
retirement. The collection obtains information concerning the 
separation allowances and severance payments paid from railroad 
employers.
    Changes proposed: The RRB proposes no changes to the manual, CD-
ROM, secure email, or FTP Version of Form BA-9. The RRB proposes the 
addition of an internet equivalent version of Form BA-9 to the 
information collection.
    The burden estimate for the ICR is as follows:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                      Annual
                            Form No.                                 responses    Time (minutes)  Burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BA-9 (Paper)....................................................             100              76             127
BA-9 (Internet).................................................             215              15              54
BA-9 (CD-ROM)...................................................              10              76              13
BA-9 (Secure Email).............................................              25              76              32
BA-9 (FTP)......................................................              10              76              13
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................................             360  ..............             239
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Additional Information or Comments: Copies of the forms and 
supporting documents can be obtained from 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 
[email protected].
    Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information 
collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice 
to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular information 
collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--Open for 
Public Comments'' or by using the search function.

Brian Foster,
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2021-26007 Filed 11-29-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7905-01-P