[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 181 (Tuesday, September 20, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57525-57527]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-20245]


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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: Employer Reporting; 
3220-0005.
    Under section 9 of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA) (45 U.S.C. 
231h), and section 6 of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA) 
(45 U.S.C. 356), railroad employers are required to submit reports of 
employee service and compensation to the RRB as needed for 
administering the RRA and RUIA. To pay benefits due on a deceased 
employee's earnings records or determine entitlement to, and amount of 
annuity applied for, it is necessary at times to obtain from railroad 
employers current (lag) service and compensation not yet reported to 
the RRB through the annual reporting process. The reporting 
requirements are specified in 20 CFR 209.6 and 209.7.
    The RRB currently utilizes the following forms to collect 
information to obtain the required lag service and related information 
from railroad employers: Form AA-12, Notice of Death and Request for 
Service Needed for Eligibility, Form G-88A.1 (or its internet 
equivalent, Form G-88A.1 (internet)), Request for Verification of Date 
Last Worked, and Form G-88A.2 (or its internet equivalent, Form G-88A.2 
(internet)), Notice of Retirement and Request for Service Needed for 
Eligibility. Form AA-12 obtains a report of lag service and 
compensation from the last railroad employer of a deceased employee. 
This report covers the lag period between the date of the latest record 
of employment processed by the RRB and the date an employee last 
worked, the date of death or the date the employee may have been 
entitled to benefits under the Social Security Act. The information is 
used by the RRB to determine benefits due on the deceased employee's 
earnings record. Form G-88A.1 is sent by the RRB via a computer-
generated listing or transmitted electronically via the RRB's Employer 
Reporting System (ERS) to employers. ERS consists of a series of 
screens with completion instructions and collects essentially the same 
information as the approved manual version. Form G-88A.1 is used for 
the specific purpose of verifying information previously provided to 
the RRB regarding the date last worked by an employee. If the 
information is correct, the employer need not reply. If the information 
is incorrect, the employer is asked to provide corrected information. 
Form G-88A.2 is used by the RRB to secure lag service and compensation 
information when it is needed to determine benefit eligibility.
    In addition, 20 CFR 209.12(b) requires all railroad employers to 
furnish the RRB with the home addresses of all employees hired within 
the last year (new-hires). Form BA-6a, Form BA-6 Address Report (or its 
internet equivalent, Form BA-6a (internet)) is used by the RRB to 
obtain home address information of employees from railroad

[[Page 57526]]

employers who do not have the home address information computerized and 
who submit the information in a paper format. The form also serves as 
an instruction sheet to railroad employers who submit the information 
electronically by CD-ROM. Completion of the forms is mandatory. 
Multiple responses may be filed by respondent.
    Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has already published the 
initial 60-day notice (87 FR 42216 on July 14, 2022) required by 44 
U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.

Information Collection Request (ICR)

    Title: Employer Reporting.
    OMB Control Number: 3220-0005.
    Form(s) submitted: AA-12, G-88A.1, G-88A.1 (internet), G-88A.2, G-
88A.2 (internet), BA-6a, BA-6a (internet), and BA-6a (email).
    Type of request: Extension without change of a currently approved 
collection.
    Affected public: Private sector; businesses or other for-profits.
    Abstract: Under the Railroad Retirement Act and the Railroad 
Unemployment Insurance Act, railroad employers are required to report 
service and compensation for employees needed to determine eligibility 
to and the amounts of benefits paid.
    Changes proposed: The RRB proposes no changes to Forms AA-12, G-
88A.1 (internet), G-88A.2 (internet), Form BA-6a (internet), and Forms 
G-88A.1, G-88A.2 and BA-6a.
    The burden estimate for the ICR is as follows:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                      Annual           Time           Burden
                            Form No.                                 responses       (minutes)        (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AA-12...........................................................              60               5               5
G-88A.1.........................................................             100               5               8
G-88A.1 Internet................................................             260               4              17
G-88A.1 Internet (Class 1 railroads)............................             144              16              38
G-88A.2.........................................................             100               5               8
G-88A.2 (Internet)..............................................           1,200             2.5              50
BA-6a (CD-ROM)..................................................              14              15               4
BA-6a (Email)...................................................              30              15               8
BA-6a (File Transfer Protocol)..................................              10              15               3
BA-6a Internet (RR initiated)...................................             250              17              71
BA-6a Internet (RRB initiated)..................................             250              12              50
BA-6a Paper (RR initiated)......................................              80              32              43
BA-6a Paper (RRB initiated).....................................             250              32             133
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................................           2,748  ..............             438
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    2. Title and purpose of information collection: Survivor 
Questionnaire; OMB 3220-0032.
    Under section 6 of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA) (45 U.S.C. 
231e), benefits that may be due on the death of a railroad employee or 
a survivor annuitant include (1) a lump-sum death benefit (2) a 
residual lump-sum payment (3) accrued annuities due but unpaid at 
death, and (4) monthly survivor insurance payments. The requirements 
for determining the entitlement of possible beneficiaries to these 
benefits are prescribed in 20 CFR 234.
    When the RRB receives notification of the death of a railroad 
employee or survivor annuitant, an RRB field office utilizes Form RL-
94-F, Survivor Questionnaire, to secure additional information from 
surviving relatives needed to determine if any further benefits are 
payable under the RRA. Completion is voluntary. One response is 
requested of each respondent.
    Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has already published the 
initial 60-day notice (87 FR 42217 on July 14, 2022) required by 44 
U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.

Information Collection Request (ICR)

    Title: Survivor Questionnaire.
    OMB Control Number: 3220-0032.
    Form(s) submitted: RL-94-F.
    Type of request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Affected public: Individuals or households.
    Abstract: Under section 6 of the Railroad Retirement Act, benefits 
are payable to the survivors or the estates of deceased railroad 
employees. The collection obtains information used to determine if and 
to whom benefits are payable, such as a widow(er) due survivor 
benefits, an executor of the estate, or a payer of burial expenses.
    Changes proposed: The RRB proposes the following to Form RL-94-F:
     On the cover page in the second paragraph: The address of 
the Department of the Treasury was updated to reflect the current 
mailing address.
    The burden estimate for the ICR is as follows:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                      Annual           Time           Burden
                            Form No.                                 responses       (minutes)        (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RL-94-F, Items 5-10, and 18.....................................              50               9               8
RL-94-F, Items 5-18.............................................           5,000              11             917
RL-94-F, Item 18 only...........................................             400               5              34
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................................           5,450  ..............             959
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    3. Title and Purpose of information collection: Request for 
Medicare Payment; OMB 3220-0131. Under section 7(d) of the Railroad 
Retirement Act (45 U.S.C. 231f), the RRB administers the Medicare 
program for persons covered by the railroad retirement system. The 
collection obtains the information needed by Palmetto GBA, the Medicare 
carrier for railroad retirement beneficiaries, to pay claims for 
payments under part B of the Medicare program. Authority for collecting 
the information is prescribed in 42 CFR 424.32.

[[Page 57527]]

    The RRB currently utilizes Forms G-740S, Patient's Request for 
Medicare Payment, along with Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services 
Form CMS-1500, to secure the information necessary to pay part B 
Medicare Claims. Completion is required to obtain a benefit. One 
response is completed for each claim.
    Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has already published the 
initial 60-day notice (87 FR 42218 on July 14, 2022) required by 44 
U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.

Information Collection Request (ICR)

    Title: Request for Medicare Payment.
    OMB Control Number: 3220-0131.
    Form(s) submitted: CMS-1500 and G-740S.
    Type of request: Extension without change of a currently approved 
collection.
    Affected public: Individuals or households.
    Abstract: The RRB administers the Medicare program for persons 
covered by the Railroad Retirement System. The collection obtains the 
information needed by Palmetto GBA, the RRB's carrier, to pay claims 
for services covered under part B of the program.
    Changes proposed: The RRB proposes no changes to Form G-740S.
    The burden estimate for the ICR is as follows:
    Estimated annual number of respondents: See Justification (Item No. 
12).
    Total annual responses: 1.
    Total annual reporting hours: 1.
    4. Title and purpose of information collection: Employer's Deemed 
Service Month Questionnaire; OMB 3220-0156.
    Section 3 (i) of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA) (45 U.S.C. 
231b), as amended by Public Law 98-76, provides that the Railroad 
Retirement Board (RRB), under certain circumstances, may deem 
additional months of service in cases where an employee does not 
actually work in every month of the year, provided the employee 
satisfies certain eligibility requirements, including the existence of 
an employment relation between the employee and his or her employer. 
The procedures pertaining to the deeming of additional months of 
service are found in the RRB's regulations at 20 CFR 210, Creditable 
Railroad Service.
    The RRB utilizes Form GL-99, Employer's Deemed Service Months 
Questionnaire, to obtain service and compensation information from 
railroad employers to determine if an employee can be credited with 
additional deemed months of railroad service. Completion is mandatory. 
One response is required for each RRB inquiry.
    Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has already published the 
initial 60-day notice (87 FR 42218 on July 14, 2022) required by 44 
U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.

Information Collection Request (ICR)

    Title: Employer's Deemed Service Month Questionnaire.
    OMB Control Number: 3220-0156.
    Form(s) submitted: GL-99.
    Type of request: Extension without change of a currently approved 
collection.
    Affected public: Private Sector; Businesses or other for-profits.
    Abstract: Under section 3(i) of the Railroad Retirement Act, the 
Railroad Retirement Board may deem months of service in cases where an 
employee does not actually work in every month of the year. The 
collection obtains service and compensation information from railroad 
employers needed to determine if an employee may be credited with 
additional months of railroad service.
    Changes proposed: The RRB proposes no changes to Form GL-99.
    The burden estimate for the ICR is as follows:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                      Annual           Time           Burden
                            Form No.                                 responses       (minutes)        (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GL-99...........................................................           2,000               2              67
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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. 2022-20245 Filed 9-19-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7905-01-P