[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 123 (Wednesday, June 28, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41993-41994]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-13670]


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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: Certification 
Regarding Rights to Unemployment Benefits; OMB 3220-0079.
    Under section 4 of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA) 
(45 U.S.C. 354), an employee who leaves work voluntarily is 
disqualified for unemployment benefits unless the employee left work 
for good cause and is not qualified for unemployment benefits under any 
other law. RRB Form UI-45, Claimant's Statement--Voluntary Leaving of 
Work, is used by the RRB to obtain the claimant's statement when the 
claimant, the claimant's employer, or another source indicates that the 
claimant has voluntarily left work.
    Completion of Form UI-45 is required to obtain or retain benefits. 
One response is received from each respondent. The RRB proposes no 
changes to Form UI-45.

                                      Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                        Form No.                          Annual responses    Time (minutes)     Burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
UI-45..................................................                200                 15                 50
                                                        --------------------------------------------------------
    Total..............................................                200  .................                 50
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    2. Title and purpose of information collection: Self-Employment and 
Substantial Service Questionnaire; OMB 3220-0138.
    Section 2 of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA) (45 U.S.C. 231a) 
provides for payment of annuities to qualified employees and their 
spouses. In order to receive an age and service annuity, section 
2(e)(3) states that an applicant must stop all railroad work and give 
up any rights to return to such work. However, applicants are not 
required to stop nonrailroad work or self-employment.
    The RRB considers some work claimed as ``self-employment'' to 
actually be employment for an employer. Whether the RRB classifies a 
particular activity as self-employment or as work for an employer 
depends upon the circumstances of each case. These circumstances are 
prescribed in 20 CFR 216.
    Under the 1988 amendments to the RRA, an applicant is no longer 
required to stop work for a ``Last Pre-Retirement Nonrailroad 
Employer'' (LPE). However, section 2(f)(6) of the RRA requires that a 
portion of the employee's Tier II benefit and supplemental annuity be 
deducted for earnings from the ``LPE.''
    The ``LPE'' is defined as the last person, company, or institution 
with whom the employee or spouse applicant was employed concurrently 
with, or after, the applicant's last railroad employment and before 
their annuity beginning date. If a spouse never worked for a railroad, 
the LPE is the last person for whom he or she worked.
    The RRB utilizes Form AA-4, Self-Employment and Substantial Service 
Questionnaire, to obtain information needed to determine if the work 
the applicant claims is self-employment is really self-employment or 
work for an LPE or railroad service. If the work is self-employment, 
the questionnaire identifies any month in which the applicant did not 
perform substantial service. One response is requested of each 
respondent.
    Completion is voluntary. However, failure to complete the form 
could result in the nonpayment of benefits. The RRB proposes no changes 
to Form AA-4.

[[Page 41994]]



                                      Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                        Form No.                          Annual responses    Time (minutes)     Burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AA-4 (With assistance).................................              1,109                 40                739
AA-4 (Without assistance)..............................                 58                 70                 68
                                                        --------------------------------------------------------
    Total..............................................              1,167  .................                807
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    3. Title and purpose of information collection: Vocational Report; 
OMB 3220-0141.
    Under section 2 of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA) (45 U.S.C. 
231a) provides for payment of disability annuities to qualified 
employees and widow(er)s. The establishment of permanent disability for 
work in the applicant's ``regular occupation'' or for work in any 
regular employment is prescribed in 20 CFR 220.12 and 220.13, 
respectively.
    To enable the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) to determine the 
effect of a disability on an applicant's ability to work, the RRB needs 
the applicant's work history. The RRB utilizes Form G-251, Vocational 
Report, to obtain this information.
    Form G-251 is provided to all applicants for employee disability 
annuities and to those applicants for a widow(er)'s disability annuity 
who indicate that they have been employed at some time. Form G-251 is 
designed for use with the RRB's disability benefit application forms. 
Form G-251 is similar to Form SSA-3369-BK, OMB 0960-0578. The RRB 
proposes the no changes to the Form G-251.

                                      Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                        Form No.                          Annual responses    Time (minutes)     Burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G-251 (with assistance)................................              2,866                 40              1,911
G-251 (without assistance).............................                136                 50                113
                                                        --------------------------------------------------------
    Total..............................................              3,002  .................              2,024
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    4. Title and purpose of information collection: Designation of 
Contact Officials; 3220-0200
    Under section 7(b)(6) of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA) (45 
U.S.C. 231) gives the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) the authority to 
require railroad employers to furnish information and records that are 
necessary for the administration of the Act. Coordination between 
railroad employers and the RRB is essential to properly administer the 
payment of benefits under the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA) and the 
Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA). In order to enhance timely 
coordination activity, the RRB utilizes Form G-117a, Designation of 
Contact Officials. Form G-117a is used by railroad employers to 
designate employees who are to act as point of contact with the RRB on 
a variety of RRA and RUIA-related matters.
    Completion is voluntary. One response is requested from each 
respondent. The RRB proposes to change the Form G-117a (Paper) by 
adding updated language in Section 12, Signature line. The language 
proposed is, ``The above officials of this employer are authorized to 
serve in the capacities indicated and to act as trusted referees for 
the RRB in accordance with the National Institute of Standards and 
Technology (NIST) Special Publication 800-63A guidelines for online 
reporting access.''
    The RRB proposes no changes to Form G-117a (internet).

                                      Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                        Form No.                          Annual responses    Time (minutes)     Burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G-117a (Paper).........................................                 25                 15                  6
G-117a (Internet)......................................                200                  5                 17
                                                        --------------------------------------------------------
    Total..............................................                100  .................                 23
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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 C. Money 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. 2023-13670 Filed 6-27-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7905-01-P