[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 185 (Tuesday, September 26, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66067-66068]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-20792]


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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: Application and 
Claim for Unemployment Benefits and Employment Service; OMB 3220-0022.
    Section 2 of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA) (45 
U.S.C. 231), provides unemployment benefits for qualified railroad 
employees. These benefits are generally payable for each day of 
unemployment in excess of four during a registration period (normally a 
period of 14 days).
    Section 12 of the RUIA provides that the RRB establish, maintain 
and operate free employment facilities directed toward the reemployment 
of railroad employees. The procedures for applying for the unemployment 
benefits and employment service and for registering and claiming the 
benefits are prescribed in 20 CFR 325. 20 CFR 321 provides for applying 
and filing claims for unemployment benefits electronically.
    The RRB utilizes the following forms to collect the information 
necessary to pay unemployment benefits. Form UI-1 (or its internet 
equivalent, Form UI-1 (internet)), Application for Unemployment 
Benefits and Employment Service, is completed by a claimant for 
unemployment benefits once in a benefit year, at the time of first 
registration. Completion of Form UI-1 or UI-1 (internet) also registers 
an unemployment claimant for the RRB's employment service.
    The RRB also utilizes Form UI-3 (or its internet equivalent Form 
UI-3 (internet)), Claim for Unemployment Benefits, for use in claiming 
unemployment benefits for days of unemployment in a particular 
registration period, normally a period of 14 days.
    Completion of Forms UI-1, UI-1(internet), UI-3, and UI-3 (internet) 
is required to obtain or retain benefits. The number of responses 
required of each claimant varies, depending on their period of 
unemployment. The RRB proposes no changes to the forms in this 
information collection.

                                      Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                      Annual
                            Form No.                                 responses    Time (minutes)  Burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
UI-1............................................................           2,118              10             353
UI-1 (Internet).................................................           7,549              10           1,258
UI-3............................................................          23,724               6           2,372
UI-3 (Internet).................................................          82,027               6           8,203
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................................         115,418  ..............          12,186
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    2. Title and purpose of information collection: Placement Service; 
OMB 3220-0057.
    Section 12(i) of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA) (45 
U.S.C. 362), authorizes the RRB to establish, maintain, and operate 
free employment offices to provide claimants for unemployment benefits 
with job placement opportunities. Section 704(d) of the Regional 
Railroad Reorganization Act of 1973, as amended, and as extended by the 
Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, required the 
RRB to maintain and distribute a list of railroad job vacancies, by 
class and craft, based on information furnished by rail carriers to the 
RRB. Although the requirement under the law expired effective August 
13, 1987, the RRB has continued to obtain this information in keeping 
with its employment service responsibilities under section 12(k) of the 
RUIA. Application procedures for the job placement program are 
prescribed in 20 CFR 325. The procedures pertaining to the RRB's 
obtaining and distributing job vacancy

[[Page 66068]]

reports furnished by rail carriers are described in 20 CFR 346.1.
    The RRB currently utilizes four forms to obtain information needed 
to carry out its job placement responsibilities. Forms ES-21, Referral 
to State Employment Service, and ES-21c, Report of State Employment 
Service Office, are used by the RRB to provide placement assistance for 
unemployed railroad employees through arrangements with State 
Employment Service offices. Form UI-35, Field Office Record of Claimant 
Interview, is used primarily by the RRB to conduct in-person interviews 
of claimants for unemployment benefits.
    Completion of these forms is required to obtain or maintain a 
benefit. In addition, the RRB also collects Railroad Job Vacancies 
information received voluntarily from railroad employers. The RRB 
proposes no changes to the forms in this information collection.

                                  Estimate of Current Annual Respondent Burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                      Annual
                            Form No.                                 responses    Time (minutes)  Burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ES-21...........................................................              80               1               1
ES-21c..........................................................              25               2               1
UI-35 in person.................................................           6,300               7             735
UI-35 by mail...................................................             700              11             128
Job Vacancies...................................................             470              10              78
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................................           7,575  ..............             943
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    3. Title and purpose of information collection: Report of Medicaid 
State Office on Beneficiary's Buy-In Status; OMB 3220-0185.
    Under section 7(d) of the Railroad Retirement Act (45 U.S.C. 231), 
the RRB administers the Medicare program for persons covered by the 
railroad retirement system. Under section 1843 of the Social Security 
Act, states may enter into ``buy-in agreements'' with the Secretary of 
Health and Human Services for the purpose of enrolling certain groups 
of low-income individuals under the Medicare medical insurance (Part B) 
program and paying the premiums for their insurance coverage. 
Generally, these individuals are categorically needy under Medicaid and 
meet the eligibility requirements for Medicare Part B. States can also 
include in their buy-in agreements, individuals who are eligible for 
medical assistance only. The RRB utilizes Form RL-380-F, Report of 
Medicaid State Office on Beneficiary's Buy-In Status, to obtain 
information needed to determine if certain railroad beneficiaries are 
entitled to receive Supplementary Medical Insurance program coverage 
under a State buy-in agreement in the States in which they reside. 
Completion of Form RL-380-F is voluntary. One response is received from 
each respondent. The RRB proposes the following changes to Form RL-380-
F:
     Change `Medicare Number' box on righthand side of form to 
`Medicare Beneficiary Identifier'.
     Remove box 6 on righthand side of form `Social Security 
Number' as it is a duplicate of box 4 `Beneficiary's Own Social 
Security Number'.
     In Question 4, change `Medicare number under which state 
paid premium (if different from RRB Medicare claim number' to `Medicare 
Beneficiary Identifier Number (MBI) in which state paid premium'.

                                      Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                      Annual
                            Form No.                                 responses    Time (minutes)  Burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RL-380-F........................................................             600              10             100
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    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 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 Foster,
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2023-20792 Filed 9-25-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7905-01-P