[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 113 (Friday, June 13, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25093-25095]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-10782]


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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: 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.
    Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has already published the 
initial 60-day notice (90 FR 15373 on April 10, 2025) required by 44 
U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.

Information Collection Request (ICR)

    Title: Application for Benefits Due but Unpaid at Death.
    OMB Control Number: 3220-0055.
    Form(s) submitted: UI-63.
    Type of request: Reinstatement with change of a previously approved 
collection.
    Affected public: Individuals or Households.
    Abstract: The collection obtains the information needed by the 
Railroad Retirement Board to pay benefits accrued under section 2(g) of 
the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act but not paid because of the 
death of the employee.
    Changes proposed: The RRB proposes the following changes to Form 
UI-63:
     On the cover letter, removed ``his or her'' and replaced 
with ``their'' in second sentence and
     On the second page, field 4, added ``Telephone No.'' 
column.
    The burden estimate for the ICR is as follows:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                    Annual
                           Form No.                               responses      Time (minutes)   Burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
UI-63........................................................              30                7                4
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 25094]]

    2. 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 (90 FR 15374 on April 10, 2025) 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: Reinstatement with change of a previously 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 minor changes to Form G-346 
certification statement on page 2 and Paperwork Reduction Act Notice 
contact information on page 3. The RRB proposes no changes to Form G-
346sum.
    The burden estimate for the ICR is as follows:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                      Annual
                            Form No.                                 responses    Time (minutes)  Burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G-346...........................................................           2,060               5             172
G-346sum........................................................           1,960               5             163
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................................           4,020  ..............             335
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    3. Title and purpose of information collection: RUIA Claims 
Notification and Verification System; OMB 3220-0171.
    Section 5(b) of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA) (45 
U.S.C. 355), requires that effective January 1, 1990, when a claim for 
benefits is filed with the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB), the RRB 
shall provide notice of the claim to the claimant's base year 
employer(s) to provide them an opportunity to submit information 
relevant to the claim before making an initial determination. If the 
RRB determines to pay benefits to the claimant under the RUIA, the RRB 
shall notify the base-year employer(s).
    The purpose of the RUIA Claims Notification and Verification System 
is to provide two notices, pre-payment Form ID-4K, Prepayment Notice of 
Employees' Applications and Claims for Benefits Under the Railroad 
Unemployment Insurance Act, and post-payment Form ID-4E, Notice of RUIA 
Claim Determination. Prepayment Form ID-4K provides notice to a 
claimant's base-year employer(s), of each unemployment application and 
unemployment and sickness claim filed for benefits under the RUIA and 
provides the employer an opportunity to convey information relevant to 
the proper adjudication of the claim.
    The railroad employer can elect to receive Form ID-4K by one of 
three options: a computer-generated paper notice, by Electronic Data 
Interchange (EDI), or online via the RRB's Employer Reporting System 
(ERS). The railroad employer can respond to the ID-4K notice by 
telephone, manually by mailing a completed ID-4K back to the RRB, or 
electronically via EDI or ERS.
    Once the RRB determines to pay a claim post-payment Form Letter ID-
4E, Notice of RUIA Claim Determination, is used to notify the base-year 
employer(s). This gives the employer a second opportunity to challenge 
the claim for benefits.
    The ID-4E mainframe-generated paper notice, EDI, and internet 
versions are transmitted on a daily basis, generally on the same day 
that the claims are approved for payment. Railroad employers who are 
mailed Form ID-4E are instructed to write if they want a 
reconsideration of the RRB's determination to pay. Employers who 
receive the ID-4E electronically, may file a reconsideration request by 
completing the ID-4E by either EDI or ERS. Completion is voluntary.
    Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has already published the 
initial 60-day notice (90 FR 15374 on April 10, 2025) required by 44 
U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.

Information Collection Request (ICR)

    Title: RUIA Claims Notification and Verification System.
    OMB Control Number: 3220-0171.
    Form(s) submitted: ID-4K, ID-4K (INTERNET), ID-4E, ID-4E 
(INTERNET).
    Type of request: Reinstatement without change of a previously 
approved collection.
    Affected public: Private Sector; Businesses or other for-profits.
    Abstract: Section 5(b) of the RUIA requires that effective January 
1, 1990, when a claim for benefits is filed with the Railroad 
Retirement Board (RRB), the RRB shall provide notice of such

[[Page 25095]]

claim to the claimant's base-year employer(s) and afford such 
employer(s) an opportunity to submit information relevant to the claim 
before making an initial determination on the claim. When the RRB 
determines to pay benefits to a claimant under the RUIA, the RRB shall 
provide notice of such determination to the claimant's base year 
employer.
    Changes proposed: The RRB proposes no changes to Forms ID-4K, ID-
4K(internet), ID-4E, and ID-4E (internet).
    The burden estimate for the ICR is as follows:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                      Annual
                            Form No.                                 responses    Time (minutes)  Burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ID-4K (Manual)..................................................           1,250               2              42
ID-4K (FTP).....................................................          15,600             (*)             210
ID-4K (Internet)................................................          63,000               2           2,100
ID-4E (Manual)..................................................              50               2               2
ID-4E (Internet)................................................             120               2               4
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................................          80,020  ..............           2,358
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* The burden for the railroad employers receiving file transfer protocol (FTP) messages has been calculated in
  the following manner. We estimate that 10 minutes a day would be required on average for each of the 5
  railroad employers to operate the system. Based on 251 workdays in a year, we calculate the number of burden
  hours to be 210 hours, of which we allocated 40 percent to unemployment transactions (84 burden hours) and 60
  percent to sickness transactions (126 burden hours).

    Additional Information or Comments: Copies of the forms and 
supporting documents or 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 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. 2025-10782 Filed 6-12-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7905-01-P