[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 13 (Wednesday, January 21, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2565-2567]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2026-01024]
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RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD
Agency Forms Submitted for OMB Review, Request for Comments
Summary: 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), and Section 6
of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA), 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 employers
who do not have the home address information computerized and
[[Page 2566]]
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 (90 FR 52714 on November 21, 2025) 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: Revision of a currently approved collection of
information.
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, BA-
6a, BA-6a (Email), BA-6a (Internet), G-88A.1, G-88A.1 (Internet), G-
88A.2 and G-88A.2 (Internet).
The burden estimate for the ICR is as follows:
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Annual
Form No. responses Time (minutes) Burden (hours)
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AA-12........................................................... 60 5 5
G-88A.1......................................................... 100 5 8
G-88A.1 Internet................................................ 400 4 27
G-88A.2......................................................... 100 5 8
G-88A.2 (Internet).............................................. 1,200 2.5 50
BA-6a Internet (RR initiated)................................... 250 17 71
BA-6a Internet (RRB initiated).................................. 250 12 50
BA-6a (Electronic Equivalents to include secure email and File 20 15 5
Transfer Protocol).............................................
BA-6a Paper (RRB initiated)..................................... 250 32 133
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Total....................................................... 2,630 .............. 357
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2. Title and purpose of information collection: Survivor
Questionnaire; OMB 3220-0032.
Under Section 6 of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA), 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 (90 FR 52715 on November 21, 2025) 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 no changes to Form RL-94-F.
The burden estimate for the ICR is as follows:
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Annual
Form No. responses Time (minutes) Burden (hours)
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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
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Total....................................................... 5,450 .............. 959
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3. Title and Purpose of information collection: Request for
Medicare Payment; OMB 3220-0131.
Under Section 7(d) of the Railroad Retirement Act, 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.
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 (90 FR 52715 on November 21, 2025) required by 44
U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.
[[Page 2567]]
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: Revision 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:
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Annual
Form No. responses Time (minutes) Burden (hours)
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G-740S....................................................... 1 0 1
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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), 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 (90 FR 52715 on November 21, 2025) 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: Revision 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
Form No. responses Time (minutes) Burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GL-99........................................................ 2,000 2 67
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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. 2026-01024 Filed 1-20-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7905-01-P