Federal Register: September 22, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 184)
DOCID: fr22se08-88 FR Doc E8-22076
RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD
Railroad Retirement Board
NOTICE: NOTICES
DOCID: fr22se08-88
SUBJECT CATEGORY:
Proposed Data Collection(s) Available for Public Comment and Recommendations
DOCUMENT SUMMARY:
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 collections are 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
Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act Applications; OMB 32200039.
Under Section 2 of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA), sickness benefits are payable to qualified railroad employees who are unable to work because of illness or injury. In addition, sickness benefits are payable to qualified female employees if they are unable to work, or if working would be injurious, because of pregnancy, miscarriage or childbirth. Under Section 1(k) of the RUIA, a statement of sickness with respect to days of sickness of an employee is to be filed with the RRB within a 10day period from the first day claimed as a day of sickness. The RRB's authority for requesting supplemental medical information is Section 12(i) and 12(n) of the RUIA. The procedures for claiming sickness benefits and for the RRB to obtain supplemental medical information needed to determine a claimant's eligibility for such benefits are prescribed in 20 CFR Part 335. The forms currently used by the RRB to obtain information needed to determine eligibility for and the amount of sickness benefits due a claimant follows: Form SI1a, Application for Sickness Benefits; Form SI1b, Statement of Sickness; Form SI3, Claim for Sickness Benefits; Form SI7, Supplemental Doctor's Statement; Form SI8, Verification of Medical Information; Form ID7h, NonEntitlement to Sickness Benefits and Information on Unemployment Benefits; Form ID11a, Requesting Reason for Late Filing of Sickness Benefit and ID11b, Notice of Insufficient Medical and Late Filing. Completion is required to obtain or retain benefits. One response is requested of each respondent.
Consistent with requirements of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), the RRB proposes revisions to Form SI 1b, SI7, and SI8 to replace the term ``Tax Identification Number'' with ``National Provider Identifier''. No other changes are proposed.
The estimated annual respondent burden is as follows: Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
Annual Burden
Form
Total........................... 213,900 .......... 21,884 2. Title and purpose of information collection
Annual Earnings Questionnaire for Annuitants in Last PreRetirement NonRailroad Employment; OMB 32200179
Under section 2(e)(3) of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA), an
annuity is not payable for any month in which a beneficiary works for a
railroad. In addition, an annuity is reduced for any month in which the
beneficiary works for an employer other than a railroad employer and
earns more than a prescribed amount. Under the 1988 amendments to the
RRA, the Tier II portion of the regular annuity and any supplemental
annuity must be reduced by one dollar for each two dollars of Last Pre
Retirement NonRailroad Employment (LPE) earnings for each month of
such service. However, the reduction cannot exceed fifty percent of the Tier II and supplemental annuity
[[Page 54644]]
amount for the month to which such deductions apply. LPE generally
refers to an annuitant's last employment with a nonrailroad person,
company, or institution prior to retirement which was performed whether
at the same time of, or after an annuitant stopped railroad employment.
The collection obtains earnings information needed by the RRB to
determine if possible reductions in annuities because of Last Pre
Retirement NonRailroad Employment Earnings (LPE) are in order. The RRB
utilizes Form G19L to obtain LPE earnings information from annuitants.
Companion Form G19L.1, which serves as an instruction sheet and
contains the Paperwork Reduction/Privacy Act Notice for the collection
accompanies each Form G19L sent to an annuitant. One response is
requested of each respondent. Completion is required to retain a
benefit. The RRB proposes the addition of a subitem requesting that an
annuitant provide an Employer's Identification Number (EIN). Nonburden
impacting editorial and reformatting changes are also proposed.
The estimated annual respondent burden is as follows:
Annual Burden
Form
Total........................... 300 .......... 75
Additional Information or Comments: To request more information
regarding either of the information collections listed above or to
obtain copies of the information collection justifications, forms, and/
or supporting material, please call the RRB Clearance Officer at (312)
7513363 or send an email request to Charles.Mierzwa@RRB.GOV. Comments
regarding the information collections should be addressed to Ronald J.
Hodapp, Railroad Retirement Board, 844 North Rush Street, Chicago,
Illinois 606112092 or via an email to Ronald.Hodapp@RRB.GOV. Written comments should be received within 60 days of this notice.
Charles Mierzwa,
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. E822076 Filed 91908; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 790501P
SUMMARY:
Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals,