Agency Forms Submitted for OMB Review, Request for Comments
Federal Register, Volume 79 Issue 233 (Thursday, December 4, 2014)
Federal Register Volume 79, Number 233 (Thursday, December 4, 2014)
Notices
Pages 72034-72036
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office www.gpo.gov
FR Doc No: 2014-28467
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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 an forwarding 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.
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Title and purpose of information collection: Student Beneficiary Monitoring; OMB 3220-0123.
Under provisions of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA), there are two types of benefit payments that are based on the status of a child being in full-time elementary or secondary school attendance at age 18-
19: a survivor child's annuity benefit under Section 2(d)(1)(iii) and an increase in the employee retirement annuity under the Special Guaranty computation as prescribed in section 3(f)(2) and 20 CFR 229.
The survivor student annuity is usually paid by direct deposit to a financial institution either into the student's checking or savings account or into a joint bank account with a parent. The requirements for eligibility as a student are prescribed in 20 CFR 216.74, and include students in independent study and home schooling.
To help determine if a child is entitled to student benefits, the RRB requires evidence of full-time school attendance. This evidence is acquired through the RRB's student monitoring program, which utilizes the following forms. Form G-315, Student Questionnaire, obtains certification of a student's full-time school attendance as well as information on the student's marital status, social security benefits, and employment, which are needed to determine entitlement or continued entitlement to benefits under the RRA. Form G-315A, Statement of School Official, is used to obtain, from a school, verification of a student's full-time attendance when the student fails to return a monitoring Form G-315. Form G-315A.1, School Official's Notice of Cessation of Full-
Time School Attendance, is used by a school to notify the RRB that a student has ceased full-time school attendance.
Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has already published the initial 60-day notice (79 FR 57988 on September 26, 2014) required by 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.
Information Collection Request (ICR)
Title: Student Beneficiary Monitoring.
OMB Control Number: 3220-0123.
Form(s) submitted: G-315, G-315A, G-315A.1.
Type of request: Revision of a currently approved collection of information.
Affected public: Individuals or Households.
Abstract: Under the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA), a student benefit is not payable if the student ceases full-time school attendance, marries, works in the railroad industry, has excessive earnings or attains the upper age limit under the RRA. The report obtains information to be used to determine if benefits should cease or be reduced.
Changes proposed: The RRB proposes minor editorial and formatting changes to Forms G-315, G-315A, and G-315A.1.
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-315........................................................... 860 15 215
G-315a.......................................................... 20 3 1
G-315a.1........................................................ 20 2 1
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Page 72035
Total....................................................... 900 .............. 217
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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), 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. Completion is voluntary. The RRB proposes no changes to any of the ID-4K options.
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 (79 FR 57988 on September 26, 2014) 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: Extension without change of a currently 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 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 the forms in the collection.
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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ID-4K (Manual).................................................. 1,250 2 42
ID-4K (EDI)..................................................... 17,500 (*) 210
ID-4K (Internet)................................................ 57,000 2 1,900
ID-4E (Manual).................................................. 50 2 2
ID-4E (Internet)................................................ 120 2 4
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Total....................................................... 75,920 .............. 2,158
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* The burden for the 5 participating employers who transmit EDI responses is calculated at 10 minutes each per
day, 251 workdays a year or 210 total hours of burden.
Additional Information or Comments: Copies of the forms and supporting documents can be obtained from Dana Hickman at (312) 751-
4981 or Dana.Hickman@RRB.GOV.
Comments regarding the information collection should be addressed to Charles Mierzwa, Railroad Retirement Board, 844 North Rush Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60611-2092 or Charles.Mierzwa@RRB.GOV and to the OMB Desk Officer for the RRB, Fax: 202-395-6974, Email address: OIRA_Submission@omb.eop.gov.
Charles Mierzwa,
Chief of Information Resources Management.
FR Doc. 2014-28467 Filed 12-3-14; 8:45 am
BILLING CODE 7905-01-P
