Agency Forms Submitted for OMB Review, Request for Comments
| Published date | 29 April 2019 |
| Citation | 84 FR 18095 |
| Record Number | 2019-08585 |
| Section | Notices |
| Court | Railroad Retirement Board |
Federal Register, Volume 84 Issue 82 (Monday, April 29, 2019)
[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 82 (Monday, April 29, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18095-18098]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-08585]
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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
[[Page 18096]]
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 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 (84 FR 5734 on February 22, 2019) 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 minor non-burden impacting
changes to Forms AA-12, G-88A.1 (internet), G-88A.2 (internet) and Form
BA-6a (internet) and proposes no changes to Forms G-88A.1, G-88A.2 and
BA-6a.
The burden estimate for the ICR is as follows:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual
Form No. responses Time (minutes) Burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AA-12........................................................... 60 5 5
G-88A.1......................................................... 100 5 8
G-88A.1 Internet................................................ 260 4 17
G-88A.1 Internet (Class 1 railroads)............................ 144 16 38
G-88A.2......................................................... 100 5 8
G-88A.2 (Internet).............................................. 1,200 2.5 50
BA-6a (CD-ROM).................................................. 14 15 4
BA-6a (Email)................................................... 30 15 8
BA-6a (File Transfer Protocol).................................. 10 15 3
BA-6a Internet (RR initiated)................................... 250 17 71
BA-6a Internet (RRB initiated).................................. 250 12 50
BA-6a Paper (RR initiated)...................................... 80 32 43
BA-6a Paper (RRB initiated)..................................... 250 32 133
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Total....................................................... 2,748 .............. 438
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2. Title and purpose of information collection: Employee
Representative's Status and Compensation Reports; OMB 3220-0014.
Under Section 1(b)(1) of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA), the
term ``employee'' includes an individual who is an employee
representative. As defined in Section 1(c) of the RRA, an employee
representative is an officer or official representative of a railway
labor organization other than a labor organization included in the term
``employer,'' as defined in the RRA, who before or after August 29,
1935, was in the service of an employer under the RRA and who is duly
authorized and designated to represent employees in accordance with the
Railway Labor Act, or, any individual who is regularly assigned to or
regularly employed by such officer or official representative in
connection with the duties of his or her office. The requirements
relating to the application for employee representative status and the
periodic reporting of the compensation resulting from such status is
contained in 20 CFR 209.10.
The RRB utilizes Form DC-2, Employee Representative's Report of
Compensation, to obtain the information needed to determine employee
representative status and to maintain a record of creditable service
and compensation resulting from such status. Completion is required to
obtain or retain a benefit. One response is requested of each
respondent.
Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has already published the
initial 60-day notice (84 FR 5735 on February 22, 2019) required by 44
U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.
Information Collection Request (ICR)
Title: Employee Representative's Status and Compensation Reports.
OMB Control Number: 3220-0014.
Form(s) submitted: DC-2.
Type of request: Revision of a currently approved collection of
information.
Affected public: Private Sector; Businesses or other for-profits.
Abstract: Benefits are provided under the Railroad Retirement Act
(RRA) for individuals who are employee representatives as defined in
section 1 of the RRA. The collection obtains information regarding the
status of such individuals and their compensation.
[[Page 18097]]
Changes proposed: The RRB proposes minor non-burden impacting
editorial changes to Form DC-2.
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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DC-2............................................................ 82 30 41
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Total....................................................... 82 .............. 41
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3. 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 (84 FR 5736 on February 22, 2019) 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 minor non-burden impacting
editorial 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)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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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4. 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 (84 FR 5734 on February 22, 2019) required by 44
U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.
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 the following changes to Form G-
740S:
Changed Item 2a from ``Medicare Claim'' to ``Medicare
Number''.
Replaced the 12-digit Claim Number field with an 11-digit
Medicare Number field.
The burden estimate for the ICR is as follows:
Estimated annual number of respondents: See Justification (Item No.
12).
Total annual responses: 1.
Total annual reporting hours: 1.
5. 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
[[Page 18098]]
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 (84 FR 5736 on February 22, 2019) 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 non-burden impacting editorial
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 can be obtained from Brian Foster at (312) 751-
4826 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 [email protected] and to the OMB
Desk Officer for the RRB, Fax: 202-395-6974, Email address:
[email protected].
Brian Foster,
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2019-08585 Filed 4-26-19; 8:45 am]
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