Proposed Collection; Comment Request
Federal Register, Volume 77 Issue 132 (Tuesday, July 10, 2012)
Federal Register Volume 77, Number 132 (Tuesday, July 10, 2012)
Notices
Pages 40657-40659
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office www.gpo.gov
FR Doc No: 2012-16795
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RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD
Proposed Collection; Comment Request
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 collection is 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: 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 Forms DC-2a, Employee Representative's Status Report, and 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. The RRB proposes a minor editorial change to both Forms DC-2a and DC-2.
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Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
The estimated annual respondent burden is as follows
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Annual Time Burden
Form No. responses (minutes) (hours)
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DC-2a........................................................... 3 15 1
DC-2............................................................ 65 30 33
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Total....................................................... 68 .............. 34
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2. Title and purpose of information collection: Nonresident Questionnaire; OMB 3220-0145.
Under Public Laws 98-21 and 98-76, benefits under the Railroad Retirement Act payable to annuitants living outside the United States may be subject to taxation under United States income tax laws. Whether the social security equivalent and non-social security equivalent portions of Tier I, Tier II, vested dual benefit, or supplemental annuity payments are subject to tax withholding, and whether the same or different rates are applied to each payment, depends on a beneficiary's citizenship and legal residence status, and whether exemption under a tax treaty between the United States and the country in which the beneficiary is a legal resident has been claimed. To effect the required tax withholding, the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) needs to know a nonresident's citizenship and legal residence status.
To secure the required information, the RRB utilizes Form RRB-1001, Nonresident Questionnaire, as a supplement to an application as part of the initial application process, and as an independent vehicle for obtaining the needed information when an annuitant's residence or tax treaty status changes. Completion is voluntary. One response is requested of each respondent. The RRB proposes no changes to Form RRB-
1001.
Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
The estimated annual respondent burden is as follows
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Annual Time Burden
Form No. responses (minutes) (hours)
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RRB-1001 (Initial Filing)....................................... 300 30 250
RRB-1001 (Tax Renewal).......................................... 1,000 30 400
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Total....................................................... 1,300 .............. 650
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3. Title and purpose of information collection: Statement of Claimant or Other Person; OMB 3220-0183.
To support an application for an annuity under Section 2 of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA) or for unemployment benefits under Section 2 of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA), pertinent information and proofs must be furnished for the RRB to determine benefit entitlement. Circumstances may require an applicant or other person(s) having knowledge of facts relevant to the applicant's eligibility for an annuity or benefits to provide written statements supplementing or changing statements previously provided by the applicant. Under the railroad retirement program these statements may relate to a change in an annuity beginning date(s), date of marriage(s), birth(s), prior railroad or non-railroad employment, an applicant's request for reconsideration of an unfavorable RRB eligibility determination for an annuity or various other matters. The statements may also be used by the RRB to secure a variety of information needed to determine eligibility to unemployment and sickness benefits. Procedures related to providing information needed for RRA annuity or RUIA benefit eligibility determinations are prescribed in 20 CFR parts 217 and 320 respectively.
The RRB utilizes Form G-93, Statement of Claimant or Other Person, to obtain from applicants or other persons, the supplemental or corrective information needed to determine applicant eligibility for an RRA annuity or RUIA benefits. Completion is voluntary. One response is requested of each respondent. The RRB proposes no changes to Form G-93.
Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
The estimated annual respondent burden is as follows
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Annual
Form No. responses Time (minutes) Burden (hours)
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G-93......................................................... 900 15 225
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Additional Information or Comments: To request more information or to obtain a copy of the information collection justification, forms, and/or supporting material, contact 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 emailed to Charles.Mierzwa@RRB.GOV. Written
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comments should be received within 60 days of this notice.
Charles Mierzwa,
Chief of Information Resources Management.
FR Doc. 2012-16795 Filed 7-9-12; 8:45 am
BILLING CODE 7905-01-P
