Proposed Collection; Comment Request, 8894-8897 [2020-03107]
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 32 / Tuesday, February 18, 2020 / Notices
Interested persons are invited to
submit comments on or before March
19, 2020.
ADDRESSES: Responses should be
submitted via email to oceansummit@
ostp.eop.gov. Include ‘‘Partnerships in
Ocean Science and Technology’’ in the
subject line of the message.
Instructions: Response to this RFI is
voluntary. Respondents need not reply
to all questions listed. For submissions
via email, clearly indicate which
questions are being answered. Email
attachments will be accepted in plain
text, Microsoft Word, or Adobe PDF
formats only. Each individual or
institution is requested to submit only
one response. OSTP may post responses
to this RFI, without change, on a Federal
website. OSTP, therefore, requests that
no business proprietary information,
copyrighted information, or personally
identifiable information be submitted in
response to this RFI. Please note that the
U.S. Government will not pay for
response preparation, or for the use of
any information contained in the
response.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Deerin Babb-Brott, OSTP, Deerin_S_
Babb-Brott2@ostp.eop.gov, 202–456–
4444.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In 2018,
the Trump Administration issued
Science and Technology for America’s
Oceans: A Decadal Vision (Decadal
Vision), which identified five goals to
advance U.S. ocean S&T in the coming
decade, including: (1) Understand the
ocean in the earth system; (2) promote
economic prosperity; (3) ensure
maritime security; (4) safeguard human
health; and (5) develop resilient coastal
communities. The Decadal Vision also
described areas of immediate ocean
research and technology opportunities,
including (1) fully integrating Big Data
approaches in Earth system science; (2)
advancing monitoring and predictive
modeling capabilities; (3) improving
data integration in decision-support
tools; (4) supporting ocean exploration
and characterization; and (5) supporting
ongoing research and technology
partnerships.
On November 14, 2019, OSTP and
CEQ hosted The White House Summit
on Partnerships in Ocean Science and
Technology (Ocean S&T Summit). The
Ocean S&T Summit brought together
over 100 leaders and experts from
philanthropy, the private sector,
academia, and the Federal government
to identify opportunities for S&T
partnerships that advance the goals
framed by the Decadal Vision. The
Ocean S&T Summit addressed the
following specific themes: (1) Exploring
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the Ocean; (2) Conserving Marine Living
Resources; (3) Protecting Coastal Health
and Safety; (4) Sustaining Ocean
Observations; (5) Promoting Food
Security; (6) Enabling Ocean Energy; (7)
Characterizing Ocean Life; and (8)
Leveraging Big Data. A summary of the
Ocean S&T Summit is available at:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/wpcontent/uploads/2019/11/Ocean-STSummit-Readout-Final.pdf.
OSTP is soliciting public input
through this RFI to obtain information
from a wide range of stakeholders,
including academia, private sector,
philanthropy, and other relevant
organizations and institutions, in order
to inform OSTP and CEQ as they
prepare to identify these opportunities
and develop recommendations for
collaboration across the ocean S&T
enterprise.
Questions To Inform Development of
the Recommendations
Through this RFI, OSTP seeks
responses to the following questions to
identify opportunities and inform
development of recommendations that
will address opportunities and barriers
to partnerships in ocean science and
technology across and among academia,
private industry, philanthropy, and
government sectors.
1. Please describe opportunities for
cross-sector partnerships and
collaborations in ocean S&T where the
Federal government’s participation or
facilitation could advance the
development and application of ocean
S&T. The term ‘‘partnership’’ is defined
broadly to include all Federal
mechanisms available to engage,
collaborate, and exchange resources,
among other activities, with non-Federal
organizations.
2. Please identify existing effective
cross-sector partnerships in ocean S&T
and the characteristics that cause them
to be successful. Please specify what
kinds of institutions (including the
Federal government) are involved and
describe their roles.
3. Please describe opportunities for
the Federal government to strengthen or
facilitate existing ocean S&T
partnerships in the private, nonprofit,
and other sectors. In what specific types
of partnerships should they play a larger
role and why?
4. Executive Order 13840, titled,
Ocean Policy to Advance the Economic,
Security, and Environmental Interests of
the United States, highlights and
supports Federal participation in
projects conducted under the National
Oceanographic Partnership Program
(www.nopp.org) to maximize the
effectiveness of agency investments in
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ocean research. Please describe
opportunities to enhance utilization of
the program by both Federal agencies
and non-Federal partners.
5. Please describe existing barriers or
constraints that limit opportunities for
cross-sector partnerships in ocean S&T,
including barriers limiting partnerships
with the Federal government. Barriers or
constraints may include legal
authorities, regulatory, policy, cultural,
lack of expertise, or other procedural
hurdles that limit or prevent partnership
opportunities.
Dated: February 11, 2020.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science
Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2020–03071 Filed 2–14–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555–01–P
POSTAL SERVICE
Board of Governors; Sunshine Act
Meeting
TIME AND DATE:
February 7, 2020, at 8:00
a.m.
PLACE:
Washington, DC
Closed.
STATUS:
MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED:
1. Administrative Matters.
2. Strategic Matters.
On February 7, 2020, a majority of the
members of the Board of Governors of
the United States Postal Service voted
unanimously to hold and to close to
public observation a special meeting in
Washington, DC. The Board determined
that no earlier public notice was
practicable.
General Counsel Certification: The
General Counsel of the United States
Postal Service has certified that the
meeting may be closed under the
Government in the Sunshine Act.
CONTACT PERSON FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Michael J. Elston, Secretary of the
Board, U.S. Postal Service, 475 L’Enfant
Plaza SW, Washington, DC 20260–1000.
Telephone: (202) 268–4800.
Michael J. Elston,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020–03254 Filed 2–13–20; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 7710–12–P
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
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 32 / Tuesday, February 18, 2020 / Notices
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: Placement Service; OMB
3220–0057. Section 12(i) of the Railroad
Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA),
authorizes the RRB to establish,
maintain, and operate free employment
offices to provide claimants for
unemployment benefits with job
placement opportunities. Section 704(d)
of the Regional Railroad Reorganization
Act of 1973, as amended, and as
extended by the Consolidated Omnibus
Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985,
required the RRB to maintain and
distribute a list of railroad job vacancies,
by class and craft, based on information
furnished by rail carriers to the RRB.
Although the requirement under the law
expired effective August 13, 1987, the
RRB has continued to obtain this
information in keeping with its
employment service responsibilities
under Section 12(k) of the RUIA.
Application procedures for the job
placement program are prescribed in 20
CFR 325. The procedures pertaining to
the RRB’s obtaining and distributing job
vacancy reports furnished by rail
carriers are described in 20 CFR 346.1.
The RRB currently utilizes four forms
to obtain information needed to carry
out its job placement responsibilities.
Form ES–2, Central Register
Notification, is used by the RRB to
obtain information needed to update a
computerized central register of
separated and furloughed railroad
employees available for employment in
the railroad industry. Forms ES–21,
Referral to State Employment Service,
and ES–21c, Report of State
Employment Service Office, are used by
the RRB to provide placement assistance
for unemployed railroad employees
through arrangements with State
Employment Service offices. Form UI–
35, Field Office Record of Claimant
Interview, is used primarily by the RRB
to conduct in-person interviews of
claimants for unemployment benefits.
Completion of these forms is required
to obtain or maintain a benefit. In
addition, the RRB also collects Railroad
Job Vacancies information received
voluntarily from railroad employers.
The RRB no longer offers the Central
Register as a basic employment service
as of April 2017 and propose to obsolete
Form ES–2. The RRB proposes no
changes to Forms ES–21 and ES–21c
and proposes minor changes to Form
UI–35 to remove all reference to the
obsolete Central Register and renumber
accordingly.
ESTIMATE OF CURRENT ANNUAL RESPONDENT BURDEN
Annual
responses
Form No.
Time
(minutes)
Burden
(hours)
ES–2 ............................................................................................................................................
ES–21 ..........................................................................................................................................
ES–21c ........................................................................................................................................
* UI–35 in person .........................................................................................................................
* UI–35 by mail .............................................................................................................................
Job Vacancies .............................................................................................................................
3,750
80
25
6,300
700
470
0.25
0.68
1.50
7.00
10.50
10.00
16
0.9
0.6
735
123
78
Total ......................................................................................................................................
11,325
........................
953
ESTIMATE OF PROPOSED ANNUAL RESPONDENT BURDEN
Annual
responses
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Form No.
Time
(minutes)
Burden
(hours)
ES–21 ..........................................................................................................................................
ES–21c ........................................................................................................................................
*UI–35 in person ..........................................................................................................................
*UI–35 by mail .............................................................................................................................
Job Vacancies .............................................................................................................................
80
25
6,300
700
470
1.00
2.00
7.00
11.00
10.00
1
1
735
128
78
Total ......................................................................................................................................
7,575
........................
943
2. Title and purpose of information
collection: Certification Regarding
Rights to Unemployment Benefits; OMB
3220–0079.
Under Section 4 of the Railroad
Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA),
an employee who leaves work
voluntarily is disqualified for
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unemployment benefits unless the
employee left work for good cause and
is not qualified for unemployment
benefits under any other law. RRB Form
UI–45, Claimant’s Statement—
Voluntary Leaving of Work, is used by
the RRB to obtain the claimant’s
statement when the claimant, the
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claimant’s employer, or another source
indicates that the claimant has
voluntarily left work.
Completion of Form UI–45 is required
to obtain or retain benefits. One
response is received from each
respondent. The RRB proposes no
changes to Form UI–45.
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 32 / Tuesday, February 18, 2020 / Notices
ESTIMATE OF ANNUAL RESPONDENT BURDEN
Annual
responses
Form No.
UI–45 ...........................................................................................................................................
Total .............................................................................................................................................
3. Title and purpose of information
collection: Self-Employment and
Substantial Service Questionnaire; OMB
3220–0138.
Section 2 of the Railroad Retirement
Act (RRA) provides for payment of
annuities to qualified employees and
their spouses. In order to receive an age
and service annuity, Section 2(e)(3)
states that an applicant must stop all
railroad work and give up any rights to
return to such work. However,
applicants are not required to stop
nonrailroad work or self-employment.
The RRB considers some work
claimed as ‘‘self-employment’’ to
actually be employment for an
employer. Whether the RRB classifies a
particular activity as self-employment or
as work for an employer depends upon
the circumstances of each case. These
circumstances are prescribed in 20 CFR
216.
Under the 1988 amendments to the
RRA, an applicant is no longer required
to stop work for a ‘‘Last Pre-Retirement
Nonrailroad Employer’’ (LPE). However,
Section 2(f)(6) of the RRA requires that
a portion of the employee’s Tier II
benefit and supplemental annuity be
deducted for earnings from the ‘‘LPE.’’
The ‘‘LPE’’ is defined as the last
person, company, or institution with
whom the employee or spouse applicant
was employed concurrently with, or
after, the applicant’s last railroad
employment and before their annuity
beginning date. If a spouse never
worked for a railroad, the LPE is the last
person for whom he or she worked.
The RRB utilizes Form AA–4, SelfEmployment and Substantial Service
200
200
Time
(minutes)
Burden
(hours)
15
........................
50
50
Questionnaire, to obtain information
needed to determine if the work the
applicant claims is self-employment is
really self-employment or work for an
LPE or railroad service. If the work is
self-employment, the questionnaire
identifies any month in which the
applicant did not perform substantial
service. One response is requested of
each respondent. Completion is
voluntary. However, failure to complete
the form could result in the nonpayment
of benefits. The RRB proposes to the
following changes to Form AA–4:
• Update the officer title and RRB zip
code in the Paperwork Reduction Act/
Privacy Act Notices section;
• update the example date in Section
1—General Instructions; and
• update the RRB office hours in
Section 7—Certification.
ESTIMATE OF ANNUAL RESPONDENT BURDEN
Annual
responses
Form No.
Burden
(hours)
AA–4 (With assistance) ...............................................................................................................
AA–4 (Without assistance) ..........................................................................................................
570
30
40
70
380
35
Total ......................................................................................................................................
600
........................
415
4. Title and purpose of information
collection: Withholding Certificate for
Railroad Retirement Monthly Annuity
Payments; OMB 3220–0149.
The Internal Revenue Code requires
that all payers of tax liable private
pensions to U.S. citizens or residents:
(1) Notify each recipient at least
concurrent with initial withholding that
the payer is, in fact, withholding
benefits for tax liability and that the
recipient has the option of electing not
to have the payer withhold, or to
withhold at a specific rate; (2) withhold
benefits for tax purposes (in the absence
of the recipient’s election not to
withhold benefits); and (3) notify all
beneficiaries, at least annually, that they
have the option to change their
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withholding status or elect not to have
benefits withheld.
The RRB provides Form RRB–W4P,
Withholding Certificate for Railroad
Retirement Payments, to its annuitants
to exercise their withholding options.
Completion of the form is required to
obtain or retain a benefit. One response
is requested of each respondent. The
RRB proposes no changes to Form W–
4P.
The RRB estimates that 25,000
annuitants utilize Form RRB W–4P
annually. The completion time for Form
RRB W–4P varies depending on
individual circumstances. The
estimated average completion time for
Form RRB W–4P is 39 minutes for
recordkeeping, 24 minutes for learning
about the law or the form, and 59
minutes for preparing the form.
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5. Title and purpose of information
collection: Designation of Contact
Officials; 3220–0200 Coordination
between railroad employers and the
RRB is essential to properly administer
the payment of benefits under the
Railroad Retirement Act (RRA) and the
Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act
(RUIA). In order to enhance timely
coordination activity, the RRB utilizes
Form G–117a, Designation of Contact
Officials. Form G–117a is used by
railroad employers to designate
employees who are to act as point of
contact with the RRB on a variety of
RRA and RUIA-related matters.
Completion is voluntary. One
response is requested from each
respondent. The RRB proposes no
changes to Form G–117a.
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 32 / Tuesday, February 18, 2020 / Notices
ESTIMATE OF ANNUAL RESPONDENT BURDEN
Annual
responses
Form No.
Burden
(hours)
G–117a ........................................................................................................................................
100
15
25
Total ......................................................................................................................................
100
........................
25
Additional Information or Comments:
To request more information or to
obtain a copy of the information
collection justification, forms, and/or
supporting material, contact Kennisha
C. Tucker at (312) 469–2591 or
Kennisha.Tucker@rrb.gov. 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 Brian.Foster@rrb.gov.
Written comments should be received
within 60 days of this notice.
Brian D. Foster,
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2020–03107 Filed 2–14–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7905–01–P
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
[Release No. 34–88164; File No. SR–CBOE–
2020–005]
Self-Regulatory Organizations; Cboe
Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and
Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed
Rule Change To Amend Its Fees
Schedule in Connection With Migration
February 11, 2020.
Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the
‘‘Act’’),1 and Rule 19b–4 thereunder,2
notice is hereby given that on January
28, 2020, Cboe Exchange, Inc. (the
‘‘Exchange’’ or ‘‘Cboe Options’’) filed
with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the ‘‘Commission’’) the
proposed rule change as described in
Items I, II and III below, which Items
have been prepared by the Exchange.
The Commission is publishing this
notice to solicit comments on the
proposed rule change from interested
persons.
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Time
(minutes)
I. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement of the Terms of the Substance
of the Proposed Rule Change
Cboe Exchange, Inc. (the ‘‘Exchange’’
or ‘‘Cboe Options’’) proposes to amend
its Fees Schedule in connection with
1 15
2 17
U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
CFR 240.19b–4.
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17:48 Feb 14, 2020
Jkt 250001
migration. The text of the proposed rule
change is provided in Exhibit 5.
The text of the proposed rule change
is also available on the Exchange’s
website (https://www.cboe.com/About
CBOE/CBOELegalRegulatory
Home.aspx), at the Exchange’s Office of
the Secretary, and at the Commission’s
Public Reference Room.
II. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement of the Purpose of, and
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule
Change
In its filing with the Commission, the
Exchange included statements
concerning the purpose of and basis for
the proposed rule change and discussed
any comments it received on the
proposed rule change. The text of these
statements may be examined at the
places specified in Item IV below. The
Exchange has prepared summaries, set
forth in sections A, B, and C below, of
the most significant aspects of such
statements.
A. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement of the Purpose of, and
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule
Change
1. Purpose
In 2016, the Exchange’s parent
company, Cboe Global Markets, Inc.
(formerly named CBOE Holdings, Inc.)
(‘‘Cboe Global’’), which is also the
parent company of Cboe C2 Exchange,
Inc. (‘‘C2’’), acquired Cboe EDGA
Exchange, Inc. (‘‘EDGA’’), Cboe EDGX
Exchange, Inc. (‘‘EDGX’’ or ‘‘EDGX
Options’’), Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc.
(‘‘BZX’’ or ‘‘BZX Options’’), and Cboe
BYX Exchange, Inc. (‘‘BYX’’ and,
together with Cboe Options, C2, EDGX,
EDGA, and BZX, the ‘‘Affiliated
Exchanges’’). The Cboe Affiliated
Exchanges recently aligned certain
system functionality, including with
respect to connectivity, retaining only
intended differences between the
Affiliated Exchanges, in the context of a
technology migration. The Exchange
migrated its trading platform to the
same system used by the Affiliated
Exchanges, which the Exchange
completed on October 7, 2019 (the
‘‘migration’’). As a result of this
migration, the Exchange’s pre-migration
connectivity architecture was rendered
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Sfmt 4703
obsolete, and as such, the Exchange now
offers new functionality, including new
logical connectivity, and therefore
proposes to adopt corresponding fees.3
In determining the proposed fee
changes, the Exchange assessed the
impact on market participants to ensure
that the proposed fees would not create
an undue financial burden on any
market participants, including smaller
market participants. While the Exchange
has no way of predicting with certainty
the impact of the proposed changes, the
Exchange had anticipated its postmigration connectivity revenue 4 to be
approximately 1.75% lower than
connectivity revenue pre-migration.5 In
addition to providing a consistent
technology offering across the Cboe
Affiliated Exchanges, the migration also
provided market participants a latency
equalized infrastructure, improved
system performance, and increased
sustained order and quote per second
capacity, as discussed more fully below.
Accordingly, in connection with the
migration and in order to more closely
align the Exchange’s fee structure with
that of its Affiliated Exchanges, the
Exchange intends to update and
simplify its fee structure with respect to
access and connectivity and adopt new
access and connectivity fees.6
3 As of October 7, 2019, market participants no
longer have the ability to connect to the old
Exchange architecture.
4 Connectivity revenue post-migration includes
revenue from physical port fees (other than for
disaster recovery), Cboe Data Services Port Fee,
logical port fees, Trading Permit Fees, MarketMaker EAP Appointment Unit fees, Tier
Appointment Surcharges and Floor Broker Trading
Surcharges, less the Floor Broker ADV discounts
and discounts on BOE Bulk Ports via the Affiliate
Volume Plan and the Market-Maker Access Credit
program.
5 The Exchange does not anticipate realizing the
projected revenue reduction prior to February 2020,
as the Exchange’s legacy physical ports will not be
decommissioned until January 31, 2020 and firms
may still be in the process of transitioning their
connectivity. As such, the Exchange believes any
changes in revenue until such time are not
reflective of the predicted and modeled impact.
6 The Exchange initially filed the proposed fee
changes on October 1, 2019 (SR–CBOE–2019–077).
On business date October 2, 2019, the Exchange
withdrew that filing and submitted SR–CBOE–
2019–082, See Securities Exchange Act Release No.
87304 (October 15, 2019), 84 FR 56240, (October 21,
2019) (‘‘Original Filing’’). On business date
November 29, 2019, Securities Exchange Act
Release No. 87727 (December 12, 2019), 84 FR
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Continued
18FEN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 32 (Tuesday, February 18, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8894-8897]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-03107]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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
[[Page 8895]]
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: Placement Service;
OMB 3220-0057. Section 12(i) of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act
(RUIA), authorizes the RRB to establish, maintain, and operate free
employment offices to provide claimants for unemployment benefits with
job placement opportunities. Section 704(d) of the Regional Railroad
Reorganization Act of 1973, as amended, and as extended by the
Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, required the
RRB to maintain and distribute a list of railroad job vacancies, by
class and craft, based on information furnished by rail carriers to the
RRB. Although the requirement under the law expired effective August
13, 1987, the RRB has continued to obtain this information in keeping
with its employment service responsibilities under Section 12(k) of the
RUIA. Application procedures for the job placement program are
prescribed in 20 CFR 325. The procedures pertaining to the RRB's
obtaining and distributing job vacancy reports furnished by rail
carriers are described in 20 CFR 346.1.
The RRB currently utilizes four forms to obtain information needed
to carry out its job placement responsibilities. Form ES-2, Central
Register Notification, is used by the RRB to obtain information needed
to update a computerized central register of separated and furloughed
railroad employees available for employment in the railroad industry.
Forms ES-21, Referral to State Employment Service, and ES-21c, Report
of State Employment Service Office, are used by the RRB to provide
placement assistance for unemployed railroad employees through
arrangements with State Employment Service offices. Form UI-35, Field
Office Record of Claimant Interview, is used primarily by the RRB to
conduct in-person interviews of claimants for unemployment benefits.
Completion of these forms is required to obtain or maintain a
benefit. In addition, the RRB also collects Railroad Job Vacancies
information received voluntarily from railroad employers. The RRB no
longer offers the Central Register as a basic employment service as of
April 2017 and propose to obsolete Form ES-2. The RRB proposes no
changes to Forms ES-21 and ES-21c and proposes minor changes to Form
UI-35 to remove all reference to the obsolete Central Register and
renumber accordingly.
Estimate of Current Annual Respondent Burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual Time Burden
Form No. responses (minutes) (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ES-2............................................................ 3,750 0.25 16
ES-21........................................................... 80 0.68 0.9
ES-21c.......................................................... 25 1.50 0.6
* UI-35 in person............................................... 6,300 7.00 735
* UI-35 by mail................................................. 700 10.50 123
Job Vacancies................................................... 470 10.00 78
-----------------------------------------------
Total....................................................... 11,325 .............. 953
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Estimate of Proposed Annual Respondent Burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual Time Burden
Form No. responses (minutes) (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ES-21........................................................... 80 1.00 1
ES-21c.......................................................... 25 2.00 1
*UI-35 in person................................................ 6,300 7.00 735
*UI-35 by mail.................................................. 700 11.00 128
Job Vacancies................................................... 470 10.00 78
-----------------------------------------------
Total....................................................... 7,575 .............. 943
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2. Title and purpose of information collection: Certification
Regarding Rights to Unemployment Benefits; OMB 3220-0079.
Under Section 4 of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA),
an employee who leaves work voluntarily is disqualified for
unemployment benefits unless the employee left work for good cause and
is not qualified for unemployment benefits under any other law. RRB
Form UI-45, Claimant's Statement--Voluntary Leaving of Work, is used by
the RRB to obtain the claimant's statement when the claimant, the
claimant's employer, or another source indicates that the claimant has
voluntarily left work.
Completion of Form UI-45 is required to obtain or retain benefits.
One response is received from each respondent. The RRB proposes no
changes to Form UI-45.
[[Page 8896]]
Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual Time Burden
Form No. responses (minutes) (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
UI-45........................................................... 200 15 50
Total........................................................... 200 .............. 50
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3. Title and purpose of information collection: Self-Employment and
Substantial Service Questionnaire; OMB 3220-0138.
Section 2 of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA) provides for payment
of annuities to qualified employees and their spouses. In order to
receive an age and service annuity, Section 2(e)(3) states that an
applicant must stop all railroad work and give up any rights to return
to such work. However, applicants are not required to stop nonrailroad
work or self-employment.
The RRB considers some work claimed as ``self-employment'' to
actually be employment for an employer. Whether the RRB classifies a
particular activity as self-employment or as work for an employer
depends upon the circumstances of each case. These circumstances are
prescribed in 20 CFR 216.
Under the 1988 amendments to the RRA, an applicant is no longer
required to stop work for a ``Last Pre-Retirement Nonrailroad
Employer'' (LPE). However, Section 2(f)(6) of the RRA requires that a
portion of the employee's Tier II benefit and supplemental annuity be
deducted for earnings from the ``LPE.''
The ``LPE'' is defined as the last person, company, or institution
with whom the employee or spouse applicant was employed concurrently
with, or after, the applicant's last railroad employment and before
their annuity beginning date. If a spouse never worked for a railroad,
the LPE is the last person for whom he or she worked.
The RRB utilizes Form AA-4, Self-Employment and Substantial Service
Questionnaire, to obtain information needed to determine if the work
the applicant claims is self-employment is really self-employment or
work for an LPE or railroad service. If the work is self-employment,
the questionnaire identifies any month in which the applicant did not
perform substantial service. One response is requested of each
respondent. Completion is voluntary. However, failure to complete the
form could result in the nonpayment of benefits. The RRB proposes to
the following changes to Form AA-4:
Update the officer title and RRB zip code in the Paperwork
Reduction Act/Privacy Act Notices section;
update the example date in Section 1--General
Instructions; and
update the RRB office hours in Section 7--Certification.
Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual Time Burden
Form No. responses (minutes) (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AA-4 (With assistance).......................................... 570 40 380
AA-4 (Without assistance)....................................... 30 70 35
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Total....................................................... 600 .............. 415
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. Title and purpose of information collection: Withholding
Certificate for Railroad Retirement Monthly Annuity Payments; OMB 3220-
0149.
The Internal Revenue Code requires that all payers of tax liable
private pensions to U.S. citizens or residents: (1) Notify each
recipient at least concurrent with initial withholding that the payer
is, in fact, withholding benefits for tax liability and that the
recipient has the option of electing not to have the payer withhold, or
to withhold at a specific rate; (2) withhold benefits for tax purposes
(in the absence of the recipient's election not to withhold benefits);
and (3) notify all beneficiaries, at least annually, that they have the
option to change their withholding status or elect not to have benefits
withheld.
The RRB provides Form RRB-W4P, Withholding Certificate for Railroad
Retirement Payments, to its annuitants to exercise their withholding
options. Completion of the form is required to obtain or retain a
benefit. One response is requested of each respondent. The RRB proposes
no changes to Form W-4P.
The RRB estimates that 25,000 annuitants utilize Form RRB W-4P
annually. The completion time for Form RRB W-4P varies depending on
individual circumstances. The estimated average completion time for
Form RRB W-4P is 39 minutes for recordkeeping, 24 minutes for learning
about the law or the form, and 59 minutes for preparing the form.
5. Title and purpose of information collection: Designation of
Contact Officials; 3220-0200 Coordination between railroad employers
and the RRB is essential to properly administer the payment of benefits
under the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA) and the Railroad Unemployment
Insurance Act (RUIA). In order to enhance timely coordination activity,
the RRB utilizes Form G-117a, Designation of Contact Officials. Form G-
117a is used by railroad employers to designate employees who are to
act as point of contact with the RRB on a variety of RRA and RUIA-
related matters.
Completion is voluntary. One response is requested from each
respondent. The RRB proposes no changes to Form G-117a.
[[Page 8897]]
Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual Time Burden
Form No. responses (minutes) (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G-117a.......................................................... 100 15 25
-----------------------------------------------
Total....................................................... 100 .............. 25
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Additional Information or Comments: To request more information or
to obtain a copy of the information collection justification, forms,
and/or supporting material, contact Kennisha C. Tucker at (312) 469-
2591 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 emailed
to [email protected]. Written comments should be received within 60
days of this notice.
Brian D. Foster,
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2020-03107 Filed 2-14-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7905-01-P
