Agency Forms Submitted for OMB Review, Request for Comments, 19893-19896 [2024-05927]
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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 55 / Wednesday, March 20, 2024 / Notices
request(s) that the Postal Service states
concern Market Dominant product(s),
applicable statutory and regulatory
requirements include 39 U.S.C. 3622, 39
U.S.C. 3642, 39 CFR part 3030, and 39
CFR part 3040, subpart B. For request(s)
that the Postal Service states concern
Competitive product(s), applicable
statutory and regulatory requirements
include 39 U.S.C. 3632, 39 U.S.C. 3633,
39 U.S.C. 3642, 39 CFR part 3035, and
39 CFR part 3040, subpart B. Comment
deadline(s) for each request appear in
section II.
II. Docketed Proceeding(s)
1. Docket No(s).: MC2024–206 and
CP2024–212; Filing Title: USPS Request
to Add Priority Mail & Ground
Advantage Contract 200 to Competitive
Product List and Notice of Filing
Materials Under Seal; Filing Acceptance
Date: March 14, 2024; Filing Authority:
39 U.S.C. 3642, 39 CFR 3040.130
through 3040.135, and 39 CFR 3035.105;
Public Representative: Christopher C.
Mohr; Comments Due: March 22, 2024.
2. Docket No(s).: MC2024–207 and
CP2024–213; Filing Title: USPS Request
to Add Priority Mail & Ground
Advantage Contract 201 to Competitive
Product List and Notice of Filing
Materials Under Seal; Filing Acceptance
Date: March 15, 2024; Filing Authority:
39 U.S.C. 3642, 39 CFR 3040.130
through 3040.135, and 39 CFR 3035.105;
Public Representative: Christopher C.
Mohr; Comments Due: March 22, 2024.
This Notice will be published in the
Federal Register.
Erica A. Barker,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2024–05873 Filed 3–19–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710–FW–P
RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
Agency Forms Submitted for OMB
Review, Request for Comments
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 ensure 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)
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16:52 Mar 19, 2024
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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: RUIA Investigations and
Continuing Entitlement; OMB 3220–
0025.
Under Section 1(k) of the Railroad
Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA)
(45 U.S.C. 231), unemployment and
sickness benefits are not payable for any
day remuneration is payable or accrues
to the claimant. Also, Section 4(a–1) of
the RUIA provides that unemployment
or sickness benefits are not payable for
any day the claimant receives the same
benefits under any law other than the
RUIA. Under Railroad Retirement Board
(RRB) regulation 20 CFR 322.4(a), a
claimant’s certification or statement on
an RRB-provided claim form, that he or
she did not work on any day claimed
and did not receive income such as
vacation pay or pay for time lost, shall
constitute sufficient evidence unless
there is conflicting evidence. Further,
under 20 CFR 322.4(b), when there is a
question raised as to whether or not
remuneration is payable or has accrued
to a claimant with respect to a claimed
day(s), an investigation shall be made
with a view to obtaining information
sufficient for a finding. The RRB utilizes
the following three forms to obtain
information from railroad employers,
nonrailroad employers, and claimants,
that is needed to determine whether a
claimed day(s) of unemployment or
sickness were improperly or
fraudulently claimed: Form ID–5i,
Request for Employment Information;
Form ID–5R (SUP), Report of Employees
Paid RUIA Benefits for Every Day in
Month Reported as Month of Creditable
Service; and Form UI–48, Statement
Regarding Benefits Claimed for Days
Worked. Completion is voluntary. One
response is requested of each
respondent.
To qualify for unemployment or
sickness benefits payable under Section
2 of the Railroad Unemployment
Insurance Act (RUIA), a railroad
employee must have certain qualifying
earnings in the applicable base year. In
addition, to qualify for extended or
accelerated benefits under Section 2 of
the RUIA, a railroad employee who has
exhausted his or her rights to normal
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19893
benefits must have at least 10 years of
railroad service (under certain
conditions, military service may be
credited as months of railroad service).
Accelerated benefits are unemployment
or sickness benefits that are payable to
a railroad employee before the regular
July 1 beginning date of a benefit year
if an employee has 10 or more years of
service and is not qualified for benefits
in the current benefit year.
During the RUIA claims review
process, the RRB may determine that
unemployment or sickness benefits
cannot be awarded because RRB records
show insufficient qualifying service
and/or compensation. When this occurs,
the RRB allows the claimant the
opportunity to provide additional
information if they believe that the RRB
service and compensation records are
incorrect.
Depending on the circumstances, the
RRB provides the following forms to
obtain information needed to determine
if a claimant has sufficient service or
compensation to qualify for
unemployment or sickness benefits.
Form UI–9, Statement of Employment
and Wages; Form UI–44, Claim for
Credit for Military Service; Form ID–4U,
Advising of Service/Earnings
Requirements for Unemployment
Benefits; and Form ID–4X, Advising of
Service/Earnings Requirements for
Sickness Benefits. Completion of these
forms is required to obtain or retain a
benefit. One response is required of
each respondent.
Previous Requests for Comments: The
RRB has already published the initial
60-day notice (89 FR 2259 on January
12, 2024) required by 44 U.S.C.
3506(c)(2). That request elicited no
comments.
Information Collection Request (ICR)
Title: RUIA Investigations and
Continuing Entitlement.
OMB Control Number: 3220–0025.
Forms submitted: UI–9, UI–44, UI–48,
ID–4U, ID–4X, ID–5I, ID–5R (SUP).
Type of request: Revision of a
currently approved collection.
Affected public: Private Sector;
Businesses or other for profits.
Abstract: The information collection
has two purposes. When RRB records
indicate that railroad service and/or
compensation is insufficient to qualify a
claimant for unemployment or sickness
benefits, the RRB obtains information
needed to reconcile the compensation
and/or service on record with that
claimed by the employee. Other forms
in the collection allow the RRB to
determine whether unemployment or
sickness benefits were improperly
obtained.
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19894
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 55 / Wednesday, March 20, 2024 / Notices
Changes proposed: The RRB proposes
no changes to Form UI–9, UI–44, ID–4U,
ID–4X, and UI–48.
The RRB proposes the following
changes to Form ID–5i:
• add a 30-day time sensitive
response on page 1,
• page 2 modification to earnings
sentence to include ‘‘if still employed,
include earnings up to the current
employment date.’’,
• remove auto update of RRB
letterhead address, phone number and
email address,
• update RRB address to headquarters
address,
• update RRB phone number to
Unemployment and Programs Support
Division,
• update RRB fax number to
Unemployment and Programs Support
Division,
• update RRB email address to
Unemployment and Programs Support
Division, and
• update RRB office hours.
The RRB proposes the following
changes to ID–5R (SUP):
• change PRA/PA notice to update
the officer title and
• update RRB zip code.
The burden estimate for the ICR is as
follows:
Annual
responses
Form No.
Time
(minutes)
Burden
(hours)
UI–9 .............................................................................................................................................
UI–44 ...........................................................................................................................................
UI–48 ...........................................................................................................................................
ID–4U ...........................................................................................................................................
ID–4X ...........................................................................................................................................
ID–5i .............................................................................................................................................
ID–5i .............................................................................................................................................
ID–5R (SUP) ................................................................................................................................
69
10
14
35
25
* 1,000
** 50
400
10
5
12
5
5
15
10
11
1
3
3
2
250
12
67
Total ......................................................................................................................................
1,603
........................
349
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* Private sector.
** State/local/etc.
2. Title and Purpose of information
collection: Pension Plan Reports; OMB
3220–0089. Under Section 2(b) of the
Railroad Retirement Act (RRA) (45
U.S.C. 231a), the Railroad Retirement
Board (RRB) pays supplemental
annuities to qualified RRB employee
annuitants. A supplemental annuity,
which is computed according to Section
3(e) of the RRA, can be paid at age 60
if the employee has at least 30 years of
creditable railroad service or at age 65
if the employee has 25–29 years of
railroad service. In addition to 25 years
of service, a ‘‘current connection’’ with
the railroad industry is required.
Eligibility is further limited to
employees who had at least 1 month of
rail service before October 1981 and
were awarded regular annuities after
June 1966. Further, if an employee’s
65th birthday was prior to September 2,
1981, he or she must not have worked
in rail service after certain closing dates
(generally the last day of the month
following the month in which age 65 is
attained). Under Section 2(h)(2) of the
RRA, the amount of the supplemental
annuity is reduced if the employee
receives monthly pension payments, or
a lump-sum pension payment from a
private pension from a railroad
employer to the extent the payments are
based on contributions from that
employer. The employee’s own
contribution to their pension account
does not cause a reduction. A private
railroad employer pension is defined in
20 CFR 216.42.
The RRB requires the following
information from railroad employers to
calculate supplemental annuities: (a) the
current status of railroad employer
pension plans and whether such plans
cause reductions to the supplemental
annuity; (b) whether the employee
receives monthly payments from a
private railroad employer pension,
elected to receive a lump sum in lieu of
monthly pension payments from such a
plan, or was required to receive a lump
sum from such a plan due to the plan’s
small benefit provision; and (c) the
amount of the payments attributable to
the railroad employer’s contributions.
The requirement that railroad employers
furnish pension information to the RRB
is contained in 20 CFR 209.2.
The RRB currently utilizes Form G–
88p and G–88p (internet), Employer’s
Supplemental Pension Report, and
Form G–88r, Request for Information
About New or Revised Employer
Pension Plan, to obtain the necessary
information from railroad employers.
One response is requested of each
respondent. Completion is mandatory.
Previous Requests for Comments: The
RRB has already published the initial
60-day notice (89 FR 2260 on January
12, 2024) required by 44 U.S.C.
3506(c)(2). That request elicited no
comments.
Information Collection Request (ICR)
Title: Pension Plan Reports.
OMB Control Number: 3220–0089.
Forms submitted: G–88p and G–88r.
Type of request: Extension without
change of a currently approved
collection.
Affected public: Businesses or other
for-profits.
Abstract: The Railroad Retirement Act
provides for payment of a supplemental
annuity to a qualified railroad
retirement annuitant. The collection
obtains information from the annuitant’s
employer to determine (a) the existence
of railroad employer pension plans and
whether such plans, if they exist,
require a reduction to supplemental
annuities paid to the employer’s former
employees and (b) the amount of
supplemental annuities due railroad
employees.
Changes proposed: The RRB proposes
no changes to G–88P and G–88P
(internet), and G–88R.
The burden estimate for the ICR is as
follows:
Annual
responses
Form No.
G–88p ..........................................................................................................................................
G–88p (internet) ...........................................................................................................................
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100
200
20MRN1
Time
(minutes)
Burden
(hours)
8
6
13
20
19895
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 55 / Wednesday, March 20, 2024 / Notices
Annual
responses
Form No.
Burden
(hours)
G–88r ...........................................................................................................................................
10
8
1
Total ......................................................................................................................................
310
........................
34
3. Title and Purpose of information
collection: Job Information Report, OMB
3220–0193.
The Railroad Retirement Board (RRB)
occupational disability standards allow
the RRB to request job information from
railroad employers to determine an
applicant’s eligibility for an
occupational disability.
To determine an occupational
disability, the RRB must obtain the
employee’s work history and establish if
the employee is precluded from
performing his or her regular railroad
occupation. This is accomplished by
comparing the restrictions caused by the
impairment(s) against the employee’s
ability to perform his or her job duties.
To collect the information needed to
determine the effect of a disability on an
employee applicant’s ability to work,
the RRB utilizes Form G–251,
Vocational Report (OMB 3220–0141)
which is completed by the applicant.
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Time
(minutes)
Form G–251A, Railroad Job
Information, requests railroad
employers to provide information
regarding whether the employee has
been medically disqualified from their
railroad occupation; a summary of the
employee’s duties; the machinery, tools
and equipment used by the employee;
the environmental conditions under
which the employee performs their
duties; all sensory requirements (vision,
hearing, speech) needed to perform the
employee’s duties; the physical actions
and amount of time (frequency) allotted
for those actions that may be required
by the employee to perform their duties
during a typical work day; any
permanent working accommodations an
employer may have made due to the
employee’s disability; as well as any
other relevant information they may
choose to include. Completion is
voluntary.
Previous Requests for Comments: The
RRB has already published the initial
60-day notice (89 FR 2260 on January
12, 2024) required by 44 U.S.C.
3506(c)(2). That request elicited no
comments.
Title: Job Information Report.
OMB Control Number: 3220–0193.
Form(s) submitted: G–251A.
Type of request: Revision of a
currently approved collection.
Affected public: Businesses or other
for profits.
Abstract: The collection obtains
information used by the Railroad
Retirement Board (RRB) to assist in
determining whether a railroad
employee is disabled from his or her
regular occupation. It provides railroad
employers with the opportunity to
provide information to the RRB
regarding the employee applicant’s job
duties.
Changes proposed: The RRB proposes
no changes to Form G–251A.
The burden estimate for the ICR is as
follows:
Form No.
Annual
responses
Time
(minutes)
Burden
(hours)
G–251A ........................................................................................................................................
436
60
436
4. Title and Purpose of information
collection: Self-Employment/Corporate
Officer Work and Earnings Monitoring;
OMB 3220–0202.
Section 2 of the Railroad Retirement
Act (RRA) (45 U.S.C. 231) provides for
the payment of disability annuities to
qualified employees. Section 2 also
provides that if the Railroad Retirement
Board (RRB) receives a report of an
annuitant working for a railroad or
earning more than prescribed dollar
amounts from either nonrailroad
employment or self-employment, the
annuity is no longer payable, or can be
reduced, for the months worked. The
regulations related to the nonpayment
or reduction of the annuity by reason of
work are prescribed in 20 CFR 220.160–
164.
Some activities claimed by the
applicant as ‘‘self-employment’’ may
actually be employment for someone
else (e.g., training officer, consultant,
salesman). 20 CFR 216.22(c) states, for
example, that an applicant is considered
an employee, and not self-employed,
when acting as a corporate officer, since
the corporation is the applicant’s
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16:52 Mar 19, 2024
Jkt 262001
employer. Whether the RRB classifies a
particular activity as self-employment or
as work for an employer depends upon
the circumstances in each case. The
circumstances are prescribed in 20 CFR
216.21–216–23.
Certain types of work may actually
indicate an annuitant’s recovery from
disability. Regulations related to an
annuitant’s recovery from disability for
work are prescribed in 20 CFR 220.17–
220–20.
In addition, the RRB conducts
continuing disability reviews (also
known as a CDR), to determine whether
the annuitant continues to meet the
disability requirements of the law.
Payment of disability benefits and/or a
beneficiary’s period of disability will
end if medical evidence or other
information shows that an annuitant is
not disabled under the standards
prescribed in Section 2 of the RRA.
Continuing disability reviews are
generally conducted if one or more of
the following conditions are met: (1) the
annuitant is scheduled for a routine
periodic review, (2) the annuitant
returns to work and successfully
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
completes a trial work period, (3)
substantial earnings are posted to the
annuitant’s wage record, or (4)
information is received from the
annuitant or a reliable source that the
annuitant has recovered or returned to
work. Provisions relating to when and
how often the RRB conducts disability
reviews are prescribed in 20 CFR
220.186.
To enhance program integrity
activities, the RRB utilizes Form G–252,
Self-Employment/Corporate Officer
Work and Earnings Monitoring. Form
G–252 obtains information from a
disability annuitant who either claims
to be self-employed or a corporate
officer, or who the RRB determines to be
self-employed or a corporate officer after
a continuing disability review. The
continuing disability review may be
prompted by a report of work, return to
railroad service, an allegation of a
medical improvement or a routine
disability review call-up. The
information gathered is used to
determine entitlement and/or continued
entitlement to, and the amount of, the
disability annuity, as prescribed in 20
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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 55 / Wednesday, March 20, 2024 / Notices
CFR 220.176. Completion is required to
retain benefits. One response is required
of each respondent.
Previous Requests for Comments: The
RRB has already published the initial
60-day notice (89 FR 2260 on January
12, 2024) required by 44 U.S.C.
3506(c)(2). That request elicited no
comments.
Information Collection Request (ICR)
Title: Self-Employment/Corporate
Officer Work and Earnings Monitoring.
OMB Control Number: 3220–0202.
Form(s) submitted: G–252.
Type of request: Revision of a
currently approved collection.
Affected public: Individuals or
Households.
Abstract: To determine entitlement or
continued entitlement to a disability
Annual
responses
Form No.
Time
(minutes)
Burden
(hours)
G–252 ..........................................................................................................................................
15
20
5
Total ......................................................................................................................................
15
........................
5
Additional Information or Comments:
Copies of the forms and supporting
documents can be obtained from
Kennisha Money at (312) 469–2591 or
Kennisha.Money@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 Brian.Foster@rrb.gov.
Written comments and
recommendations for the proposed
information collection should be sent
within 30 days of publication of this
notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/
PRAMain. Find this particular
information collection by selecting
‘‘Currently under 30-day Review—Open
for Public Comments’’ or by using the
search function.
Brian Foster,
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2024–05927 Filed 3–19–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7905–01–P
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
March 14, 2024.
I. Introduction
On August 10, 2023, National
Securities Clearing Corporation
(‘‘NSCC’’) filed with the Securities and
16:52 Mar 19, 2024
Jkt 262001
U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
CFR 240.19b–4.
3 See Notice of Filing infra note 4, at 88 FR 59968.
4 Securities Exchange Act Release No. 98213
(Aug. 24, 2023), 88 FR 59968 (Aug. 30, 2023) (File
No. SR–NSCC–2023–007) (‘‘Notice of Filing’’).
5 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2).
6 Securities Exchange Act Release No. 98508 (Sep.
25, 2023), 88 FR 67407 (Sep. 29, 2023) (File No. SR–
NSCC–2023–007).
7 Partial Amendment No. 1 delays
implementation of the proposed change. In Partial
Amendment No. 1, NSCC proposes to implement
the proposed rule change within 90 days of
receiving all necessary regulatory approvals and
would announce the specific date of
implementation on its public website at least 14
days prior to implementation. The delay is
proposed in light of the technical system changes
that are required to implement the liquidity stress
testing enhancements and to be able to provide
sufficient notice to Clearing Members following
receipt of approval.
8 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2)(B).
2 17
Self-Regulatory Organizations; The
National Securities Clearing
Corporation; Order Granting Approval
of Proposed Rule Change, as Modified
by Partial Amendment No. 1 and
Amendment No. 2, To Modify the
Amended and Restated Stock Options
and Futures Settlement Agreement and
Make Certain Revisions to the NSCC
Rules
VerDate Sep<11>2014
Exchange Commission (‘‘Commission’’)
proposed rule change SR–NSCC–2023–
007 (‘‘Proposed Rule Change’’) pursuant
to section 19(b) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (‘‘Exchange
Act’’) 1 and Rule 19b–4 2 thereunder to
change terms related to the physical
settlement of equities arising out of
certain futures and options contracts.3
On August 30, 2023, the Proposed Rule
Change was published for public
comment in the Federal Register.4
On September 25, 2023, pursuant to
section 19(b)(2) of the Exchange Act,5
the Commission designated a longer
period within which to approve,
disapprove, or institute proceedings to
determine whether to approve or
disapprove the Proposed Rule Change.6
On November 8, 2023, NSCC filed
Partial Amendment No. 1 to the
Proposed Rule Change.7 On November
14, 2023, the Commission published
notice of Partial Amendment No. 1 and
instituted proceedings, pursuant to
section 19(b)(2)(B) of the Exchange Act,8
to determine whether to approve or
disapprove the proposed rule change, as
1 15
[Release No. 34–99733; File Nos. SR–
NSCC–2023–007]
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annuity, the RRB will obtain
information from disability annuitants
who claim to be self-employed or a
corporate officer or who the RRB
determines to be self-employed or a
corporate officer after a continuing
disability review.
Changes proposed: The RRB proposes
no changes to Form G–252.
The burden estimate for the ICR is as
follows:
PO 00000
Frm 00101
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
modified by the Partial Amendment No.
1.9 On January 24, 2024, NSCC filed
Amendment No. 2 to the Proposed Rule
Change, which was published in the
Federal Register for public comment on
January 31, 2024.10 The Commission
has received public comment regarding
the Proposed Rule Change.11 On
February 20, 2024, the Commission
designated a longer period for
Commission action on the proceedings
to determine whether to approve or
disapprove the Proposed Rule Change.12
This order approves the Proposed
Rule Change as modified by Partial
Amendment No. 1 and Amendment No.
2 (hereinafter defined as ‘‘Proposed Rule
Change’’).
II. Background
NSCC is a clearing agency that
provides clearing, settlement, risk
management, and central counterparty
services for trades involving equity
securities. The Options Clearing
9 Securities Exchange Act Release No. 98930
(Nov. 14, 2023), 88 FR 80790 (Nov. 20, 2023) (File
No. SR–NSCC–2023–007).
10 Securities Exchange Act Release No. 99432
(Jan. 25, 2024), 89 FR 6140 (Jan. 31, 2024) (File No.
SR–NSCC–2023–007) (‘‘Notice of Amendment’’).
Amendment No. 2 adds a second phase of changes
to the proposed rule change. The changes added in
Phase 2 include improved information sharing
between OCC and NSCC and are designed to
facilitate the shortening of the standard settlement
cycle for most broker-dealer transactions from T+2
to T+1. See Securities Exchange Act Release No.
96930 (Feb. 15, 2023), 88 FR 13872 (Mar. 6, 2023)
(File No. S7–05–22).
11 Comments on the Proposed Rule Change are
available at https://www.sec.gov/comments/sr-nscc2023-007/srnscc2023007.htm. The Commission
received comments on the proposed rule change
that express concerns unrelated to the substance of
the filing. See, e.g., comment from JT Clark (Oct. 10,
2024) (general concern about corruption in the
markets) and comment from Anthony LaBree (Oct.
12, 2024) (concerns about OCC’s business
practices).
12 Securities Exchange Act Release No. 99567
(Feb. 20, 2024), 89 FR 14122 (Feb. 26, 2024) (File
No. SR–NSCC–2023–007).
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 55 (Wednesday, March 20, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19893-19896]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-05927]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD
Agency Forms Submitted for OMB Review, Request for Comments
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 ensure 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: RUIA Investigations
and Continuing Entitlement; OMB 3220-0025.
Under Section 1(k) of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act
(RUIA) (45 U.S.C. 231), unemployment and sickness benefits are not
payable for any day remuneration is payable or accrues to the claimant.
Also, Section 4(a-1) of the RUIA provides that unemployment or sickness
benefits are not payable for any day the claimant receives the same
benefits under any law other than the RUIA. Under Railroad Retirement
Board (RRB) regulation 20 CFR 322.4(a), a claimant's certification or
statement on an RRB-provided claim form, that he or she did not work on
any day claimed and did not receive income such as vacation pay or pay
for time lost, shall constitute sufficient evidence unless there is
conflicting evidence. Further, under 20 CFR 322.4(b), when there is a
question raised as to whether or not remuneration is payable or has
accrued to a claimant with respect to a claimed day(s), an
investigation shall be made with a view to obtaining information
sufficient for a finding. The RRB utilizes the following three forms to
obtain information from railroad employers, nonrailroad employers, and
claimants, that is needed to determine whether a claimed day(s) of
unemployment or sickness were improperly or fraudulently claimed: Form
ID-5i, Request for Employment Information; Form ID-5R (SUP), Report of
Employees Paid RUIA Benefits for Every Day in Month Reported as Month
of Creditable Service; and Form UI-48, Statement Regarding Benefits
Claimed for Days Worked. Completion is voluntary. One response is
requested of each respondent.
To qualify for unemployment or sickness benefits payable under
Section 2 of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA), a railroad
employee must have certain qualifying earnings in the applicable base
year. In addition, to qualify for extended or accelerated benefits
under Section 2 of the RUIA, a railroad employee who has exhausted his
or her rights to normal benefits must have at least 10 years of
railroad service (under certain conditions, military service may be
credited as months of railroad service). Accelerated benefits are
unemployment or sickness benefits that are payable to a railroad
employee before the regular July 1 beginning date of a benefit year if
an employee has 10 or more years of service and is not qualified for
benefits in the current benefit year.
During the RUIA claims review process, the RRB may determine that
unemployment or sickness benefits cannot be awarded because RRB records
show insufficient qualifying service and/or compensation. When this
occurs, the RRB allows the claimant the opportunity to provide
additional information if they believe that the RRB service and
compensation records are incorrect.
Depending on the circumstances, the RRB provides the following
forms to obtain information needed to determine if a claimant has
sufficient service or compensation to qualify for unemployment or
sickness benefits. Form UI-9, Statement of Employment and Wages; Form
UI-44, Claim for Credit for Military Service; Form ID-4U, Advising of
Service/Earnings Requirements for Unemployment Benefits; and Form ID-
4X, Advising of Service/Earnings Requirements for Sickness Benefits.
Completion of these forms is required to obtain or retain a benefit.
One response is required of each respondent.
Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has already published the
initial 60-day notice (89 FR 2259 on January 12, 2024) required by 44
U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.
Information Collection Request (ICR)
Title: RUIA Investigations and Continuing Entitlement.
OMB Control Number: 3220-0025.
Forms submitted: UI-9, UI-44, UI-48, ID-4U, ID-4X, ID-5I, ID-5R
(SUP).
Type of request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
Affected public: Private Sector; Businesses or other for profits.
Abstract: The information collection has two purposes. When RRB
records indicate that railroad service and/or compensation is
insufficient to qualify a claimant for unemployment or sickness
benefits, the RRB obtains information needed to reconcile the
compensation and/or service on record with that claimed by the
employee. Other forms in the collection allow the RRB to determine
whether unemployment or sickness benefits were improperly obtained.
[[Page 19894]]
Changes proposed: The RRB proposes no changes to Form UI-9, UI-44,
ID-4U, ID-4X, and UI-48.
The RRB proposes the following changes to Form ID-5i:
add a 30-day time sensitive response on page 1,
page 2 modification to earnings sentence to include ``if
still employed, include earnings up to the current employment date.'',
remove auto update of RRB letterhead address, phone number
and email address,
update RRB address to headquarters address,
update RRB phone number to Unemployment and Programs
Support Division,
update RRB fax number to Unemployment and Programs Support
Division,
update RRB email address to Unemployment and Programs
Support Division, and
update RRB office hours.
The RRB proposes the following changes to ID-5R (SUP):
change PRA/PA notice to update the officer title and
update RRB zip code.
The burden estimate for the ICR is as follows:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual
Form No. responses Time (minutes) Burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
UI-9............................................................ 69 10 11
UI-44........................................................... 10 5 1
UI-48........................................................... 14 12 3
ID-4U........................................................... 35 5 3
ID-4X........................................................... 25 5 2
ID-5i........................................................... * 1,000 15 250
ID-5i........................................................... ** 50 12
ID-5R (SUP)..................................................... 400 10 67
-----------------------------------------------
Total....................................................... 1,603 .............. 349
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Private sector.
** State/local/etc.
2. Title and Purpose of information collection: Pension Plan
Reports; OMB 3220-0089. Under Section 2(b) of the Railroad Retirement
Act (RRA) (45 U.S.C. 231a), the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) pays
supplemental annuities to qualified RRB employee annuitants. A
supplemental annuity, which is computed according to Section 3(e) of
the RRA, can be paid at age 60 if the employee has at least 30 years of
creditable railroad service or at age 65 if the employee has 25-29
years of railroad service. In addition to 25 years of service, a
``current connection'' with the railroad industry is required.
Eligibility is further limited to employees who had at least 1 month of
rail service before October 1981 and were awarded regular annuities
after June 1966. Further, if an employee's 65th birthday was prior to
September 2, 1981, he or she must not have worked in rail service after
certain closing dates (generally the last day of the month following
the month in which age 65 is attained). Under Section 2(h)(2) of the
RRA, the amount of the supplemental annuity is reduced if the employee
receives monthly pension payments, or a lump-sum pension payment from a
private pension from a railroad employer to the extent the payments are
based on contributions from that employer. The employee's own
contribution to their pension account does not cause a reduction. A
private railroad employer pension is defined in 20 CFR 216.42.
The RRB requires the following information from railroad employers
to calculate supplemental annuities: (a) the current status of railroad
employer pension plans and whether such plans cause reductions to the
supplemental annuity; (b) whether the employee receives monthly
payments from a private railroad employer pension, elected to receive a
lump sum in lieu of monthly pension payments from such a plan, or was
required to receive a lump sum from such a plan due to the plan's small
benefit provision; and (c) the amount of the payments attributable to
the railroad employer's contributions. The requirement that railroad
employers furnish pension information to the RRB is contained in 20 CFR
209.2.
The RRB currently utilizes Form G-88p and G-88p (internet),
Employer's Supplemental Pension Report, and Form G-88r, Request for
Information About New or Revised Employer Pension Plan, to obtain the
necessary information from railroad employers. One response is
requested of each respondent. Completion is mandatory.
Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has already published the
initial 60-day notice (89 FR 2260 on January 12, 2024) required by 44
U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.
Information Collection Request (ICR)
Title: Pension Plan Reports.
OMB Control Number: 3220-0089.
Forms submitted: G-88p and G-88r.
Type of request: Extension without change of a currently approved
collection.
Affected public: Businesses or other for-profits.
Abstract: The Railroad Retirement Act provides for payment of a
supplemental annuity to a qualified railroad retirement annuitant. The
collection obtains information from the annuitant's employer to
determine (a) the existence of railroad employer pension plans and
whether such plans, if they exist, require a reduction to supplemental
annuities paid to the employer's former employees and (b) the amount of
supplemental annuities due railroad employees.
Changes proposed: The RRB proposes no changes to G-88P and G-88P
(internet), and G-88R.
The burden estimate for the ICR is as follows:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual
Form No. responses Time (minutes) Burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G-88p........................................................... 100 8 13
G-88p (internet)................................................ 200 6 20
[[Page 19895]]
G-88r........................................................... 10 8 1
-----------------------------------------------
Total....................................................... 310 .............. 34
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Title and Purpose of information collection: Job Information
Report, OMB 3220-0193.
The Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) occupational disability
standards allow the RRB to request job information from railroad
employers to determine an applicant's eligibility for an occupational
disability.
To determine an occupational disability, the RRB must obtain the
employee's work history and establish if the employee is precluded from
performing his or her regular railroad occupation. This is accomplished
by comparing the restrictions caused by the impairment(s) against the
employee's ability to perform his or her job duties.
To collect the information needed to determine the effect of a
disability on an employee applicant's ability to work, the RRB utilizes
Form G-251, Vocational Report (OMB 3220-0141) which is completed by the
applicant.
Form G-251A, Railroad Job Information, requests railroad employers
to provide information regarding whether the employee has been
medically disqualified from their railroad occupation; a summary of the
employee's duties; the machinery, tools and equipment used by the
employee; the environmental conditions under which the employee
performs their duties; all sensory requirements (vision, hearing,
speech) needed to perform the employee's duties; the physical actions
and amount of time (frequency) allotted for those actions that may be
required by the employee to perform their duties during a typical work
day; any permanent working accommodations an employer may have made due
to the employee's disability; as well as any other relevant information
they may choose to include. Completion is voluntary.
Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has already published the
initial 60-day notice (89 FR 2260 on January 12, 2024) required by 44
U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.
Title: Job Information Report.
OMB Control Number: 3220-0193.
Form(s) submitted: G-251A.
Type of request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
Affected public: Businesses or other for profits.
Abstract: The collection obtains information used by the Railroad
Retirement Board (RRB) to assist in determining whether a railroad
employee is disabled from his or her regular occupation. It provides
railroad employers with the opportunity to provide information to the
RRB regarding the employee applicant's job duties.
Changes proposed: The RRB proposes no changes to Form G-251A.
The burden estimate for the ICR is as follows:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual
Form No. responses Time (minutes) Burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G-251A....................................................... 436 60 436
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. Title and Purpose of information collection: Self-Employment/
Corporate Officer Work and Earnings Monitoring; OMB 3220-0202.
Section 2 of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA) (45 U.S.C. 231)
provides for the payment of disability annuities to qualified
employees. Section 2 also provides that if the Railroad Retirement
Board (RRB) receives a report of an annuitant working for a railroad or
earning more than prescribed dollar amounts from either nonrailroad
employment or self-employment, the annuity is no longer payable, or can
be reduced, for the months worked. The regulations related to the
nonpayment or reduction of the annuity by reason of work are prescribed
in 20 CFR 220.160-164.
Some activities claimed by the applicant as ``self-employment'' may
actually be employment for someone else (e.g., training officer,
consultant, salesman). 20 CFR 216.22(c) states, for example, that an
applicant is considered an employee, and not self-employed, when acting
as a corporate officer, since the corporation is the applicant's
employer. Whether the RRB classifies a particular activity as self-
employment or as work for an employer depends upon the circumstances in
each case. The circumstances are prescribed in 20 CFR 216.21-216-23.
Certain types of work may actually indicate an annuitant's recovery
from disability. Regulations related to an annuitant's recovery from
disability for work are prescribed in 20 CFR 220.17-220-20.
In addition, the RRB conducts continuing disability reviews (also
known as a CDR), to determine whether the annuitant continues to meet
the disability requirements of the law. Payment of disability benefits
and/or a beneficiary's period of disability will end if medical
evidence or other information shows that an annuitant is not disabled
under the standards prescribed in Section 2 of the RRA. Continuing
disability reviews are generally conducted if one or more of the
following conditions are met: (1) the annuitant is scheduled for a
routine periodic review, (2) the annuitant returns to work and
successfully completes a trial work period, (3) substantial earnings
are posted to the annuitant's wage record, or (4) information is
received from the annuitant or a reliable source that the annuitant has
recovered or returned to work. Provisions relating to when and how
often the RRB conducts disability reviews are prescribed in 20 CFR
220.186.
To enhance program integrity activities, the RRB utilizes Form G-
252, Self-Employment/Corporate Officer Work and Earnings Monitoring.
Form G-252 obtains information from a disability annuitant who either
claims to be self-employed or a corporate officer, or who the RRB
determines to be self-employed or a corporate officer after a
continuing disability review. The continuing disability review may be
prompted by a report of work, return to railroad service, an allegation
of a medical improvement or a routine disability review call-up. The
information gathered is used to determine entitlement and/or continued
entitlement to, and the amount of, the disability annuity, as
prescribed in 20
[[Page 19896]]
CFR 220.176. Completion is required to retain benefits. One response is
required of each respondent.
Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has already published the
initial 60-day notice (89 FR 2260 on January 12, 2024) required by 44
U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.
Information Collection Request (ICR)
Title: Self-Employment/Corporate Officer Work and Earnings
Monitoring.
OMB Control Number: 3220-0202.
Form(s) submitted: G-252.
Type of request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
Affected public: Individuals or Households.
Abstract: To determine entitlement or continued entitlement to a
disability annuity, the RRB will obtain information from disability
annuitants who claim to be self-employed or a corporate officer or who
the RRB determines to be self-employed or a corporate officer after a
continuing disability review.
Changes proposed: The RRB proposes no changes to Form G-252.
The burden estimate for the ICR is as follows:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual
Form No. responses Time (minutes) Burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G-252........................................................... 15 20 5
-----------------------------------------------
Total....................................................... 15 .............. 5
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Additional Information or Comments: Copies of the forms and
supporting documents can be obtained from Kennisha Money 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
[email protected].
Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information
collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice
to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular information
collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--Open for
Public Comments'' or by using the search function.
Brian Foster,
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2024-05927 Filed 3-19-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7905-01-P
