Railroad Retirement Board – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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 collections are 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: Employer's Quarterly Report of Contributions Under the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act; RRB Form DC-1; OMB 3220-0012 Under section 8 of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA), as amended by the Railroad Unemployment Improvement Act of 1988 (Pub. L. 100-647), the amount of each employer's contribution is determined by the RRB, primarily on the basis of RUIA benefit payments made to the employees of that employer. These experienced based contributions, take into account the frequency, volume and duration of RUIA benefits, both unemployment and sickness, attributable to a railroad's employees. Each employer's contribution rate includes a component for administrative expenses and a component to cover costs shared by all employers. The regulations prescribing the manner and conditions for remitting the contributions and for adjusting overpayments or underpayments of contributions are contained in 20 CFR 345. RRB Form DC-1, Employer's Quarterly Report of Contributions Under the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act, is currently utilized by the RRB for the reporting and remitting of quarterly contributions by railroad employers. The RRB utilizes a manual version of Form DC-1 and also provides railroad employers with the option of reporting the required information and remitting their quarterly contributions via an Internet equivalent version Form DC-1. One response is requested quarterly of each respondent and completion is mandatory. The RRB estimates that 2,160 responses are received annually. The estimated completion for the manual and Internet version of Form DC-1 is estimated at 25 minutes. The total burden for the collection is estimated at 900 hours. The RRB proposes no changes to Form DC-1. 2. Title and Purpose of Information Collection: Applicant Background Survey: RRB Form EEO-44, OMB 3220-0201 This information collection is needed to comply with Federal laws and regulations. 5 U.S.C. Chapter 72 Sec. 7201 establishes an anti- discrimination policy. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Sec. 2000e-8 [Sec. 709], requires agencies to make and keep relevant records to identify unlawful employment practices. 29 CFR 1602 allows agencies to collect data to determine if there is any adverse impact on employment practices such as recruitment or selection. The RRB's Equal Employment Office collects data to assess the impact of the agency's recruitment processes on the hiring of minorities, women and people with disabilities. To obtain the information necessary to conduct a proper assessment, the RRB utilizes Form EEO-44, Applicant Background Survey, which collects information about the racial or ethnic identity, gender and disability of applicants for RRB jobs from outside of the Federal government. Form EEO-44 is only viewed by RRB Human Resources personnel and Equal Employment Opportunity officials. Summarized data from all external applicants for a position is used to identify hiring barriers which limit or tends to limit employment opportunities for members of a particular sex, race, or ethnic background, or based on an individual's disability status. The EEO-44 contains a ``Plain English'' assurance that the information will be kept highly confidential and only shared with authorized RRB officials. This assurance specifically states that the information obtained is kept as a running tally which cannot be disaggregated into individual names, that information from the form is not entered into the RRB's personnel database, that the information is not provided to selecting officials or any others who can affect the selection, or to the public, and that the forms is destroyed after the position is filled. The information maintained does not include the applicant's name or other identifier. Completion of one form is requested of each respondent and is voluntary. The RRB estimates that 800 EEO-44's are completed annually at an estimated completion time of 5 minutes. The total burden for the collection is estimated at 67 hours. The RRB proposes no changes to Form EEO-44. Additional Information or Comments: To request more information or to obtain a copy of the information collection justification, forms, and/or supporting material, please call the RRB Clearance Officer at (312) 751-3363 or send an e-mail request to Charles.Mierzwa@RRB.GOV. Comments regarding the information collection should be addressed to Ronald J. Hodapp, Railroad Retirement Board, 844 North Rush Street, Chicago, Illinois 60611-2092 or send an e-mail to Ronald.Hodapp@RRB.GOV. Written comments should be received within 60 days of this notice.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) is forwarding two (2) Information Collection Requests (ICR) to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Our ICR describes the information we seek to collect from the public. Review and approval by OIRA ensures that we impose appropriate paperwork burdens. The RRB invites comments on the proposed collections of information to determine (1) The practical utility of the collections; (2) the accuracy of the estimated burden of the collections; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information that is the subject of collection; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of collections on respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Comments to RRB or OIRA must contain the OMB control number of the ICR. For proper consideration of your comments, it is best if RRB and OIRA receive them within 30 days of publication date.

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) to request an extension without change of a currently approved collection of information: 3220-0082, Medicare. Our ICR describes the information we seek to collect from the public. Review and approval by OIRA ensures that we impose appropriate paperwork burdens. The RRB invites comments on the proposed collection of information to determine (1) the practical utility of the collection; (2) the accuracy of the estimated burden of the collection; (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 RRB or OIRA must contain the OMB control number of the ICR. For proper consideration of your comments, it is best if RRB and OIRA receive them within 30 days of publication date. Under Section 7(d) of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA), the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) administers the Medicare program for persons covered by the railroad retirement system. The RRB uses Form AA-6, Employee Application for Medicare; Form AA-7, Spouse/Divorced Spouse Application For Medicare; and Form AA-8, Widow/Widower Application for Medicare; to obtain the information needed to determine whether individuals who have not yet filed for benefits under the RRA are qualified for Medicare payments provided under Title XVIII of the Social Security Act. Further, in order for the RRB to determine if a qualified railroad retirement beneficiary who is claiming supplementary medical insurance coverage under Medicare is entitled to a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) and/or premium surcharge relief because of coverage under an Employer Group Health Plan (EGHP), it needs to obtain information regarding the claimant's EGHP coverage, if any. The RRB uses Form RL- 311-F, Evidence of Coverage Under an Employer Group Health Plan, to obtain the basic information needed by the RRB to establish EGHP coverage for a qualified railroad retirement beneficiary. Completion of the forms is required to obtain a benefit. One response is requested of each respondent. Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has already published the initial 60-day notice (73 FR 34965 and 34966 on June 19, 2008) required by 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) is forwarding two (2) Information Collection Requests (ICR) to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to request extensions without change of currently approved collections of information. Our ICR describes the information we seek to collect from the public. Review and approval by OIRA ensures that we impose appropriate paperwork burdens. The RRB invites comments on the proposed collections of information to determine (1) the practical utility of the collections; (2) the accuracy of the estimated burden of the collections; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information that is the subject of collection; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of collections on respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Comments to RRB or OIRA must contain the OMB control number of the ICR. For proper consideration of your comments, it is best if RRB and OIRA receive them within 30 days of publication date 1. Evidence of Marital RelationshipLiving with Requirements; OMB 3220-0021. To support an application for a spouse or widow(er)'s annuity under Sections 2(c) or 2(d) of the Railroad Retirement Act, an applicant must submit proof of a valid marriage to a railroad employee. In some cases, the existence of a marital relationship is not formalized by a civil or religious ceremony. In other cases, questions may arise about the legal termination of a prior marriage of an employee, spouse, or widow(er). In these instances, the RRB must secure additional information to resolve questionable marital relationships. The circumstances requiring an applicant to submit documentary evidence of marriage are prescribed in 20 CFR 219.30. In the absence of documentary evidence to support the existence of a valid marriage between a spouse or widow(er) annuity applicant and a railroad employee, the RRB needs to obtain information to determine if a valid marriage existed. The RRB utilizes Forms G-124, Statement of Marital Relationship; G-124a, Statement Regarding Marriage; G-237, Statement Regarding Marital Status; G-238, Statement of Residence; and G-238a, Statement Regarding Divorce or Annulment to secure the needed information. One response is requested of each respondent. Completion is required to obtain benefits.

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 collections are 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.

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) to request an extension without change of a currently approved collection of information: 3220-0038, Medical Reports. Our ICR describes the information we seek to collect from the public. Review and approval by OIRA ensures that we impose appropriate paperwork burdens. The RRB invites comments on the proposed collection of information to determine (1) The practical utility of the collection; (2) the accuracy of the estimated burden of the collection; (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 RRB or OIRA must contain the OMB control number of the ICR. For proper consideration of your comments, it is best if RRB and OIRA receive them within 30 days of publication date. Under Sections 2(a)(1)(iv), 2(a)(2) and 2(a)(3) of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA), annuities are payable to qualified railroad employees whose physical or mental condition is such that they are unable to (1) work in their regular occupation (occupational disability); or (2) work at all (permanent total disability). The requirements for establishment of disability and proof of continuance of disability are prescribed in 20 CFR 220. Under Sections 2(c)(1)(ii)(c) and 2(d)(1)(ii) of the RRA, annuities are also payable to qualified spouses and widow(ers), respectively, who have a qualified child who is under a disability which began before age 22. Annuities are also payable to surviving children on the basis of disability under Section 2(d)(1)(iii)(C) if the child's disability began before age 22 and to widow(ers) on the basis of disability under section 2(d)(1) (i)(B). To meet the disability standard, the RRA provides that individuals must have a permanent physical or mental condition such that they are unable to engage in any regular employment. Under section 2(d)(1)(v) of the RRA, annuities are also payable to remarried and surviving divorced spouses on the basis of, inter alia, disability or having a qualified disabled child in care. However, the disability standard in these cases is that found in the Social Security Act. That is, individuals must be able to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment. The RRB also determines entitlement to a period of early disability and early Medicare entitlement for qualified claimants in accordance with Section 216 of the Social Security Act. When making disability determinations, the RRB needs evidence from acceptable medical sources. The RRB currently utilizes Forms G-3EMP, Report of Medical Condition by Employer; G-197, Authorization to Release Medical Information, G-250, Medical Assessment; G-250a, Medical Assessment of Residual Functional Capacity; G-260, Report of Seizure Disorder; RL-11b, Disclosure of Hospital Medical Records; RL-11d, Disclosure of Medical Records from a State Agency; and RL-250, Request for Medical Assessment, to obtain the necessary medical evidence. The RRB proposes no changes to the information collection. Completion of the forms is voluntary. One response is requested of each respondent. Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has already published the initial 60-day notice (73 FR 22183 on April 24, 2008) required by 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.

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 collections are 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.

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) to request an extension of a currently approved collection of information: 3220-0123, Student Beneficiary Monitoring. Our ICR describes the information we seek to collect from the public. Review and approval by OIRA ensures that we impose appropriate paperwork burdens. The RRB invites comments on the proposed collection of information to determine (1) the practical utility of the collection; (2) the accuracy of the estimated burden of the collection; (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 RRB or OIRA must contain the OMB control number of the ICR. For proper consideration of your comments, it is best if RRB and OIRA receive them within 30 days of publication date.

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 collections are 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.

The Railroad Retirement Board (Board) amends its regulations concerning partition of annuities pursuant to a court decree or court- approved property settlement in order to incorporate provisions of the Pension Protection Act of 2006, to make corrections in the existing regulation, and to update the regulation to reflect changes in titles within the agency.

In accordance with the requirement of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of l995 which provides opportunity for public comment on new or revised data collections, the Railroad Retirement Board 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. Title and Purpose of information collection: RUIA Claims Notification and Verification System: OMB 3220-0171. Section 5(b) of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA), requires that effective January 1, 1990, ``when a claim for benefits is filed with the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB), the RRB shall provide notice of such claim to the claimant's base year employer or employers and afford such employer or employers an opportunity to submit information relevant to the claim before making an initial determination on the claim. When the RRB initially determines to pay benefits to a claimant under the RUIA, the RRB shall provide notice of such determination to the claimant's base-year employer or employers.'' The purpose of the RUIA Claims Notification System is to provide to unemployment and sickness claimant's base year employer or current employer, notice of each application and claim for benefits under the RUIA and to provide an opportunity for employers to convey information relevant to the proper adjudication of the claim. Railroad employers receive notice of applications and claims by one of three options. The first option, Form Letter ID-4K, is a computer generated form letter notice of all unemployment applications, unemployment claims and sickness claims received from employees of a railroad company on a particular day. Form Letters ID-4K are mailed on a daily basis to officials designated by railroad employers. The second option is an Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) version of the Form Letter ID-4K notice. EDI notices of applications are transmitted to participating railroads on a daily basis, generally on the same day that applications are received. The third option, an Internet equivalent ID-4K, provides the required notification by the RRB through the RRB's Internet-based Employer Reporting System (ERS). Completion is voluntary. Railroad employers can respond to RRB notices of applications and claims manually by mailing a completed ID-4K back to the RRB or electronically via EDI or the ERS. No changes are being proposed to any of the ID-4K options. Upon receipt of notice that the RRB has allowed a claim either in whole, or in part, the claimant's base-year employer(s) may request a review of the determination to pay benefits, if the employers believe the determination is incorrect. The RRB utilizes Form Letter ID-4DE, Notice of RUIA Claim Determinations, an Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) version of the Form Letter ID-4K notice and an Internet equivalent ID-4E to notify base-year employers that the RRB has made a determination to pay benefits and to allow them to request the RRB to review the determination. Form Letter ID-4E is mailed on a daily basis, generally on the same day that the claims are approved for payment. The EDI and Internet-equivalent ID-4Es are also sent to participating railroads on a daily basis, generally on the same day that the claims are approved for payment. Railroad employers can then request that the RRB review the determination either by filing a completed ID-4E by mail, EDI, or via the Internet. No changes are being proposed to any of the ID-4E options. Completion is voluntary. The estimated annual respondent burden is as follows:

In the document appearing on pages 734059 & 734060, FR Doc. E8-13431, Agency Forms Submitted for OMB Review, Request for Comments dated June 16, 2008, the Railroad Retirement Board is making a correction to add omitted language to the SUMMARY section that states the respondents' obligation to respond to RRB Form(s) UI-38, UI Claimant's Report of Efforts to Find Work, UI-38s, School Attendance and Availability Questionnaire, and ID-8k, Letter to Union Representative. Correction of Publication: The RRB adds the following language to the end of the SUMMARY section, ``Completion of Form(s) UI-38, UI Claimant's Report of Efforts to Find Work and UI-38s, School Attendance and Availability Questionnaire is required to obtain or retain benefits. Completion of Form ID-8k, Letter to Union Representative, is voluntary''.

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. Title and purpose of information collection: Medicare; OMB 3220- 0082. Under Section 7(d) of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA), the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) administers the Medicare program for persons covered by the railroad retirement system. The RRB uses Form AA-6, Employee Application for Medicare; Form AA-7, Spouse/Divorced Spouse Application For Medicare; and Form AA-8, Widow/Widower Application for Medicare; to obtain the information needed to determine whether individuals who have not yet filed for benefits under the RRA are qualified for Medicare payments provided under Title XVIII of the Social Security Act. Further, in order for the RRB to determine if a qualified railroad retirement beneficiary who is claiming supplementary medical insurance coverage under Medicare is entitled to a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) and/or premium surcharge relief because of coverage under an Employer Group Health Plan (EGHP), it needs to obtain information regarding the claimant's EGHP coverage, if any. The RRB uses Form RL- 311-F, Evidence of Coverage Under An Employer Group Health Plan, to obtain the basic information needed by the RRB to establish EGHP coverage for a qualified railroad retirement beneficiary. Completion of the forms is required to obtain a benefit. One response is requested of each respondent. The RRB proposes no changes to Forms AA-6, AA-7 and AA-8. The RRB proposes revision of Form RL-311-F to add a new item which asks if the employee is still working. This information is being added to clarify the employment status of the employee and is needed to determine the Special Enrollment Period. The RRB estimates that 180 Form AA-6's, 50 Form AA-7's, 10 Form AA-8's, and 800 RL-311-F's are completed annually. The completion time for Forms AA-6, AA-7 and AA-8 is estimated at 8 minutes. The completion time for Form RL-311-F is estimated at 10 minutes. Additional Information or Comments: To request more information or to obtain a copy of the information collection justification, forms, and/or supporting material, please call the RRB Clearance Officer at (312) 751-3363 or send an e-mail request to Charles.Mierzwa@RRB.GOV. Comments regarding the information collection should be addressed to Ronald J. Hodapp, Railroad Retirement Board, 844 North Rush Street, Chicago, Illinois 60611-2092 or send an e-mail to Ronald.Hodapp@RRB.GOV. Written comments should be received within 60 days of this notice.

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) to request an extension of a currently approved collection of information: 3220-0086, Application for Reimbursement for Hospital Insurance Services in Canada. Our ICR describes the information we seek to collect from the public. Review and approval by OIRA ensures that we impose appropriate paperwork burdens. The RRB invites comments on the proposed collection of information to determine: (1) The practical utility of the collection; (2) the accuracy of the estimated burden of the collection; (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 RRB or OIRA must contain the OMB control number of the ICR. For proper consideration of your comments, it is best if RRB and OIRA receive them within 30 days of publication date. Under section 7(d) of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA), the RRB administers the Medicare program for persons covered by the railroad retirement system. Payments are provided under section 7(d)(4) of the RRA for medical services furnished in Canada to the same extent as for those furnished in the United States. However, payments for the services furnished in Canada are made from the Railroad Retirement Account rather than from the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund, with the payments limited to the amount by which insurance benefits under Medicare exceed the amounts payable under Canadian Provincial plans. Form AA-104, Application for Canadian Hospital Benefits Under MedicarePart A, is provided by the RRB for use in claiming benefits for covered hospital services received in Canada. The form obtains information needed to determine eligibility for, and the amount of any reimbursement due the applicant. One response is requested of each respondent. Completion is required to obtain a benefit. Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has already published the initial 60-day notice (73 FR 10075 on February 25, 2008) required by 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.

As required by the Privacy Act, as amended, RRB is issuing public notice of its use and intent to use, in ongoing matching programs, information obtained from the Social Security Administration (SSA) of the amount of wages reported to SSA and the amount of benefits paid by that agency. The RRB is also issuing public notice, on behalf of SSA, of SSA's use and intent to use, in ongoing matching programs, information obtained from the RRB of the amount of railroad earnings reported to the RRB. The purposes of this notice are (1) to advise individuals applying for or receiving benefits under the Railroad Retirement Act of the use made by RRB of this information obtained from SSA by means of a computer match and (2) to advise individuals applying for or receiving benefits under the Social Security Act of the use made by SSA of this information obtained from RRB by means of a computer match.

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) to request an extension of a currently approved collection of information: 3220-0016, Certification of Termination of Service and Relinquishment of Rights. Our ICR describes the information we seek to collect from the public. Review and approval by OIRA ensures that we impose appropriate paperwork burdens. The RRB invites comments on the proposed collection of information to determine: (1) The practical utility of the collection; (2) the accuracy of the estimated burden of the collection; (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 RRB or OIRA must contain the OMB control number of the ICR. For proper consideration of your comments, it is best if RRB and OIRA receive them within 30 days of publication date. Under Section 2(e)(2) of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA), an age and service annuity, spouse annuity, or divorced spouse annuity cannot be paid unless the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) has evidence that the applicant has ceased railroad employment and relinquished rights to return to the service of a railroad employer. The procedure pertaining to the relinquishment of rights by an annuity applicant is prescribed in 20 CFR 216.24. Under Section 2(f)(6) of the RRA, earnings deductions are required each month an annuitant works in certain nonrailroad employment termed Last Pre-Retirement Non-Railroad Employment. Normally, the employee, spouse, or divorced spouse relinquish rights and certify that employment has ended as part of the annuity application process. However, this is not always the case. In limited circumstances, the RRB utilizes Form G-88, Certification of Termination of Service and Relinquishment of Rights, to obtain an applicant's report of termination of employment and relinquishment of rights. One response is required of each respondent. Responses are required to obtain or retain benefits. The RRB proposes no changes to Form G-88. Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has already published the initial 60-day notice (73 FR 10074 on February 25, 2008) required by 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.

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. Title and purpose of information collection: Statement of Authority to Act for Employee; OMB 3220-0034. Under Section 5(a) of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA), claims for benefits are to be made in accordance with such regulations as the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) shall prescribe. The provisions for claiming sickness benefits as provided by Section 2 of the RUIA are prescribed in 20 CFR 335.2. Included in these provisions is the RRB's acceptance of forms executed by someone else on behalf of an employee if the RRB is satisfied that the employee is sick or injured to the extent of being unable to sign forms. The RRB utilizes Form SI-10, Statement of Authority to Act for Employee, to provide the means for an individual to apply for authority to act on behalf of an incapacitated employee and also to obtain the information necessary to determine that the delegation should be made. Part I of the form is completed by the applicant for the authority and Part II is completed by the employee's doctor. One response is requested of each respondent. Completion is required to obtain benefits. The RRB proposes no changes to Form SI-10. The estimated annual respondent burden is as follows: Form: SI-10. Estimate of Annual Responses: 400. Estimated Completion Time: 6 minutes. Total Burden Hours: 40. Additional Information or Comments: To request more information or to obtain a copy of the information collection justification, forms, and/or supporting material, please call the RRB Clearance Officer at (312) 751-3363 or send an e-mail request to Charles.Mierzwa@RRB.GOV. Comments regarding the information collection should be addressed to Ronald J. Hodapp, Railroad Retirement Board, 844 North Rush Street, Chicago, Illinois 60611-2092 or send an e-mail to Ronald.Hodapp@RRB.GOV. Written comments should be received within 60 days of this notice.

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.

The Railroad Retirement Board (Board) proposes to amend its regulations concerning partition of annuities pursuant to a court decree or court-approved property settlement in order to incorporate provisions of the Pension Protection Act of 2006, to make corrections in the existing regulation, and to update the regulation to reflect changes in titles within the agency.

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 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.

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) to request a revision to a currently approved collection of information: 3220-0127, Financial Disclosure Statement. Our ICR describes the information we seek to collect from the public. Review and approval by OIRA ensures that we impose appropriate paperwork burdens. The RRB invites comments on the proposed collection of information to determine (1) the practical utility of the collection; (2) the accuracy of the estimated burden of the collection; (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 RRB or OIRA must contain the OMB control number of the ICR. For proper consideration of your comments, it is best if RRB and OIRA receive them within 30 days of publication date. Under section 10 of the Railroad Retirement Act and section 2(d) of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act, the RRB may recover overpayments of annuities, pensions, death benefits, unemployment benefits, and sickness benefits that were made erroneously. An overpayment may be waived if the beneficiary was not at fault in causing the overpayment and recovery would cause financial hardship. The regulations for the recovery and waiver of erroneous payments are contained in 20 CFR 255 and CFR 340. The RRB utilizes Form DR-423, Financial Disclosure Statement, to obtain information about the overpaid beneficiary's income, debts, and expenses if that person indicates that (s)he cannot make restitution for the overpayment. The information is used to determine if the overpayment should be waived as wholly or partially uncollectible. If waiver is denied, the information is used to determine the size and frequency of installment payments. The beneficiary is made aware of the overpayment by letter and is offered a variety of methods for recovery. One response is requested of each respondent. Completion is voluntary. However, failure to provide the requested information may result in a denial of the waiver request. Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has already published the initial 60-day notice (72 FR 61192 on October 29, 2007) required by 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.

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 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. Title and Purpose of information collection: Statement Regarding Contributions and Support: OMB 3220-0099. Under Section 2 of the Railroad Retirement Act, dependency on an employee for one-half support at the time of an employee's death can be a condition affecting entitlement to a survivor annuity and can affect the amount of both spouse and survivor annuities. One-half support is also a condition which may negate the public service pension offset in Tier I for a spouse or widow(er). The Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) utilizes Form G-134, Statement Regarding Contributions and Support, to secure information needed to adequately determine if the applicant meets the one-half support requirement. One form is completed by each respondent. The RRB proposes no changes to Form G-134. The estimated annual respondent burden is as follows:

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. Title and Purpose of Information Collection: Statement Regarding Contributions and Support of Children: OMB 3220-0195. Section 2(d)(4) of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA), provides, in part, that a child is deemed dependent if the conditions set forth in section 202(d)(3),(4) and (9) of the Social Security Act are met. Section 202(d)(4) of the Social Security Act, as amended by Public Law 104-121, requires as a condition of dependency that a child receives one-half of his or her support from the stepparent. This dependency impacts upon the entitlement of a spouse or survivor of an employee whose entitlement is based upon having a stepchild of the employee in care, or on an individual seeking a child's annuity as a stepchild of an employee. Therefore, depending on the employee for at least one-half support is a condition affecting eligibility for increasing an employee or spouse annuity under the social security overall minimum provisions on the basis of the presence of a dependent child, the employee's natural child in limited situations, adopted children, stepchildren, grandchildren and step-grandchildren and equitably adopted children. The regulations outlining child support and dependency requirements are prescribed in 20 CFR 222.50-57. In order to correctly determine if an applicant is entitled to a child's annuity based on actual dependency, the RRB uses Form G-139, Statement Regarding Contributions and Support of Children, to obtain financial information needed to make a comparison between the amount of support received from the railroad employee and the amount received from other sources. Completion is required to obtain a benefit. One response is required of each respondent. The RRB estimates that 500 Form G-139s are completed annually. The completion time is estimated at 60 minutes. The RRB proposes no changes to Form G-139. Additional Information or Comments: To request more information or to obtain a copy of the information collection justification, forms, and/or supporting material, please call the RRB Clearance Officer at (312) 751-3363 or Charles.Mierzwa@rrb.gov. Comments regarding the information collection should be addressed to Ronald J. Hodapp, Railroad Retirement Board, 844 N. Rush Street, Chicago, Illinois 60611- 2092 or Ronald.Hodapp@rrb.gov. Written comments should be received within 60 days of this notice.

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) to request a revision to a currently approved collection of information: 3220-0185, Report of Medicaid State Office on Beneficiary's In Status consisting of Form RL- 380-F, Report to State Medicaid Office. Our ICR describes the information we seek to collect from the public. Review and approval by OIRA ensures that we impose appropriate paperwork burdens. The RRB invites comments on the proposed collection of information to determine (1) the practical utility of the collection; (2) the accuracy of the estimated burden of the collection; (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 RRB or OIRA must contain the OMB control number of the ICR. For proper consideration of your comments, it is best if RRB and OIRA receive them within 30 days of publication date. Under Section 7(d) of the Railroad Retirement Act, the RRB administers the Medicare program for persons covered by the railroad retirement system. Under Section 1843 of the Social Security Act, states may enter into ``buy-in agreements'' with the Secretary of Health and Human Services for the purpose of enrolling certain groups of low-income individuals under the Medicare medical insurance (Part B) program and paying the premiums for their insurance coverage. Generally, these individuals are categorically needy under Medicaid and meet the eligibility requirements for Medicare Part B. States can also include in their buy-in agreements, individuals who are eligible for medical assistance only. The RRB uses Form RL-380-F, Report to State Medicaid Office, to obtain information needed to determine if certain railroad beneficiaries are entitled to receive Supplementary Medical Insurance program coverage under a state buy-in agreement in states in which they reside. Completion of Form RL-380-F is voluntary. One response is received from each respondent. At the request of various state Medicaid offices, the RRB proposes revisions to Form RL-380-F to add items requesting a beneficiary's Part A and Part B effective date. The new information will assist them in locating pertinent records of the subject beneficiary. Other minor non- burden impacting editorial changes are proposed. Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has already published the initial 60-day notice (72 FR 57078 on October 5, 2007) required by 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.