[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 161 (Friday, August 19, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52025-52026]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-21219]
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RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD
Proposed Collection; Comment Request
Summary: In accordance with the requirement of section
3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 which provides
opportunity for public comment on new or revised data collections, the
Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) will publish periodic summaries of
proposed data collections.
Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed information
collection is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of
the agency, including whether the information has practical utility;
(b) the accuracy of the RRB's estimate of the burden of the collection
of the information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize
the burden related to the collection of information on respondents,
including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of
information technology.
1. Title and purpose of information collection: Medical Reports;
OMB 3220-0038
Under sections 2(a)(1)(iv) and 2(a)(1)(v) of the Railroad
Retirement Act (RRA), annuities are payable to qualified railroad
employees whose physical or mental condition makes them unable to (1)
work in their regular occupation (occupational disability) or (2) work
at all (permanent total disability). The requirements for establishing
disability and proof of continuing disability under the RRA are
prescribed in 20 CFR part 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(er)s, respectively, who
have a qualifying child who became disabled 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
as well as to widow(er)s 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 widow(er)s and surviving divorced spouses on the basis of,
among other things, disability or having a qualifying disabled child in
care. However, the disability standard in these cases is that found in
the Social Security Act. That is, individuals must be unable 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 Disability and entitlement to early Medicare
based on disability 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 to the Railroad Retirement Board; 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.
One response is requested of each respondent. Completion is
voluntary. The RRB proposes minor editorial changes to Form G-197.
Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
The estimated annual respondent burden is as follows:
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Form Number Annual Responses Time (Minutes) Burden (Hours)
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G-3EMP........................................................ 600 10 100
G-197......................................................... 6,000 10 1,000
G-250......................................................... 11,950 30 5,975
G-250A........................................................ 50 20 17
G-260......................................................... 100 25 42
RL-11B........................................................ 5,000 10 833
RL-11D........................................................ 250 10 42
RL-250........................................................ 11,950 10 1,992
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Total..................................................... 35,900 ............................ 10,001
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2. Title and purpose of information collection: Student Beneficiary
Monitoring; OMB 3220-0123
Under provisions of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA), there are
two types of benefit payments that are based on the status of a child
being in full-time elementary or secondary school attendance at age 18-
19: a survivor child's annuity benefit under Section 2(d)(2)(iii) and
an increase in the
[[Page 52026]]
employee retirement annuity under the Special Guaranty computation as
prescribed in section 3(f)(3) and 20 CFR part 229.
The survivor student annuity is usually paid by direct deposit to a
financial institution either into the student's checking or savings
account or into a joint bank account with a parent. The requirements
for eligibility as a student are prescribed in 20 CFR 216.74, and
include students in independent study and home schooling.
To help determine if a child is entitled to student benefits, the
RRB requires evidence of full-time school attendance. This evidence is
acquired through the RRB's student monitoring program, which utilizes
the following forms. Form G-315, Student Questionnaire, obtains
certification of a student's full-time school attendance as well as
information on the student's marital status, Social Security benefits,
and employment, which are needed to determine entitlement or continued
entitlement to benefits under the RRA. Form G-315A, Statement of School
Official, is used to obtain, from a school, verification of a student's
full-time attendance when the student fails to return a monitoring Form
G-315. Form G-315A.1, School Official's Notice of Cessation of Full-
Time School Attendance, is used by a school to notify the RRB that a
student has ceased full-time school attendance. The RRB proposes no
changes to the forms.
Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden
The estimated annual respondent burden is as follows:
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Form Number Annual Responses Time (Minutes) Burden (Hours)
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G-315......................................................... 860 15 215
G-315a........................................................ 20 3 1
G-315a.1...................................................... 20 2 1
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Total..................................................... 900 ............................ 217
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Additional Information or Comments: To request more information or
to obtain a copy of the information collection justification, forms,
and/or supporting material, contact Charles Mierzwa, the RRB Clearance
Officer, at (312) 751-3363 or [email protected]. Comments
regarding the information collection should be addressed to Patricia
Henaghan, Railroad Retirement Board, 844 North Rush Street, Chicago,
Illinois 60611-2092 or e-mailed to [email protected]. Written
comments should be received within 60 days of this notice.
Charles Mierzwa,
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2011-21219 Filed 8-18-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7905-01-P