[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 89 (Tuesday, May 8, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20872-20873]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-09702]
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RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD
Agency Forms Submitted for OMB Review, Request for Comments
SUMMARY: 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 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 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: Appeal Under the
Railroad Retirement and Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act; OMB 3220-
0007.
Under Section 7(b)(3) of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA), and
Section 5(c) of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA) any
person aggrieved by a decision made by an office of the RRB on his or
her application for an annuity or benefit under those Acts has the
right to appeal to the RRB. This right is prescribed in 20 CFR 260 and
20 CFR 320. The notification letter, which is provided at the time of
filing the original application, informs the applicant of such right.
When an applicant protests a decision, the concerned RRB office reviews
the entire file and any additional evidence submitted and sends the
applicant a letter explaining the basis of the determination. The
applicant is then notified that to protest further, they can appeal to
the RRB's Bureau of Hearings and Appeals. The appeal process is
prescribed in 20 CFR 260.5 and 260.9 and 20 CFR 320.12 and 320.38.
To file a request for an appeal the applicant must complete Form
HA-1, Appeal Under the Railroad Retirement Act or Railroad Unemployment
Insurance Act. The form asks the applicant to explain the basis for
their request for an appeal and, if necessary, to describe any
additional evidence they wish to submit in support of the appeal.
Completion is voluntary, however, if the information is not provided
the RRB cannot process the appeal.
Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has already published the
initial 60-day notice (83 FR 7511 on February 21, 2018) required by 44
U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.
Information Collection Request (ICR)
Title: Appeal Under the Railroad Retirement and Railroad
Unemployment Insurance Act.
OMB Control Number: 3220-0007.
Form(s) submitted: HA-1.
Type of request: Extension without change of a currently approved
collection.
Affected public: Individuals or Households.
Abstract: Under Section 7(b)(3) of the Railroad Retirement Act and
Section 5(c) of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act, a person
aggrieved by a decision on his or her application for an annuity or
other benefit has the right to appeal to the RRB. The collection
provides the means for the appeal action.
Changes proposed: The RRB proposes no changes to Form HA-1.
The burden estimate for the ICR is as follows:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual Time Burden
Form No. responses (minutes) (hours)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
HA-1............................. 550 20 185
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2. Title and Purpose of information collection: Annual Earnings
Questionnaire; OMB 3220-0179.
Under section 2(e)(3) of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA), an
annuity is not payable for any month in which a beneficiary works for a
railroad. In addition, an annuity is reduced for any month in which the
beneficiary works for an employer other than a railroad employer and
earns more than a prescribed amount. Under the 1988 amendments to the
RRA, the Tier II portion of the regular annuity and any supplemental
annuity must be reduced by one dollar for each two dollars of Last Pre-
Retirement Non-Railroad Employment (LPE) earnings for each month of
such service. However, the reduction cannot exceed 50 percent of the
Tier II and supplemental annuity amount for the month to which such
deductions apply. The LPE generally refers to an annuitant's last
employment with a non-railroad person, company, or institution prior to
retirement, which was performed at the same time as railroad employment
or after the annuitant stopped railroad employment. The collection
obtains earnings information needed by the RRB to determine if possible
reductions in annuities are in order due to LPE.
The RRB utilizes Form G-19L, Annual Earnings Questionnaire, to
obtain LPE earnings information from
[[Page 20873]]
annuitants. One response is requested of each respondent. Completion is
required to retain a benefit.
Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has already published the
initial 60-day notice (83 FR 7511 on February 21, 2018) required by 44
U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.
Information Collection Request (ICR)
Title: Annual Earnings Questionnaire for Annuitants in Last Pre-
Retirement Non-Railroad Employment.
OMB Control Number: 3220-0179.
Form submitted: G-19L.
Type of request: Extension without change of a currently approved
collection.
Affected public: Individuals or Households.
Abstract: Under Section 2(e)(3) of the Railroad Retirement Act, an
annuity is not payable or is reduced for any month in which the
beneficiary works for a railroad or earns more than the prescribed
amounts. The collection obtains earnings information needed by the
Railroad Retirement Board to determine possible reductions in annuities
because of earnings.
Changes proposed: The RRB proposes no changes to Form G-19L.
The burden estimate for the ICR is as follows:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual Time Burden
Form No. responses (minutes) (hours)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
G-19L............................ 300 15 75
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Additional Information or Comments: Copies of the forms and
supporting documents can be obtained from Dana Hickman at (312) 751-
4981 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] and to the OMB
Desk Officer for the RRB, Fax: 202-395-6974, Email address:
[email protected].
Brian Foster,
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2018-09702 Filed 5-7-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7905-01-P