[Federal Register: September 12, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 177)]
[Notices]
[Page 53761-53762]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr12se03-85]
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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.
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), unemployment and sickness
benefits are not payable for any day with respect to which 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) regulations, 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 or days, investigation shall be made with
a view to obtaining information sufficient for a finding. The RRB
utilizes the following four forms to obtain information from railroad
employers, nonrailroad employers and claimants, that are needed to
determine whether a claimed days or days of unemployment or sickness
were improperly or fraudulently claimed: Form ID-51, Letter to Non-
Railroad Employers on Employment and Earnings of a Claimant; Form ID-
5R(SUP), Report of Employees Paid RUIA Benefits for Every Day in Month
Reported as Month of Creditable Service; Form ID-49R, Letter to
Railroad Employer for Payroll Information; and Form UI-48, Claimant's
Statement Regarding Benefit Claim for Days of Employment. Completion is
voluntary. One response is requested of each respondent. The RRB
proposes no changes to these forms.
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
[[Page 53762]]
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
form(s) to obtain information needed to determine if a claimant has
sufficient service or compensation to qualify for unemployment or
sickness benefits. Form UI-9, Applicant's Statement of Employment and
Wages, Form UI-23, Claimant's Statement of Service for Railroad
Unemployment Insurance Benefits, Form UI-44, Claim for Credit for
Military Service (RUIA), Form ID-4F, Advising of Ineligibility for RUIA
Benefits, Form ID-4U, Advising of Service/Earnings Requirements for
RUIA Benefits, Form ID-4X, Advising of Service/Earnings Requirements
for Sickness Benefits, Form ID-4Y, Advising of Ineligibility for
Sickness Benefits, Form ID-20-1, Advising that Normal Unemployment
Benefits Are About to Be Exhausted, Form ID-20-2, Advising that Normal
Sickness Benefits Are About to Be Exhausted, and Form ID-20-4, Advising
That Normal Sickness Benefits Are About to Be Exhausted/Non-
Entitlement. Completion of these forms is required to obtain or retain
a benefit. One response is required of each respondent. The RRB
proposes no changes to these forms.
The burden associated with the information collection is estimated
as follows:
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Completion time
Form Annual responses (minutes) Burden hours
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ID-5I.................................................. 4,500 15 1,125
ID-5R(SUP)............................................. 900 10 150
ID-49R................................................. 250 15 63
UI-48.................................................. 250 12 50
UI-9................................................... 800 10 133
UI-23.................................................. 600 5 50
UI-44.................................................. 150 5 13
ID-4F.................................................. 25 5 2
ID-4U.................................................. 150 5 13
ID-4X.................................................. 100 5 8
ID-4Y.................................................. 25 5 2
ID-20-1................................................ 50 5 4
ID-20-2................................................ 100 5 8
ID-20-4................................................ 5 5 1
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Total.............................................. 7,905 ................. 1,622
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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, please call the RRB Clearance Officer at
(312) 751-3363. Comments regarding the information collection should be
addressed to Ronald J. Hodapp, Railroad Retirement Board, 844 N. Rush
Street, Chicago, Illinois 60611-2092. Written comments should be
received within 60 days of this notice.
Chuck Mierzwa,
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 03-23215 Filed 9-11-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7905-01-M