[Federal Register: January 16, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 11)]
[Notices]
[Page 3115-3116]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr16ja09-140]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD
Proposed Data Collection Available for Public Comment and
Recommendations
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
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
[[Page 3116]]
comments should be received within 60 days of this notice.
Charles Mierzwa,
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. E9-970 Filed 1-15-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7905-01-P