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[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 239 (Friday, December 12, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65452-65453]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-32490]

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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: Application and Claim 
for Sickness Insurance Benefits; OMB 3220-0039.
    Under Section 2 of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA), 
sickness benefits are payable to qualified railroad employees who are 
unable to work because of illness or injury. In addition, sickness 
benefits are payable to qualified female employees if they are unable 
to work, or if working would be injurious, because of pregnancy, 
miscarriage or childbirth. Under Section 1(k) of the RUIA, a statement 
of sickness with respect to days of sickness of an employee is to be 
filed with the RRB within a 10-day period from the first day claimed as 
a day of sickness. The RRB's authority for requesting supplemental 
medical information is Section 12(I) and 12(n) of the RUIA. The 
procedures for claiming sickness benefits and for the RRB to obtain 
supplemental medical information needed to determine a claimant's 
eligibility for such benefits is prescribed in 20 CFR part 335.
    The forms used by the RRB to obtain information needed to determine 
eligibility for and the amount of sickness benefits due a claimant 
follows: Form SI-1a, Application for Sickness Benefits; Form SI-1b, 
Statement of Sickness; Form SI-3, Claim for Sickness Benefits; Form SI-
7, Supplemental Doctor's Statement; Form SI-8, Verification of Medical 
Information; Form ID-7h, Non-Entitlement to Sickness Benefits and 
Information on Unemployment Benefits; and Form ID-11a, Requesting 
Reason for Late Filing of Sickness Benefit. Completion is required to 
obtain or retain benefits. One response is requested of each 
respondent.
    The RRB proposes to revise Form SI-1a to add new items that obtain 
information from a sickness claimant who is filing a delayed claim for 
benefits and also to reformat and clarify an existing item that 
requests wage information. Form SI-3 is being revised to clarify an 
existing item that requests wage information and also to modify the 
certification statement. Form SI-8 is being revised primarily to 
emphasize that a response is needed only if the information provided is 
erroneous. Minor editorial changes which include the addition of 
language required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 are also 
proposed to Forms SI-1b, SI-7, SI-8 and ID-11A.

Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden

    The estimated annual respondent burden is as follows:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                      Annual        Time        Burden  
            Form Nos.               responses    (minutes)     (hours)  
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SI-1a/1b(ee).....................       27,700           10        4,617
SI-1a/1b(Dr.)....................       27,000            8        3,693
SI-3.............................      181,000            5       15,083
SI-7.............................       33,600            8        4,480
SI-8.............................           50            5            4
ID-7H............................           50            5            4
ID-11A...........................          800            3           40
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[[Page 65453]]

                                                                        
      Total......................      270,900  ...........       27,921
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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 North Rush Street, Chicago, Illinois 
60611-2092. Written comments should be received within 60 days of this 
notice.
Chuck Mierzwa,
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 97-32490 Filed 12-11-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7905-01-M
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