[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 2 (Wednesday, January 3, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 408-410]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-28330]


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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

[[Page 409]]

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: RUIA Claims 
Notification and Verification System; OMB 3220-0171.
    Section 5(b) of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA), 
requires that effective January 1, 1990, when a claim for benefits is 
filed with the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB), the RRB shall provide 
notice of the claim to the claimant's base year employer(s) to provide 
them an opportunity to submit information relevant to the claim before 
making an initial determination. If the RRB determines to pay benefits 
to the claimant under the RUIA, the RRB shall notify the base-year 
employer(s).
    The purpose of the RUIA Claims Notification and Verification System 
is to provide two notices, pre-payment Form ID-4K, Prepayment Notice of 
Employees' Applications and Claims for Benefits Under the Railroad 
Unemployment Insurance Act, and post-payment Form ID-4E, Notice of RUIA 
Claim Determination. Prepayment Form ID-4K provides notice to a 
claimant's base-year employer(s), of each unemployment application and 
unemployment and sickness claim filed for benefits under the RUIA and 
provides the employer an opportunity to convey information relevant to 
the proper adjudication of the claim.
    The railroad employer can elect to receive Form ID-4K by one of 
three options: A computer-generated paper notice, by Electronic Data 
Interchange (EDI), or online via the RRB's Employer Reporting System 
(ERS). The railroad employer can respond to the ID-4K notice by 
telephone, manually by mailing a completed ID-4K back to the RRB, or 
electronically via EDI or ERS.
    Once the RRB determines to pay a claim post-payment Form Letter ID-
4E, Notice of RUIA Claim Determination, is used to notify the base-year 
employer(s). This gives the employer a second opportunity to challenge 
the claim for benefits.
    The ID-4E mainframe-generated paper notice, EDI, and internet 
versions are transmitted on a daily basis, generally on the same day 
that the claims are approved for payment. Railroad employers who are 
mailed Form ID-4E are instructed to write if they want a 
reconsideration of the RRB's determination to pay. Employers who 
receive the ID-4E electronically, may file a reconsideration request by 
completing the ID-4E by either EDI or ERS. Completion is voluntary.
    Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has already published the 
initial 60-day notice (82 FR 48729 on October 19, 2017) required by 44 
U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.

Information Collection Request (ICR)

    Title: RUIA Claims Notification and Verification System.
    OMB Control Number: 3220-0171.
    Form(s) submitted: ID-4K, ID-4K (INTERNET), ID-4E, ID-4E 
(INTERNET).
    Type of request: Revision of a currently approved collection of 
information.
    Affected public: Private Sector; Businesses or other for-profits.
    Abstract: Section 5(b) of the RUIA requires that effective January 
1, 1990, when a claim for benefits is filed with the Railroad 
Retirement Board (RRB), the RRB shall provide notice of such claim to 
the claimant's base-year employer(s) and afford such employer(s) an 
opportunity to submit information relevant to the claim before making 
an initial determination on the claim. When the RRB determines to pay 
benefits to a claimant under the RUIA, the RRB shall provide notice of 
such determination to the claimant's base year employer.
    Changes proposed: The RRB proposes to replace, for the ID-4E and 
ID-4K, using EDI with the use of secure File Transfer Protocol (FTP), 
which is the standard network protocol used for transferring files 
between a railroad employer and the RRB. The RRB proposes no changes to 
the other versions of the ID-4E or ID-4K.
    The burden estimate for the ICR is as follows:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                      Annual
                           Form number                               responses    Time (minutes)  Burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ID-4K (Manual)..................................................           1,250               2              42
ID-4K (FTP).....................................................          16,500             (*)             210
ID-4K (Internet)................................................          64,000               2           2,133
ID-4E (Manual)..................................................              50               2               2
ID-4E (Internet)................................................             120               2               4
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................................          81,920  ..............           2,391
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* The burden for the 5 participating employers who transmit FTP responses is calculated at 10 minutes each per
  day, 251 workdays a year or 210 total hours of burden.

    2. Title and purpose of information collection: Request for 
internet Services, OMB 3220-0198.
    The RRB uses a Personal Identification Number (PIN)/Password system 
that allows RRB customers to conduct business with the agency 
electronically. As part of the system, the RRB collects information 
needed to establish a unique PIN/Password that allows customer access 
to RRB internet-based services. The information collected is matched 
against records of the railroad employee that are maintained by the 
RRB. If the information is verified, the request is approved and the 
RRB mails a Password Request Code (PRC) to the requestor. If the 
information provided cannot be verified, the requestor is advised to 
contact the nearest field office of the RRB to resolve the discrepancy. 
Once a PRC is obtained from the RRB, the requestor can apply for a PIN/
Password online. Once the PIN/Password has been established, the 
requestor has access to RRB internet-based services.
    Completion is voluntary, however, the RRB will be unable to provide 
a PRC or allow a requestor to establish a PIN/Password (thereby denying 
system access), if the requests are not completed.
    Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has already published the 
initial 60-day notice (82 FR 48730 on October 19, 2017) required by 44 
U.S.C.

[[Page 410]]

3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.

Information Collection Request (ICR)

    Title: Request for internet Services.
    OMB Control Number: 3220-0198.
    Form(s) submitted: N/A.
    Type of request: Extension without change of a currently approved 
collection.
    Affected public: Individuals or Households.
    Abstract: The Railroad Retirement Board collects information needed 
to provide customers with the ability to request a Password Request 
Code and subsequently, to establish an individual PIN/Password, the 
initial steps in providing the option of conducting transactions with 
the RRB on a routine basis through the internet.
    Changes proposed: The RRB proposes no changes to the PRC screens or 
the PIN/Password screens.
    The burden estimate for the ICR is as follows:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                      Annual
                            Form No.                                 responses    Time (minutes)  Burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Request PRC.....................................................          14,000             5.0           1,167
Establish Pin/Password..........................................          17,500             1.5             200
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................................          31,500  ..............           1,367
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Additional Information or Comments: Copies of the forms and 
supporting documents can be obtained from Dana Hickman at (312) 751-
4981 or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#3377525d521d7b5a50585e525d736161711d747c65"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e2a6838c83ccaa8b81898f838ca2b0b0a0cca5adb4">[email protected]</span></a>.
    Comments regarding the information collection should be addressed 
to Brian Foster, Railroad Retirement Board, 844 North Rush Street, 
Chicago, Illinois 60611-1275 or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#2361514a424d0d654c50574651635151410d444c55"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e7a5958e8689c9a18894938295a7959585c9808891">[email protected]</span></a> and to the OMB 
Desk Officer for the RRB, Fax: 202-395-6974, Email address: 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#7837312a39272b0d1a15110b0b1117163817151a561d1708561f170e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="d09f9982918f83a5b2bdb9a3a3b9bfbe90bfbdb2feb5bfa0feb7bfa6">[email protected]</span></a>.

Brian D. Foster,
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2017-28330 Filed 1-2-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7905-01-P


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