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[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 187 (Thursday, September 25, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55554-55556]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-22593]

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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) to 
request an extension without change of a currently approved collection 
of information: 3220-0171, RUIA Claims Notification System. Our ICR 
describes the information we seek to collect from the public. Review 
and approval by OIRA ensures that we impose appropriate paperwork 
burdens.

[[Page 55555]]

    The RRB invites comments on the proposed collection of information 
to determine (1) The practical utility of the collection; (2) the 
accuracy of the estimated burden of the collection; (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 RRB or OIRA must 
contain the OMB control number of the ICR. For proper consideration of 
your comments, it is best if RRB and OIRA receive them within 30 days 
of publication date.
    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 such claim to the claimant's base year employer or employers 
and afford such employer or employers an opportunity to submit 
information relevant to the claim before making an initial 
determination on the claim. When the RRB initially 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 or employers.''
    The purpose of the RUIA Claims Notification System is to provide to 
unemployment and sickness claimant's base year employer or current 
employer, notice of each application and claim for benefits under the 
RUIA and to provide an opportunity for employers to convey information 
relevant to the proper adjudication of the claim. Railroad employers 
receive notice of applications and claims by one of three options. The 
first option, Form Letter ID-4K, is a computer generated form letter 
notice of all unemployment applications, unemployment claims and 
sickness claims received from employees of a railroad company on a 
particular day. Form Letters ID-4K are mailed on a daily basis to 
officials designated by railroad employers. The second option is an 
Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) version of the Form Letter ID-4K 
notice. EDI notices of applications are transmitted to participating 
railroads on a daily basis, generally on the same day that applications 
are received. The third option, an Internet equivalent ID-4K, provides 
the required notification by the RRB through the RRB's Internet-based 
Employer Reporting System (ERS). Completion is voluntary.
    Railroad employers can respond to RRB notices of applications and 
claims manually by mailing a completed ID-4K back to the RRB or 
electronically via EDI or the ERS. No changes are being proposed to any 
of the ID-4K options.
    Upon receipt of notice that the RRB has allowed a claim either in 
whole, or in part, the claimant's base-year employer(s) may request a 
review of the determination to pay benefits, if the employers believe 
the determination is incorrect. The RRB utilizes Form Letter ID-4DE, 
Notice of RUIA Claim Determinations, an Electronic Data Interchange 
(EDI) version of the Form Letter ID-4K notice and an Internet 
equivalent ID-4E to notify base-year employers that the RRB has made a 
determination to pay benefits and to allow them to request the RRB to 
review the determination. Form Letter ID-4E is mailed on a daily basis, 
generally on the same day that the claims are approved for payment. The 
EDI and Internet-equivalent ID-4E's are also sent to participating 
railroads on a daily basis, generally on the same day that the claims 
are approved for payment. Railroad employers can then request that the 
RRB review the determination either by filing a completed ID-4E by 
mail, EDI, or via the Internet. No changes are being proposed to any of 
the ID-4E options. Completion is voluntary.
    Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has already published the 
initial 60-day notice (73 FR 43480 on July 25, 2008) required by 44 
U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.

Information Collection Request (ICR)

    Title: RUIA Claims Notification System.
    OMB Control Number: OMB 3220-0171.
    Form(s) submitted: ID-4K, ID-4K (INTERNET), ID-4E, ID-4E 
(INTERNET).
    Type of request: Extension without change of a currently approved 
collection of information.
    Affected public: Private Sector; Business-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 no changes to the forms in the 
collection.
    The burden estimate for the ICR is as follows:
    The estimated annual respondent burden is as follows:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                      Annual
                           Form Number                               responses      Time (min)     Burden hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ID-4K (Manual)..................................................           1,250               2              42
ID-4K (EDI).....................................................          14,850              **             210
ID-4K (Internet)................................................           2,500               2              83
ID-4E (Manual)..................................................              75               2               3
ID-4E (Internet)................................................              25               2               1
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................................          18,700  ..............             339
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
** The burden for the 5 participating employers who transmit EDI responses is calculated at 10 minutes each per
  day, 251 workdays a year or 210 total hours of burden.

    Additional Information or Comments: Copies of the form and 
supporting documents can be obtained from Charles Mierzwa, the agency 
clearance officer at (312-751-3363) or [email protected].
    Comments regarding the information collection should be addressed 
to Ronald J. Hodapp, Railroad Retirement Board, 844 North Rush Street, 
Chicago, Illinois, 60611-2092 or [email protected] and to the OMB 
Desk Officer for the RRB, at the Office of Management and Budget,

[[Page 55556]]

Room 10230, New Executive Office Building, Washington, DC 20503.

Charles Mierzwa,
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. E8-22593 Filed 9-24-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7905-01-P
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