Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 204 / Friday, October 22, 2010 / Notices 65387 

RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD 

Agency Information Collection 

Activities: Proposed Collections; 

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) publishes periodic 

summaries of proposed data collections. 

The information collections numbered 

below are pending at RRB and will be 

submitted to the Office of Management 

and Budget (OMB) 60 days from the 

publication date of this notice. 

Comments are Invited on: (a) Whether 

the proposed information collection(s) 

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. 

1. Title and Purpose of Information 

Collection. 

Railroad Service and Compensation 

Reports/System Access Application; 

OMB 3220–0008 Under Section 9 of the 

Railroad Retirement Act (RRA) and 

Section 6 of the Railroad 

Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA) 

the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) 

maintains for each railroad employee, a 

record of compensation paid to that 

employee by all railroad employers for 

whom the employee worked after 1936. 

This record, which is used by the RRB 

to determine eligibility for, and amount 

of, benefits due under the laws it 

administers, is conclusive as to the 

amount of compensation paid to an 

employee during such period(s) covered 

by the report(s) of the compensation by 

the employee’s railroad employer(s), 

except in cases when an employee files 

a protest pertaining to his or her 

reported compensation within the statue 

of limitations cited in Section 9 of the 

RRA and Section 6 of the RUIA. 

To enable the RRB to establish and 

maintain the record of compensation, 

employers are required to file with the 

RRB, in such manner and form and at 

such times as the RRB prescribes, 

reports of compensation of employees. 

Railroad Employers’ Reports and 

Responsibilities are prescribed in 20 

CFR 209. The RRB currently utilizes 

Form BA–3, Annual Report of 

Compensation and Form BA–4, Report 

of Creditable Compensation 

Adjustments, to secure required 

information from railroad employers. 

Form BA–3 provides the RRB with 

information regarding annual creditable 

service and compensation for each 

individual who worked for a railroad 

employer covered by the RRA and RUIA 

in a given year. Form BA–4 provides for 

the adjustment of any previously 

submitted reports and also the 

opportunity to provide any service and 

compensation that had been previously 

omitted. Requirements specific to Forms 

BA–3 and BA–4 are prescribed in 

20CFR 209.8 and 209.9. 

Employers currently have the option 

of submitting the reports on the 

aforementioned forms, electronically by 

File Transfer Protocol (FTP), secure Email or via the Internet utilizing the 

RRB’s Employer Reporting System (ERS) 

(for Form BA–4), or in like format on 

magnetic tape cartridges, CD–ROM’s 

and PC diskettes. The RRB proposes no 

changes to Form BA–3 or BA–4. 

The information collection also 

includes RRB Form BA–12, Application 

for Employer Reporting Internet Access 

and Form G–440, Report Specifications 

Sheet. Form BA–12 is completed by 

railroad employers to obtain system 

access to the RRB’s Employer Reporting 

System (ERS). Once access is obtained, 

authorized employees may submit 

reporting forms to the RRB via the 

Internet. The form determines what 

degree of access (view/only, data entry/ 

modification or approval/submission) is 

appropriate for that employee. It is also 

used to terminate an employee’s access 

to ERS. The RRB proposes no changes 

to Form BA–12. Form G–440, Report 

Specifications Sheet, serves as a 

certification document for various RRB 

employer reporting forms (Forms BA–3, 

BA–4, Form BA–6a, BA–6, Address 

Report (OMB 3220–0005), BA–9, Report 

of Separation Allowance or Severance 

Pay (OMB 3220–0173) and BA–11, 

Report of Gross Earnings (OMB 3220– 

0132)). It records the type of medium 

the report was submitted on, and serves 

as a summary recapitulation sheet for 

reports filed on paper. 

The estimated completion times for 

Form(s) BA–3, BA–4, BA–12 and G–440 

vary, depending on circumstances and 

the method of submission. The 

completion time for Form BA–3 is 

estimated at 46 hours and 15 minutes 

per response for electronic submissions 

to 116 hours and 51 minutes for manual 

responses. The completion time for 

Form BA–4 is estimated at 20 minutes 

for an ERS Internet-based response, 60 

minutes for an electronic submission 

(magnetic tape cartridge, CD–ROM, 

diskette, secure E-mail, FTP) and 75 

minutes for a manual response. The 

completion time for form BA–12 is 

estimated at 10 minutes when used to 

terminate system access and 20 minutes 

when used to obtain system access. The 

completion time for Form G–440 is 

estimated at 15 minutes when submitted 

with a paper form and/or used to file a 

‘‘zero’’ or ‘‘no employees’’ certification, 

30 minutes when used as an electronic 

medium reporting/certification form, 

and 1 hour and 15 minutes when used 

as a certification and recapitulation 

form. Submission of Form BA–3, BA–4, 

and G–440 is mandatory. Completion of 

Form BA–12 is voluntary. It is 

completed only if an employer wants to 

submit reports via the Internet. One 

response is requested of each 

respondent for all of the forms in the 

collection. Depending on circumstances 

and method of submission chosen, 

multiple responses will be received 

from a respondent for Form BA–4 and 

G–440. The annual respondent burden 

for the information collection is 

estimated at 7,348 responses and 43,756 

hours. 

2. Title and Purpose of Information 

Collection. Employer Reporting, 3220– 

0005. 

Under Section 9 of the Railroad 

Retirement Act (RRA), and Section 6 of 

the Railroad Unemployment Insurance 

Act (RUIA), railroad employers are 

required to submit reports of employee 

service and compensation to the RRB as 

needed for administering the RRA and 

RUIA. To pay benefits due on a 

deceased employee’s earnings records or 

determine entitlement to, and amount of 

annuity applied for, it is necessary at 

times to obtain from railroad employers 

current (lag) service and compensation 

not yet reported to the RRB through the 

annual reporting process. The reporting 

requirements are specified in 20 CFR 

209.6 and 209.7. 

The RRB currently utilizes Form G– 

88a.1, Notice of Retirement and 

Verification of Date Last Worked, Form 

G–88a.2, Notice of Retirement and 

Request for Service Needed for 

Eligibility, and Form AA–12, Notice of 

Death and Compensation, to obtain the 

required lag service and related 

information from railroad employers. 

Form G–88a.1 is a computer-generated 

listing sent by the RRB to railroad 

employers and used for the specific 

purpose of verifying information 

previously provided to the RRB 

regarding the date last worked by an 

employee. If the information is correct, 

the employer need not reply. If the 

information is incorrect, the employer is 

asked to provide corrected information. 


emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with NOTICES
65388 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 204 / Friday, October 22, 2010 / Notices 

Form G–88a.2 is used by the RRB to 

secure lag service and compensation 

information when it is needed to 

determine benefit eligibility. Form AA– 

12 obtains a report of lag service and 

compensation from the last railroad 

employer of a deceased employee. This 

report covers the lag period between the 

date of the latest record of employment 

processed by the RRB and the date an 

employee last worked, the date of death 

or the date the employee may have been 

entitled to benefits under the Social 

Security Act. The information is used by 

the RRB to determine benefits due on 

the deceased employee’s earnings 

record. The RRB proposes no changes to 

Form AA–12, Form G–88a.1 and Form 

G–88a.2. 

In addition, 20 CFR 209.12(b) requires 

all railroad employers to furnish the 

RRB with the home addresses of all 

employees hired within the last year 

(new-hires). Form BA–6a, Form BA–6 

Address Report, is used by the RRB to 

obtain home address information of 

employees from railroad employers that 

do not have the home address 

information computerized and who 

submit the information in a paper 

format. The form also serves as an 

instruction sheet to railroad employers 

who can also submit the information 

electronically by magnetic tape 

cartridge, CD–ROM, PC diskette, secure 

E-mail, or via the Internet utilizing the 

RRB’s Employer Reporting System 

(ERS). The RRB proposes no changes to 

Form BA–6a. 

Completion of the forms is 

mandatory. One response is requested of 

each respondent. The completion time 

for Form G–88a.1 is estimated at 5 to 20 

minutes. Form G–88a.2 is estimated at 

5 minutes per response. Form AA–12 is 

estimated at 5 minutes per response. 

The completion time for Form BA–6a 

varies, depending on circumstances and 

the method of submission. An Internetbased BA–6a response utilizing the 

RRB’s ERS system is estimated at 12 to 

17 minutes. BA–6a responses submitted 

via magnetic tape, diskette, CD–ROM, 

secure E-mail and FTP are estimated at 

15 minutes. BA–6a’s responses 

submitted on manual form BA–6a are 

estimated at 32 minutes. The annual 

respondent burden for the information 

collection is estimated at 2,748 

responses and 502 hours. 

3. Title and Purpose of Information 

Collection. Railroad Separation 

Allowance or Severance Pay Report; 

OMB 3220–0173. 

Section 6 of the Railroad Retirement 

Act provides for a lump-sum payment to 

an employee or the employee’s 

survivors equal to the Tier II taxes paid 

by the employee on a separation 

allowance or severance payment for 

which the employee did not receive 

credits toward retirement. The lumpsum is not payable until retirement 

benefits begin to accrue or the employee 

dies. Also, Section 4 (a–1)(iii) of the 

Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act 

provides that a railroad employee who 

is paid a separation allowance is 

disqualified for unemployment and 

sickness benefits for the period of time 

the employee would have to work to 

earn the amount of the allowance. The 

reporting requirements are specified in 

20 CFR 209.14. 

In order to calculate and provide 

payments, the Railroad Retirement 

Board (RRB) must collect and maintain 

records of separation allowances and 

severance payments which were subject 

to Tier II taxation from railroad 

employers. The RRB uses Form BA–9 to 

obtain information from railroad 

employers concerning the separation 

allowances and severance payments 

made to railroad employees and/or the 

survivors of railroad employees. 

Employers currently have the option of 

submitting a paper BA–9, (or in like 

format) a magnetic tape cartridge, CD– 

ROM or PC diskette or electronically by 

File Transfer Protocol (FTP) or secure Email. Completion is mandatory. One 

response is requested of each 

respondent. 

The RRB proposes no changes to 

Form BA–9. The completion time for 

Form BA–9 and all electronic equivalent 

methods of submission is estimated at 1 

hour and 16 minutes. The annual 

respondent burden for the information 

collection is estimated at 360 responses 

and 457 burden hours. 

4. Title and Purpose of Information 

Collection. Gross Earnings Report; OMB 

3220–0132. 

In order to carry out the financial 

interchange provisions of section 7(c)(2) 

of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA), 

the RRB obtains annually from railroad 

employers the gross earnings for their 

employees on a one-percent basis, i.e., 

1% of each employer’s railroad 

employees. The gross earnings sample is 

based on the earnings of employees 

whose social security numbers end with 

the digits ‘‘30.’’ The gross earnings are 

used to compute payroll taxes under the 

financial interchange. 

The gross earnings information is 

essential in determining the tax 

amounts involved in the financial 

interchange with the Social Security 

Administration and Centers for 

Medicare and Medicaid Services. 

Besides being necessary for current 

financial interchange calculations, the 

gross earnings file tabulations are also 

an integral part of the data needed to 

estimate future tax income and 

corresponding financial interchange 

amounts. These estimates are made for 

internal use and to satisfy requests from 

other government agencies and 

interested groups. In addition, cash flow 

projections of the social security 

equivalent benefit account, railroad 

retirement account and cost estimates 

made for proposed amendments to laws 

administered by the RRB are dependent 

on input developed from the 

information collection. 

The RRB utilizes Form BA–11 or its 

electronic equivalent(s) to obtain gross 

earnings information from railroad 

employers. Employers have the option 

of preparing and submitting BA–11 

reports on paper, (or in like format) on 

magnetic tape cartridges and PC 

diskettes, or by File Transfer Protocol 

(FTP) or secure E-mail. Completion is 

mandatory. One response is requested of 

each respondent. The RRB proposes no 

changes to Form BA–11. 

The RRB estimates the completion 

time for BA–11 information as follows: 

5 hours for BA–11 responses submitted 

via File Transfer Protocol and magnetic 

tape and 30 minutes for BA–11’s 

submitted via paper, diskette, and 

secure E-mail. The annual respondent 

burden for the information collection is 

estimated at 169 responses and 121 

burden hours. 

5. Title and Purpose of Information 

Collection. Application and Claim for 

Unemployment Benefits and 

Employment Service; OMB 3220–0022. 

Section 2 of the Railroad 

Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA), 

provides unemployment benefits for 

qualified railroad employees. These 

benefits are generally payable for each 

day of unemployment in excess of four 

during a registration period (normally a 

period of 14 days). 

Section 12 of the RUIA provides that 

the RRB establish, maintain and operate 

free employment facilities directed 

toward the reemployment of railroad 

employees. The procedures for applying 

for the unemployment benefits and 

employment service and for registering 

and claiming the benefits are prescribed 

in 20 CFR 325. 

The RRB utilizes the following forms 

to collect the information necessary to 

pay unemployment benefits: Form UI–1 

(or its Internet equivalent, Form UI–1 

(Internet)), Application for 

Unemployment Benefits and 

Employment Service, is completed by a 

claimant for unemployment benefits 

once in a benefit year, at the time of first 

registration. Completion of Form UI–1 

or UI–1 (Internet) also registers an 

unemployment claimant for the RRB’s 

employment service. The RRB proposes 


emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 204 / Friday, October 22, 2010 / Notices 65389 

no changes to Form UI–1 or UI–1 

(Internet). 

The RRB also utilizes Form UI–3, (or 

its Internet equivalent Form UI–3 

(Internet)) Claim for Unemployment 

Benefits for use in claiming 

unemployment benefits for days of 

unemployment in a particular 

registration period, normally a period of 

14 days. The RRB proposes no changes 

to Form UI–3 or UI–3 (Internet). 

Completion of Forms UI–1, UI–1 

(Internet), UI–3 and UI–3 (Internet) is 

required to obtain or retain benefits. The 

number of responses required of each 

claimant varies, depending on their 

period of unemployment. The RRB 

estimates that approximately 16,163 

Form UI–1’s (12,747 manual and 3,416 

Internet) will be filed annually. 

Completion time for Form UI–1 and UI– 

1 (Internet) is estimated at 10 minutes. 

The RRB estimates that approximately 

146,168 Form UI–3’s (108,217 manual 

and 37,951 Internet) will be filed 

annually. Completion time for Form UI– 

3 and the UI–3 (Internet) is estimated at 

6 minutes. The total annual respondent 

burden for the information collection is 

estimated at 162,331 responses and 

17,311 burden hours. 

Additional Information or Comments: 

To request more information regarding 

any of the information collections listed 

above or to obtain copies of the 

information collection justifications, 

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 

collections should be sent to Patricia A. 

Henaghan, Railroad Retirement Board, 

844 North Rush Street, Chicago, Illinois 

60611–2092 or send an e-mail to 

Patricia.Henaghan@RRB.GOV. 

Comments should be received within 60 

days of this notice. 

Charles Mierzwa, 

Clearance Officer. 

[FR Doc. 2010–26523 Filed 10–21–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 7905–01–P 

SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 

[Disaster Declaration #12353 and #12354] 

North Carolina Disaster #NC–00030 

AGENCY: U.S. Small Business 

Administration. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: This is a Notice of the 

Presidential declaration of a major 

disaster for the State of North Carolina 

(FEMA–1942–DR), dated 10/14/2010. 

Incident: Severe storms, flooding, and 

straight-line winds associated with 

remnants of Tropical Storm Nicole. 

Incident Period: 09/27/2010 through 

10/01/2010. 

Effective Date: 10/14/2010. 

Physical Loan Application Deadline 

Date: 12/13/2010. 

Economic Injury (EIDL) Loan 

Application Deadline Date: 07/14/2011. 

ADDRESSES: Submit completed loan 

applications to: U.S. Small Business 

Administration, Processing and 

Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport 

Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: A. 

Escobar, Office of Disaster Assistance, 

U.S. Small Business Administration, 

409 3rd Street, SW., Suite 6050, 

Washington, DC 20416. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is 

hereby given that as a result of the 

President’s major disaster declaration on 

10/14/2010, applications for disaster 

loans may be filed at the address listed 

above or other locally announced 

locations. 

The following areas have been 

determined to be adversely affected by 

the disaster: 

Primary Counties (Physical Damage and 

Economic Injury Loans): Beaufort, 

Bertie, Craven, Hertford, Onslow, 

Tyrrell. 

Contiguous Counties (Economic Injury 

Loans Only): 

North Carolina: Carteret, Chowan, 

Dare, Duplin, Gates, Halifax, Hyde, 

Jones, Lenoir, Martin, Northampton, 

Pamlico, Pender, Pitt, Washington. 

Virginia: Southampton. 

The Interest Rates are: 

Percent 

For Physical Damage: 

Homeowners With Credit Available Elsewhere ...................... 5.000 

Homeowners Without Credit 

Available Elsewhere .............. 2.500 

Businesses With Credit Available Elsewhere ...................... 6.000 

Businesses Without Credit 

Available Elsewhere .............. 4.000 

Non-Profit Organizations With 

Credit Available Elsewhere ... 3.625 

Non-Profit Organizations Without Credit Available Elsewhere ..................................... 3.000 

For Economic Injury: 

Businesses & Small Agricultural 

Cooperatives Without Credit 

Available Elsewhere .............. 4.000 

Non-Profit Organizations Without Credit Available Elsewhere ..................................... 3.000 

The number assigned to this disaster 

for physical damage is 123536 and for 

economic injury is 123540. 

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 

Numbers 59002 and 59008) 

James E. Rivera, 

Associate Administrator for Disaster 

Assistance. 

[FR Doc. 2010–26778 Filed 10–21–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 8025–01–P 

SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 

[Disaster Declaration #12351 and #12352] 

Minnesota Disaster # MN–00027 

AGENCY: U.S. Small Business 

Administration. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: This is a notice of an 

Administrative declaration of a disaster 

for the State of Minnesota dated 10/15/ 

2010. 

Incident: Severe storms and flooding. 

Incident Period: 09/22/2010 through 

09/23/2010. 

Effective Date: 10/15/2010. 

Physical Loan Application Deadline 

Date: 12/14/2010. 

Economic Injury (EIDL) Loan 

Application Deadline Date: 07/15/2011. 

ADDRESSES: Submit completed loan 

applications to: U.S. Small Business 

Administration, Processing and 

Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport 

Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: A. 

Escobar, Office of Disaster Assistance, 

U.S. Small Business Administration, 

409 3rd Street, SW., Suite 6050, 

Washington, DC 20416. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is 

hereby given that as a result of the 

Administrator’s disaster declaration, 

applications for disaster loans may be 

filed at the address listed above or other 

locally announced locations. 

The following areas have been 

determined to be adversely affected by 

the disaster: 

Primary Counties: Martin, Olmsted, 

Steele, Wabasha. 

Contiguous Counties: 

Minnesota: Blue Earth, Dodge, 

Faribault, Fillmore, Freeborn, 

Goodhue, Jackson, Mower, Rice, 

Waseca, Watonwan, Winona. 

Iowa: Emmet, Kossuth. 

Wisconsin: Buffalo, Pepin. 

The Interest Rates are: 

Percent 

For Physical Damage: 

Homeowners With Credit Available Elsewhere ...................... 5.000 


emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with NOTICES