Source: https://www.federalregister.com/Browse/Document/usa/na/fr/2011/9/29/2011-25108
Timestamp: 2020-01-19 01:51:33
Document Index: 684209101

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 217', 'art 217', '§ 217', '§ 217', '§ 217', 'ART 217', '§ 217']

76 FR 189 pgs. 60372-60373 - Application for Annuity or Lump Sum
Type: RULEVolume: 76Number: 189Pages: 60372 - 60373
FR document: [FR Doc. 2011-25108 Filed 9-28-11; 8:45 am]
20 CFR Part 217
RIN 3220-AB64
The Railroad Retirement Board (Board) amends its regulations to allow alternative signature methods in addition to the traditional pen-and-ink or "wet" signature in order to implement an electronic application process which will eventually eliminate the need to retain paper applications and make the application process more convenient for the individuals filing applications.
Section 5(b) of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA) [45 U.S.C. 231d(b)] provides that an application for any payment under the Act "shall be made and filed in such manner and form as the Board may prescribe * * *" Currently, Part 217 of the Board's regulations, which sets out the rules governing applications made under the RRA, anticipates that an application will include a signature on paper, even where the application itself may be completed electronically.
In order to provide better service to our customers, the Board amends § 217.17 of its regulations in order to allow signature alternatives to the traditional pen-and-ink ("wet") signature. The Board changes the current title of § 217.17, "Who may sign an application" to "What is an acceptable signature" and adds a new subsection (f) to describe what may be considered to be an acceptable signature. The amendment adds two different types of acceptable signatures.
The first alternate method of signature that the amendment to § 217.17 allows is the use of a personal identification number (PIN) assigned by the agency. The second alternate method is referred to as an "alternative signature" or "signature proxy." The purpose of this amendment is to allow signature by attestation. Attestation refers to an action taken by an employee of the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) to confirm and annotate the RRB records of (1) An applicant's intent to file or complete an application or related form, (2) the applicant's affirmation under penalty of perjury that the information is correct, and (3) the applicant's agreement to sign the application or related form. The Board expects that use of attestation to take RRA applications over the telephone will increase efficiency and be more convenient for RRB customers.
Before deciding to propose this amendment, the Board's Office of Programs obtained information about alternative signature methods used by the Social Security Administration (SSA), since it administers a retirement and disability program comparable to the Board's programs under the Railroad Retirement Act. The Office of Programs also compared the current RRB application taking process with a process using attestation to identify the differences and determine how those differences affect the process. Based on the information obtained from the comparison and from the SSA, it was determined that attestation will reduce our paper flow and handling and will work well in our current environment where the Board's Field Service already completes most applications by telephone.
PART 217-APPLICATION FOR ANNUITY OR LUMP SUM
§ 217.17 What is an acceptable signature.