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: Pay Rate Report; OMB 3220-0097.

Under section 2(a) of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act, the daily benefit rate for unemployment and sickness benefits depends on the claimant's last daily rate of pay in the base year. The procedures pertaining to the use of a claimant's daily pay rate in determining the daily benefit rate are prescribed in 20 CFR part 330.

The RRB utilizes Form UI-1e, Request for Pay Rate Information, to obtain information from a claimant about their last railroad employer and pay rate, when it is not available from other RRB records. Form UI-1e also explains the possibility of receiving a higher daily benefit rate if claimants report their daily rate of pay for railroad work in the base year. Completion is required to obtain or retain benefits. One response is requested of each respondent.

The RRB proposes no changes to Form UI-1e. The completion time for Form UI-1e is estimated at 5 minutes per response. The RRB estimates that 350 Form UI-1e's are received annually.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

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 or send an e-mail request to Charles.Mierzwa@RRB.GOV. Comments regarding the information collection should be addressed to Ronald J. Hodapp, Railroad Retirement Board, 844 North Rush Street, Chicago, Illinois 60611-2092 or send an e-mail to Ronald.Hodapp@RRB.GOV. Written comments should be received within 60 days of this notice.