Proposed Data Collection Available for Public Comment and Recommendations

RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD

Proposed Data Collection Available for Public Comment and

Recommendations

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 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: Railroad Separation

Allowance or Severance Pay Report. 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

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retirement. The lump-sum is not payable until retirement benefits begin

to accrue or the employee dies. In order to provide these 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 on a

quarterly basis, to obtain information from railroad employers

concerning the separation allowances and severance payments made to

railroad employees and/or the survivors of railroad employees. All

reports contain a one-line entry for each such payment or adjustment.

Minor editorial changes are being proposed to Form BA-9.

Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden

The estimated annual respondent burden is as follows:

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Annual Time Burden

Form #(s) responses (min) (hrs)

------------------------------------------------------------------------

BA-9..................................... 7,500 75 9,375

------------------------------------------------------------------------

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS: To request more information or to

obtain a copy of the information collection justification, forms, and/

or supporting material, please call the RRB Clearance Office at (312)

751-3363. Comments regarding the information collection should be

addressed to Ronald J. Hodapp, Railroad Retirement Board, 844 N. Rush

Street, Chicago, Illinois 60611-2092. Written comments should be

received within 60 days of this notice.

Chuck Mierzwa,

Clearance Officer.

[FR Doc. 95-27281 Filed 11-2-95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7905-01-M