Proposed collection; comment request

RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD

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: Annual Earnings

Questionnaire for Annuitants in Last Pre-Retirement Non-Railroad

Employment; OMB 3220-0179. Under Section 2(e)(3) of the Railroad

Retirement Act (RRA), an annuity is not payable for any month in which

a beneficiary works for a railroad. In addition, an annuity is reduced

for any month in which the beneficiary works for an employer other than

a railroad employer and earns more than prescribed amounts. Under the

1988 amendments to the RRA, the Tier II portion of the regular annuity

and any supplemental annuity must be reduced by one dollar for each two

dollars of Last Pre-Retirement Non-Railroad Employment (LPE) earnings

for each month of such service. However, the reduction cannot exceed

fifty percent of the Tier II and supplemental annuity amount for the

month to which such deductions apply. LPE generally refers to an

annuitants last employment with a non-railroad person, company, or

institution prior to retirement which was performed whether at the same

time of, or after an annuitant stopped railroad employment. The

collection obtains earnings information needed by the RRB to determine

if possible reductions in annuities because of Last Pre-Retirement Non-

Railroad Employment Earnings (LPE) are in order.

The RRB utilizes Form G-19L to obtain LPE earnings information from

annuitants. Companion Form G-19L.1, which serves as an instruction

sheet and contains the Paperwork Reduction/Privacy Act Notice for the

collection accompanies each Form G-19L sent to an annuitant. One

response is requested of each respondent. Completion is required to

retain a benefit. The RRB proposes minor editorial changes to Form G-

19L and Form G-19L.1.

The estimated annual respondent burden is as follows:

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

Annual Time Burden

Form #(s) responses (Min) (Hrs)

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

G-19L 6,000 30 3,000

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

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 Officer 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. 96-8259 Filed 4-3-96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7905-01-M