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: Investigation of Claim

for Possible Days of Employment or State Benefits Received; OMB 3220-

0049. Under Section 1(k) of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act

(RUIA), unemployment and sickness benefits are not payable for any day

with respect to which remuneration is payable or accrues to the

claimant. Also Section 4(a-1) of the RUIA provides that unemployment or

sickness benefits are not payable for any day the claimant receives the

same benefits under any law other than the RUIA. Under Railroad

Retirement Board (RRB) regulations, 20 CFR 322.4(a), a claimant's

certification or statement on an RRB provided claim form that he or she

did not work on any day claimed and did not receive inform such as

vacation pay or pay for time lost shall constitute sufficient evidence

unless there is conflicting evidence. Further, under 20 CFR 322.4(b),

when there is question raised as to whether or not remuneration is

payable or has accrued to a claimant with respect to a claimed day or

days, investigation shall be made with a view to obtaining information

sufficient for a finding. The RRB utilizes the following four forms, to

obtain information from railroad employers, nonrailroad employers and

claimants, that are needed to determne whether a claimed days or days

of unemployment or sickness were improperly or fraudulently claimed:

Form ID-5I, Letter to Non-Railroad Employers on Employment and Earnings

of a Claimant; Form ID-5R(SUP), Report of Employees Paid RUIA Benefits

for Every Day in Month Reported as Month of Creditable Service; Form

ID-49R, Letter to Railroad Employee for Payroll Information; and Form

UI-48, Claimant's Statement Regarding Benefit Claim for Days of

Employment. Completion is voluntary. One response is requested of each

respondent.

All of the forms are being revised to include language required by

the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The RRB also proposes the addition

of an item to Form ID-51 to request the employee's occupation. No other

changes are proposed.

The RRB burden estimates for forms associated with the collection

follow:

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Annual

Form No. responses Time (min) Burden (hours)

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ID-5I........................................................... 4,500 15 1,125

ID-5R (SUP)..................................................... 900 10 150

ID-49R.......................................................... 250 15 63

UI-48........................................................... 250 12 50

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Total..................................................... 5,900 .............. 1,388

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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 North

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

received within 60 days of this notice.

Chuck Mierzwa,

Clearance Officer.

[FR Doc. 97-6139 Filed 3-11-97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7905-01-M