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

Application and Claim for Unemployment Benefits and Employment

Service, OMB 3220-0022.

Section 2 of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA),

provides unemployment benefits for qualified railroad employees. These

benefits are generally payable for each day of unemployment in excess

of four during a registration period (normally a period of 14 days).

Section 12 of the RUIA provides that the RRB establish, maintain and

operate free employment facilities directed toward the reemployment of

railroad employees. The procedures for applying for the unemployment

benefits and employment service and for registering and claiming the

benefits are prescribed in 20 CFR 325.

RRB Form UI-1, Application for Unemployment Benefits, and

Employment Service, is completed by a claimant for unemployment

benefits once in a benefit year, at the time of first registration.

Completion of Form UI-1 also registers an unemployment claimant for the

RRB's employment service. No changes are being proposed to Form UI-1.

The RRB also utilizes Form UI-3, Claim for Unemployment Benefits,

for use in claiming unemployment benefits for days of unemployment in a

particular registration period, normally a period of 14 days. The RRB

proposes to revise Form UI-3 to incorporate changes required by the

Railroad Unemployment Insurance Amendments Act of 1996. The changes

include the addition of a new item to provide the RRB with information

regarding a claimant's gross wages or other pay for days during the 14-

day registration period. Effective with the 1996 amendments, an

earnings test applies to each 14-day claim period and information about

the claimant's gross wages or other pay is needed to determine the

claimant's eligibility for benefits. The explanation of the waiting

period printed on the claim has also been revised because the 1996

amendments changed the waiting period requirement from 14 days to 7

days.

Completion of Forms UI-1 and UI-3 is required to obtain or retain

benefits. The number of responses required to each claimant varies,

depending on their period of unemployment. The RRB estimates that

approximately 29,000 Form UI-1's are filed annually. Completion time is

estimated at 10 minutes. The RRB estimates that approximately 265,000

Form UI-3's are filed annually. Completion time is estimated at 6

minutes.

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. 97-795 Filed 1-13-97; 8:45 am]

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