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: Supplemental

Information on Accident and Insurance; OMB 3220-0036 Under Section

12(o) of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA), the Railroad

Retirement Board is entitled to reimbursement of the sickness benefits

paid to a railroad employee if the employee receives a sum or damages

for the same infirmity for which the benefits are paid. Section 2(f) of

the RUIA requires employers to reimburse the RRB for days in which

salary, wages, pay for time lost or other renumeration is later

determined to be payable. Reimbursements under section 2(f) generally

result from the award of pay for time lost or the payment of guaranteed

wages. The RUIA prescribes that the amount of benefits paid be deducted

and held by the employer in a special fund for reimbursement to the

RRB.

The RRB currently utilizes Form (s) SI-1c, Supplemental Information

on Accident and Insurance), SI-5 (Report of payments to Employee

Claiming Sickness Benefits Under the RUIA), ID-3s (Request for Lien

Information), ID-3u (Request for Section 2(f) Information), ID-30k

(Form Letter Asking Claimant for Additional Information on Injury or

Illness), ID-30k-1 (Request for Supplemental Information on Injury or

Illness-3rd Party), and ID-3-Q (Insurance Inquiry) to obtain the

necessary information from claimants and railroad employers.

Minor formatting and editorial changes which include the addition

of language required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 are

proposed to Forms SI-1c and Form SI-5. Forms ID-3s and ID-3U are being

revised to insert completion instructions and the Paperwork Reduction

Act notice to the reverse side of the form. The RRB proposes the

creation of a new form, Form ID-3s-1, Request for Lien Information,

which is similar to Form ID-3s but has been designed for use by an

attorney and/or insurer responsible for paying personal-injury damages

to the railroad employee for third party liability cases. Enhancements

are also being proposed to Forms ID-30k and ID-30k-1 which will, upon

OMB approval, allow for the obsolescence of Form ID-3-0Q. Completion is

required to obtain benefits. One response is requested of each

respondent.

Estimate of Annual Respondent burden

The estimated annual respondent burden for this collection is as

follows:

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Annual

Form Nos. responses Time (min) Burden (hrs)

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SI-1c........................................................... 3,200 5 267

SI-5............................................................ 2,500 5 208

ID-3s........................................................... 18,500 3 925

ID-3s.1......................................................... 500 3 25

[[Page 42891]]

ID-3u........................................................... 1,500 3 75

ID-30k.......................................................... 2,500 5 208

ID-30k.1........................................................ 2,000 5 167

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Total....................................................... 30,700 .............. 1,875

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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 N. Rush

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

received within 60 days of this notice.

Chuck Mierzwa,

Clearance Officer.

[FR Doc. 98-21396 Filed 8-10-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7905-01-M