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

Availability for Work: Under Section 1(k) of the Railroad

Unemployment Insurance Act, unemployment benefits are not payable for

any day for which the claimant is not available for work.

Under Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) regulation 20 CFR 327.5,

``available for work'' is defined as being willing and ready for work.

This section further provides that a person is ``willing'' to work if

that person is willing to accept and perform for hire such work as is

reasonably appropriate to his or her employment circumstances. The

section also provides that a claimant is ``ready'' for work if he or

she; (1) is in a position to receive notice of work and is willing to

accept and perform such work, and (2) is prepared to be present with

the customary equipment at the location of such work within the time

usually allotted.

Under RRB regulation 20 CFR 327.15, a claimant may be requested at

any time to show, as evidence of willingness to work, that he or she is

making reasonable efforts to obtain work. In order to determine whether

a claimant is: (a) available for work, and (b) willing to work, the RRB

utilizes Forms UI-38 and UI-38s to obtain information from the claimant

and Form ID-8k from his union representative. One response is completed

by each respondent. No changes are proposed to any of the three forms.

Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden: The estimated annual

respondent burden is as follows:

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

Annual Time Burden

Form No. responses (Min) (Hrs)

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

UI-38s:

In person............................. 250 6 25

By mail............................... 500 10 83

UI-38................................... 3,750 11.5 719

Id-8k................................... 3,100 5 258

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

Total............................... 7,600 ........ 1,085

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

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 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. 98-32199 Filed 12-2-98; 8:45 am]

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