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 date 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

[[Page 14021]]

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 a prescribed amount. 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:

Estimated number of responses: 5,000.

Estimated completion time per response: 15 minutes.

Estimated annual burden hours: 1,250.

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. 99-7098 Filed 3-22-99; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7905-01-M