2023-01311. Agency Forms Submitted for OMB Review, Request for Comments

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 35), the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) is forwarding an Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Our ICR describes the information we seek to collect from the public. Review and approval by OIRA ensure that we impose appropriate paperwork burdens.

The RRB invites comments on the proposed collections of information to determine (1) the practical utility of the collections; (2) the accuracy of the estimated burden of the collections; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information that is the subject of collection; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of collections on respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Comments to the RRB or OIRA must contain the OMB control number of the ICR. For proper consideration of your comments, it is best if the RRB and OIRA receive them within 30 days of the publication date.

1. Title and purpose of information collection: Evidence of Marital Relationship—Living with Requirements; OMB 3220-0021.

Under sections 2(c) or 2(d) (45 U.S.C. 231a) of the Railroad Retirement Act, an applicant must submit proof of a valid marriage to a railroad employee. In some cases, the existence of a marital relationship is not formalized by a civil or religious ceremony. In other cases, questions may arise about the legal termination of a prior marriage of the employee, spouse, or widow(er). In these instances, the RRB must secure additional information to resolve questionable marital relationships. The circumstances requiring an applicant to submit documentary evidence of marriage are prescribed in 20 CFR 219.30.

The RRB utilizes Forms G-124, Individual Statement of Marital Relationship; G-124a, Certification of Marriage Information; G-237, Statement Regarding Marital Status; G-238, Statement of Residence; and G-238a, Statement Regarding Divorce or Annulment, to secure the needed information. Forms G-124, G-237, G-238, and G-238a can be completed either with assistance from RRB personnel during an in-office interview or by mail. One response is requested of each respondent. Completion is required to obtain benefits.

Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has already published the initial 60-day notice (87 FR 68754 on November 16, 2022) required by 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.

Information Collection Request (ICR)

Title: Evidence of Martial Relationship—Living with Requirements.

OMB Control Number: 3220-0021.

Forms submitted: G-124, G-124a, G-237, G-238 and G-238a.

Type of request: Revision of a currently approved collection.

Affected public: Individuals or households; business or other for profit.

Abstract: Under the RRA, to obtain a benefit as a spouse of an employee annuitant or as the widow(er) of the deceased employee, an applicant must submit information to be used to determine if the marriage requirements for such benefits have been met. The collection obtains information supporting claimed common-law marriage, termination of previous marriages, and residency requirements.

Changes proposed: The RRB proposes minor non-burden impacting changes to Forms G-124, G-124a, and G-237 to remove the words “husband” or “wife” and replace them with gender-neutral term “spouse”. The RRB proposes no changes to Forms G-238 and G-238a.

The burden estimate for the ICR is as follows:

Form No.	Annual responses	Time (minutes)	Burden (hours)
G-124 (in person)	125	15	31
G-124 (by mail)	75	20	25
G-124a	300	10	50
G-237 (in person)	75	15	19
G-237 (by mail)	75	20	25
G-238 (in person)	150	3	8
G-238 (by mail)	150	5	13
G-238a	150	10	25
Total	1,100		196

2. Title and purpose of information collection: Employer Service and Compensation Reports; OMB 3220-0070.

Section 2(c) of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA) (45 U.S.C. 352) specifies the maximum normal unemployment and sickness benefits that may be paid in a benefit year. Section 2(c) further provides for extended benefits for certain employees and for beginning a benefit year early for other employees. The conditions for these actions are prescribed in 20 CFR 302.

All information about creditable railroad service and compensation needed by the RRB to administer section 2(c) is not always available from annual reports filed by railroad employers with the RRB (OMB 3220-0008). When this occurs, the RRB must obtain supplemental information about service and compensation.

The RRB utilizes Form UI-41, Supplemental Report of Service and Compensation, and Form UI-41a, Supplemental Report of Compensation, to obtain the additional information about service and compensation from railroad employers. Completion of the forms is mandatory. One response is required of each respondent.

Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has already published the initial 60-day notice (87 FR 68754 on November 16, 2022) required by 44 U.S.C. 3506(c) (2). That request elicited no comments.

Information Collection Request (ICR)

Title: Employer Service and Compensation Reports.

OMB Control Number: 3220-0070.

Forms submitted: UI-41 and UI-41a.

Type of request: Extension without change of a currently approved collection.

Affected public: Private sector; businesses or other for profits.

Abstract: The reports obtain the employee's service and compensation for a period subsequent to those already on file and the employee's base year compensation. The information is used to determine the entitlement to and the amount of benefits payable.

Changes proposed: The RRB proposes no changes to Form UI-41 and Form UI-41a.

The burden estimate for the ICR is as follows:

Form No.	Annual responses	Time (minutes)	Burden (hours)
UI-41	100	8	13
UI-41a	50	8	7
Total	150		20

3. Title and purpose of information collection: Customer Satisfaction Monitoring; OMB 3220-0192. In accordance with Executive Order 12862, the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) conducts a number of customer surveys designed to determine the kinds and quality of services our beneficiaries, claimants, employers and members of the public want and expect, as well as their satisfaction with existing RRB services. The information collected is used by RRB management to monitor customer satisfaction by determining to what extent services are satisfactory and where and to what extent services can be improved. The surveys are limited to data collections that solicit strictly voluntary opinions, and do not collect information which is required or regulated. The information collection, which was first approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in 1997, provides the RRB with a generic clearance authority. This generic authority allows the RRB to submit a variety of new or revised customer survey instruments (needed to timely implement customer monitoring activities) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for expedited review and approval.

Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has already published the initial 60-day notice (87 FR 68755 on November 16, 2022) required by 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.

Information Collection Request (ICR)

Title: Customer Satisfaction Monitoring.

OMB Control Number: 3220-0192.

Form(s) submitted: G-201.

Type of request: Extension without change of a currently approved collection.

Affected public: Individuals or households.

Abstract: The Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) utilizes voluntary customer surveys to ascertain customer satisfaction with the RRB in terms of timeliness, appropriateness, access, and other measures of quality service. Surveys involve individuals that are direct or indirect beneficiaries of RRB services as well as railroad employers who must report earnings.

Changes proposed: The RRB proposes no changes to Form G-201.

Form No.	Annual responses	Time (minutes)	Burden (hours)
G-201	50	2	2
Web-Site Survey	300	5	25
Periodic Survey	1,020	12	204
Focus Groups	250	120	500
Total	1,620		731

Additional Information or Comments: Copies of the forms and supporting documents can be obtained from Kennisha Tucker at [phone] or [e-mail].

Comments regarding the information collection should be addressed to Brian Foster, Railroad Retirement Board, 844 North Rush Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60611-1275 or [e-mail] and to the OMB Desk Officer for the RRB, Fax: [phone], Email address: [e-mail].

Brian Foster,

Clearance Officer.