2018-01347. 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.

1. Title and purpose of information collection: Railroad Service and Compensation Reports/System Access Application; OMB 3220-0008.

Under Section 9 of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA) and Section 6 of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA), the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) maintains for each railroad employee, a record of compensation paid to that employee by all railroad employers for whom the employee worked after 1936. This record, which is used by the RRB to determine eligibility for, and amount of, benefits due under the laws it administers, is conclusive as to the amount of compensation paid to an employee during such period(s) covered by the report(s) of the compensation by the employee's railroad employer(s), except in cases when an employee files a protest pertaining to his or her reported compensation within the statute of limitations cited in Section 9 of the RRA and Section 6 of the RUIA.

To enable the RRB to establish and maintain the record of compensation, employers are required to file with the RRB, reports of their employees' compensation, in such manner and form and at such times as the RRB prescribes. Railroad employers' reports and responsibilities are prescribed in 20 CFR 209. The RRB currently utilizes Form BA-3, Annual Report of Creditable Compensation, and Form BA-4, Report of Creditable Compensation Adjustments, to secure the required information from railroad employers. Form BA-3 provides the RRB with information regarding annual creditable service and compensation for each individual who worked for a railroad employer covered by the RRA and RUIA in a given year. Form BA-4 provides for the adjustment of any previously submitted reports and also the opportunity to provide any service and compensation that had been previously omitted. Requirements specific to Forms BA-3 and BA-4 are prescribed in 20 CFR 209.8 and 209.9.

Employers currently have the option of submitting BA-3 and BA-4 reports electronically by CD-ROM, secure Email, File Transfer Protocol (FTP), or online via the RRB's Employer Reporting System (ERS).

The information collection also includes RRB Form BA-12, Application for Employer Reporting internet Access, and Form G-440, Report Specifications Sheet. Form BA-12 is completed by railroad employers to obtain system access to ERS. Once access is obtained, authorized employees may submit reporting forms online to the RRB. The form determines what degree of access (view/only, data entry/modification or approval/submission) is appropriate for that employee. It is also used to terminate an employee's access to ERS. Form G-440, Report Specifications Sheet, serves as a certification document for Forms BA-3 and BA-4 as well as other RRB employer reporting forms (Form BA-6a, BA-6 Address Report (OMB 3220-0005), Form BA-9, Report of Separation Allowance or Severance Pay (OMB 3220-0173) and Form BA-11, Report of Gross Earnings (OMB 3220-0132)). It records the type of medium the report was submitted on, and serves as a summary recapitulation sheet for reports filed on paper. The RRB proposes minor non-burden impacting changes to Form BA-12 and G-440.

Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden

Reporting	Responses	Time (minutes) 1	Burden (hours)
BA-3:
Electronic Media 2	96	46.25 (2,775 min)	4,440
BA-3 (Internet)	617	46.25 (2,775 min)	28,536
Total BA-3	713		32,976
BA-4:
Paper	40	1.25 (75 min)	50
Electronic Media 2	345	1.00 (60 min)	345
BA-4 (Internet)	3,912	.33 (20 min)	1,304
Total BA-4	4,297		1,699
BA-12:
Initial Access	295	.33 (20 min)	98
Access Termination	38	.166 (10 min)	7
Total BA-12	333		105
G-440 (certification):
Form BA-3 (zero employees)	19	.25 (15 min)	5
Form BA-11 (zero employees)	60	.25 (15 min)	15
Paper forms (without recap)	7	.25 (15 min)	1
Electronic transactions	94	.50 (30 min)	47
BA-3 and BA-4 (with recap)	125	1.25 (75 min)	156
Total G-440	305		224
Grand Total	5,648		35,074

2. Title and purpose of information collection: Application for Benefits Due But Unpaid at Death; OMB 3220-0055.

Under Section 2(g) of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act, benefits that accrued but were not paid because of the death of the employee shall be paid to the same individual(s) to whom benefits are payable under Section 6(a)(1) of the Railroad Retirement Act. The provisions relating to the payment of such benefits are prescribed in 20 CFR 325.5 and 20 CFR 335.5.

The RRB provides Form UI-63, Application for Benefits Due But Unpaid at Death, to those applying for the accrued sickness or unemployment benefits unpaid at the death of the employee and for obtaining the information needed to identify the proper payee. One response is requested of each respondent. Completion is required to obtain a benefit. The RRB proposes no changes to Form UI-63.

Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden

Form No.	Annual responses	Time (minutes)	Burden (hours)
UI-63	15	7	2

3. Title and purpose of information collection: Medicare; OMB 3220-0082.

Under Section 7(d) of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA), the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) administers the Medicare program for persons covered by the railroad retirement system. The RRB uses Form AA-6, Employee Application for Medicare; Form AA-7, Spouse/Divorced Spouse Application for Medicare; and Form AA-8, Widow/Widower Application for Medicare; to obtain the information needed to determine whether individuals who have not yet filed for benefits under the RRA are qualified for Medicare payments provided under Title XVIII of the Social Security Act.

Further, in order to determine if a qualified railroad retirement beneficiary who is claiming supplementary medical insurance coverage under Medicare is entitled to a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) and/or premium surcharge relief because of coverage under an Employer Group Health Plan (EGHP), the RRB needs to obtain information regarding the claimant's EGHP coverage, if any. The RRB uses Form RL-311-F, Evidence of Coverage Under an Employer Group Health Plan, to obtain the basic information needed to establish EGHP coverage for a qualified railroad retirement beneficiary.

Completion of the forms is required to obtain a benefit. One response is requested of each respondent. The RRB proposes no changes to the forms in the collection.

Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden

Form No.	Annual responses	Time (minutes)	Burden (hours)
AA-6	180	8	24
AA-7	50	8	7
AA-8	10	8	1
RL-311-F	2,000	10	333
Total	2,240		365

4. Evidence for Application of Overall Minimum: OMB 3220-0083.

Under Section 3(f)(3) of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA), the total monthly benefits payable to a railroad employee and his/her family are guaranteed to be no less than the amount which would be payable if the employee's railroad service had been covered by the Social Security Act. This is referred to as the Social Security Overall Minimum Guarantee, which is prescribed in 20 CFR 229. To administer this provision, the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) requires information about a retired employee's spouse and child(ren) who would not be eligible for benefits under the RRA but would be eligible for benefits under the Social Security Act if the employee's railroad service had been covered by that Act. The RRB obtains the required information by the use of Forms G-319, Statement Regarding Family and Earnings for Special Guaranty Computation, and G-320, Student Questionnaire for Special Guaranty Computation. One response is required of each respondent. Completion is required to obtain or retain benefits. The RRB proposes no changes to Forms G-319 and G-320.

Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden

Form No.	Annual responses	Time (minutes)	Burden (hours)
G-319 (completed by the employee):
With assistance	5	26	2
Without assistance	230	55	211
G-319 (completed by spouse):
With assistance	5	30	2
Without assistance	10	60	10
G-320:
(Age 18 at Special Guaranty Begin Date or Special Guaranty Age 18 Attainments)	30	15	7
G-320:
(Student Monitoring done in Sept., March and at end of school year)	10	15	2
Total	290		234

5. Title and purpose of information collection: Request to Non-Railroad Employer for Information About Annuitant's Work and Earnings; OMB 3220-0107.

Under Section 2 of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA), a railroad employee's retirement annuity or an annuity paid to the spouse of a railroad employee is subject to work deductions in the Tier II component of the annuity and any employee supplemental annuity for any month in which the annuitant works for a Last Pre-Retirement Non-Railroad Employer (LPE). The LPE is defined as the last person, company, or institution, other than a railroad employer, that employed an employee or spouse annuitant. In addition, the employee, spouse, or divorced spouse Tier I annuity benefit is subject to work deductions under Section 2(f)(1) of the RRA for earnings from any non-railroad employer that are over the annual exempt amount. The regulations pertaining to non-payment of annuities by reason of work and LPE are contained in 20 CFR 230.1 and 230.2.

The RRB utilizes Form RL-231-F, Request to Non-Railroad Employer for Information About Annuitant's Work and Earnings, to obtain the information needed to determine if a work deduction should be applied because an annuitant worked in non-railroad employment after the annuity beginning date. One response is requested of each respondent. Completion is voluntary. The RRB proposes no changes to Form RL-231-F.

Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden

Form No.	Annual responses	Time (minutes)	Burden (hours)
RL-231-F	300	30	150

6. Title and purpose of information collection: Gross Earnings Report; OMB 3220-0132. In order to carry out the financial interchange provisions of section 7(c)(2) of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA), the RRB obtains annually from railroad employers the gross earnings for their employees on a one-percent basis, i.e., 1% of each employer's railroad employees. The gross earnings sample is based on the earnings of employees whose social security numbers end with the digits “30.” The gross earnings are used to compute payroll taxes under the financial interchange.

The gross earnings information is essential in determining the tax amounts involved in the financial interchange with the Social Security Administration and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Besides being necessary for current financial interchange calculations, the gross earnings file tabulations are also an integral part of the data needed to estimate future tax income and corresponding financial interchange amounts. These estimates are made for internal use and to satisfy requests from other government agencies and interested groups. In addition, cash flow projections of the social security equivalent benefit account, railroad retirement account and cost estimates made for proposed amendments to laws administered by the RRB are dependent on input developed from the information collection.

The RRB utilizes Form BA-11 to obtain gross earnings information from railroad employers. Employers have the option of preparing and submitting BA-11 reports online via the RRB's Employer Reporting System or on paper (or in like format) on magnetic tape cartridges, by File Transfer Protocol (FTP), or secure Email. The online BA-11 includes the option to file a “negative report” (no employees, or no employees with the digits “30”). Completion is mandatory. One response is requested of each respondent. The RRB proposes no changes to Form BA-11.

Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden

Form No.	Annual responses	Time (minutes)	Burden (hours)
BA-11 File Transfer Protocol	7	300 (5 hours)	35
BA-11 CD-ROM	5	30	2
BA-11 secure Email	5	30	2
BA-11 (Internet)—Positive	137	30	68
BA-11 (Internet)—Negative	329	15	82
Total	483		189

Additional Information or Comments: To request more information or to obtain a copy of the information collection justification, forms, and/or supporting material, contact Dana Hickman 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 emailed to [e-mail]. Written comments should be received within 60 days of this notice.

Brian D. Foster,

Clearance Officer.