95-28670. Verification of Railroad Unemployment and Sickness Claims

[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 226 (Friday, November 24, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Page 58114]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-28670]



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RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD


Verification of Railroad Unemployment and Sickness Claims

AGENCY: Railroad Retirement Board.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) is announcing a change in 
the number of days provided for railroad employers to submit 
information about claims for unemployment and sickness benefits prior 
to the agency's decision to pay or deny benefits. For a one-year 
period, employers will be allowed 3 business days, rather than 7 
calendar days, from the date of the RRB's notice of a claim to submit 
information about the claim before the agency decides to pay or deny 
benefits. For purposes of this action, a ``business day'' is defined as 
any of the days Monday through Friday which are not observed as 
official holidays by the United States Government.

DATES: The test program announced by this notice will commence January 
2, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Comments concerning this action may be submitted within 30 
days from the date of publication to John L. Thoresdale, Director of 
Unemployment and Sickness Insurance, Railroad Retirement Board, 844 
North Rush Street, Chicago, Illinois 60611.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
John L. Thoresdale, Director of Unemployment and Sickness Insurance, 
Railroad Retirement Board, 844 North Rush Street, Chicago, Illinois 
60611, 312-751-4800.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 5(b) of the Railroad Unemployment 
Insurance Act (45 U.S.C. 355(b)) provides, in part, that ``When a claim 
for benefits is filed with the Board, the Board shall provide notice of 
such claim to the claimant's base year employer or employers and afford 
such employer or employers an opportunity to submit information 
relevant to the claim before making an initial determination on the 
claim.'' Section 3256 of the Board's regulations authorize the 
establishment of procedures to obtain information about benefit claims 
from railroad employers. These procedures have allowed employers 7 
calendar days for submission of information before the RRB decides to 
pay or deny benefits.
    The Joint Committee on Rail Labor and Rail Management recently 
requested the RRB to reduce the time period allowed for employers to 
respond to notices of claims from 7 days to 3 days. At the conclusion 
of the test period, the Board will determine whether to implement the 
3-day verification period for the future.

    Dated: November 8, 1995.

    By Authority of the Board.
Beatrice Ezerski,
Secretary to the Board.
[FR Doc. 95-28670 Filed 11-22-95; 8:45 am]
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