02-3178. 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: OMB 3220-0164

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. The RRB proposes non-burden impacting editorial changes to Forms UI-38s and ID-8k. No changes are proposed to Form UI-38.

Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden

[The estimated annual respondent burden is as follows:]

Form No.	Annual responses	Time (min)	Burden (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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

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 [phone]. 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.